Lead generation is a marketing term. It refers to how any sort of marketing activities generates new business ‘leads’ – which is followed by a client interest and action. Currently, there is a widespread assumption lead generation is the bridge between marketing spend and actual purchase, which in my opinion is not the case. I think we can only say there is a wonky correlation between a good marketing campaign and an increase in purchase activities.

In the area of public relations, however, such a strict KPI is surprisingly absent. Quite unfairly.
This is because corporate communications has been slower in picking up digital channels and marketing somehow monopolised it. All this is starting with change as more communications officers realise the big potential of social media.

Corporate communications do not lead to sales. But it doesn’t mean the lack of sales equates the lack of quantifiable targets. Just ‘leads’ generated here would be interest, expressed in positive enquiries or an increase in the number of mentions.

An example of a lead generation communications would be a Twitter post targeted at the media through advertising:

• Whom did you target?
• What call to action did you put in place?
• How many of your targets took that call to action?

The days are over for comms professionals that their work cannot be measured. 

When it comes to communications websites for example, the same sort of funnelling that was done by marketing is more and more being employed by PR professionals.

What’s your experience as a comms professional when it comes to lead generation?

Let me know in your comments below.

Eureka Moments are not so much moments of sudden realisation or enlightenment like Archimedes. They are moments while I am in my commute when I get to reflect on things that someone mentioned to me, things that I am confronted with, things that I or others have sought a solution for. They are more ‘oh I get it’ rather than ‘I have discovered it’.