While brand awareness remains essential as an ongoing strategy, securing tangible inflows is more complex than ever. Ongoing changes in algorithms (LinkedIn and Google), evolving consumer behaviour, and increased competition (doesn’t it feel like everyone is running a business in your field?!) have all added to the challenge.

Generating a consistent inflow of qualified leads—whether through website submissions, social media/eDM engagement and nurturing, or downloadable content submissions from ads—requires a tailored and personalised approach, supported by timely, trigger-based strategies.

By combining targeted tactics with scalable approaches, you can maximise your marketing impact and sit back and watch the leads flow in. 

Here are actionable insights to refine your lead generation strategies to set you in good stead for 2025:

1. Audit and optimise your lead gen funnel

Start the year with a detailed review of your existing lead generation funnel. Pinpoint areas where potential leads drop off and address any barriers to conversion.

Evaluate conversion rates at each stage, adjusting messaging, CTAs, or user experience elements to smooth the journey and reduce unnecessary barriers. 

Action step:

Google Analytics and Hotjar maps track user behaviours and help identify pain points. Conduct A/B tests to refine page layouts, copy, and forms using these data insights.

2. Personalisation at scale

Personalised messaging is essential for 2025. Leverage data to create content that speaks to your audience’s unique needs, challenges, and objectives. This applies to email campaigns, dynamic website experiences, LinkedIn outreach, and retargeting ads. Building relevance strengthens trust and drives engagement.

Action Step:

Marketing automation platforms like HubSpot, Marketo, or Salesforce Marketing Cloud offer sophisticated tools for creating highly targeted campaigns. These platforms allow you to segment your audience based on their behaviours, interactions, and demographic data, enabling you to deliver hyper-relevant content that resonates with your prospects.

CRM systems integrate with these platforms to track customer interactions across multiple touchpoints—whether it’s a website visit, email click, or social media engagement. You can set up behavioural triggers such as content interaction or specific website activity (e.g., viewing a product page or downloading a resource) that automatically trigger personalised emails, offers, or ads tailored to where they are in their buying journey. This ensures that your messaging is timely, relevant, and aligned with your leads’ interests.

Additionally, tools like Dripify on LinkedIn enable you to scale your outreach by automating personalised connection requests, follow-up messages, and content sharing. These tools maintain a human element while automating processes, allowing you to engage decision-makers with relevant content at each stage of their journey, all while keeping the interaction authentic and personalised.

3. Leverage interactive content

Interactive formats grab attention and foster engagement far more effectively than static alternatives. Tools like quizzes, calculators, surveys not only encourage participation but also generate highly qualified leads as this audience has demonstrated an interest. You have the added benefit of learning more about your market too.

Action step:

Create a quiz, such as “What Best Describes Your Bottleneck with Regard to [X]?”, gated by an email sign-up form. After completion, provide respondents with a tailored guide or actionable recommendations for addressing similar bottlenecks in their industry. Promote the quiz through targeted social media ads and monitor the quality of leads generated.

4. Double down on video marketing

Video continues to dominate consumer preferences. Short-form video, customer success stories, and how-to guides can engage audiences across platforms while driving traffic to your website or lead generation landing pages.

Action step:

Design a quarterly video strategy. For instance, focus Q1 on customer testimonials, Q2 on product demos, and Q3 on behind-the-scenes content. Repurpose these videos into shorter clips for different channels. You’ll benefit from both longer term content for your channels (SEO) as well as quick, targeted snippets. 

5. Focus on first-party data

With third-party cookies on the way out, first-party data is more valuable than ever. Encouraging users to share their information directly with you provides a reliable source of insights while fostering trust.

Action step:

Offer gated assets such as whitepapers, guides or industry reports. Clearly communicate the value they’ll receive in exchange for providing their details and start nurturing the contacts in your CRM – not just coldly and externally on third party platforms. 

6. Align sales and marketing teams

Alignment between sales and marketing is crucial for a seamless lead nurturing process. Shared data, consistent communication, and unified KPIs ensure that both teams are working towards the same goals.

Action step:

Host weekly syncs to share campaign insights and discuss lead quality feedback. Use a shared dashboard to track progress and refine approaches collectively. Ensure each team member has buy in and is working to the same strategy so there aren’t any gaps in generating and converting your leads. 

7. AI for unexpected lead gen ‘weed’ tasks

It’s no surprise that AI-powered tools can enhance lead generation by automating repetitive tasks, improving audience targeting, and analysing large data sets to uncover actionable insights. However, this automation can be applied at various levels of your strategy, some of which you may not have considered.

Platforms such as Zapier automate workflows by connecting apps, ensuring consistent lead entry into your CRM without manual intervention. Automation enables your team to focus on high-value activities such as meaningful conversations with leads and not get stuck in the weeds.

Action step:

Explore AI-driven platforms for lead scoring, chatbots for instant engagement, and predictive analytics to anticipate customer needs as well as platforms that reduce the steps your team needs to take in collecting and engaging with leads (i.e. Zapier). 

8. Experiment with emerging channels

Diversify your approach by tapping into emerging platforms and technologies. Virtual events, niche online communities such as LinkedIn’s collaborative articles or groups, and even social audio platforms could help you engage untapped audiences.

Action step:

Identify one or two new channels where your target audience is active and run pilot campaigns to evaluate effectiveness. Measure lead quality and engagement to determine long-term potential.

9. Refine your content strategy

Effective content planning ensures you stay relevant and solve your audience’s most pressing problems. Instead of sporadic posting, build a quarterly content calendar around specific themes—such as tackling industry pain points, addressing emerging trends, or providing actionable guides. Ensure your strategy includes a mix of content that is trigger-based (i.e., solves today’s problem) and evergreen content that addresses inherent industry challenges (also great for longer term brand awareness and SEO initiatives). 

Action step:

Develop a quarterly content calendar with a mix of formats (e.g., blogs, infographics, case studies). For example, dedicate Q1 to solutions for cost optimisation and Q2 to preparing for regulatory changes. Use audience feedback to adjust topics in real time and pepper in a balance of this trigger-based content with your ‘always on,’ evergreen resources. 

10. Measure, learn, and iterate

Data-driven decision-making is crucial. Continuously track the performance of your lead generation campaigns, and don’t hesitate to pivot based on results. Regular analysis keeps you agile and aligned with your audience’s needs. 

Action step:

Establish a monthly review process to analyse campaign metrics such as conversion rates, engagement levels, and lead quality. Use these insights to refine your strategies.

Final thoughts

By delivering a mix of content and campaigns that address real problems your audience faces right now and in the future, and leveraging automation tools for seamless execution, you’ll position your business for a consistent inflow of leads.

Book a time to speak to set up a lead inflow strategy for your business.