Discover how high-profile experts collect and manage leads generated through their websites or marketing campaigns. Leveraging their insights, starting with tips from CEOs, explore practical steps to nurture leads beginning with acquiring leads through free resources and wrapping up with pairing forms and lead magnets with CRM. All told, thirteen invaluable insights are discussed in this article, providing a holistic view.
- Acquire Leads Through Free Resources
- Track Leads with Simple Excel Sheet
- Use CRM-Integrated Lead Forms
- Leverage Webinars for Lead Management
- Utilize Email Lead Funnels
- Engage Leads with Chatbot Integration
- Integrate CRM with Website and Ads
- Segment Leads with Behavioral Data
- Trigger Sequences with Fresh Data
- Capture Leads via Blog and CRM
- Combine Landing Pages and CRM
- Personalize Lessons for EdTech Leads
- Pair Forms and Lead Magnets with CRM
Acquire Leads Through Free Resources
Leads are acquired on our website through various approaches. You can access downloadable resources for FREE, such as our “Ultimate Guide to Combating Candida Overgrowth,” which will give you a primer about the disease and the advantages of our anti-candida diets. By requiring an email to open the guide, we make first contact with prospects and gather contacts. In addition, we use pop-up ads on websites with a deal on our programs to lure your audience to join our email list.
Second, we execute a targeted email-nurturing plan to convert leads into clients. We aren’t just bombarding users with marketing emails, but with a series of informative and compelling messages. These emails offer interesting articles, solutions to common candida issues, and testimonials from customers who’ve been successful.
For example, recently, we nurtured a lead who downloaded our free guide and signed up for our mailing list. After getting emails with clear information about our customized diets and reading testimonials from people who had recovered from candida symptoms, she was assured that we were the right program for her. That eventually got her on our complete anti-candida diet plan.
This lead-nurturing strategy creates trust and lets us educate prospects on the benefits we offer. We give informational resources, relationships, and success stories so that people can make decisions and get on the right track to a better future, transforming prospects into satisfied customers who flourish with us.
Lisa Richards
CEO, The Candida Diet
Track Leads with Simple Excel Sheet
My preferred method for collecting and managing leads is pretty simple. I still use a Microsoft Excel document where I add all the information from leads that come through my website or phone calls. It might seem nuts, especially with everything being digital and automated these days, but it works for me. The spreadsheet has all the important details: name, contact information, company website, where the lead came from, and information about the project.
I use color codes to track where each lead is in the process of becoming a paying customer. If there’s no color, it means I haven’t given them a quote yet. Orange means I’ve sent them a quote, but they haven’t made a decision. Green means they’ve become a paying customer. Red means they’ve gone with a competitor or decided on a different direction.
I’ve tried using CRMs like HubSpot before, but they can be really complex. I prefer having this one Excel sheet where I can see all my leads for the year. It makes it really easy to see where everyone is in the sales pipeline and super easy to follow up with them.
For example, I had a lead who contacted me through my website. I added their information to my spreadsheet with no color since I hadn’t sent a quote yet. After discussing their project, I sent them a quote and changed their status to orange. A few days later, I followed up, and they decided to move forward with us. I changed their status to green, and they became a paying customer. This simple system helps me keep track of leads and nurture them into clients.
Joe Forte
Co-Founder, D-MAK Productions
Use CRM-Integrated Lead Forms
I prefer using CRM-integrated lead forms directly on the website to avoid potential issues like email notification failures, form breakdowns, or attribution challenges. This approach ensures that no critical data is lost and reduces dependence on third-party forms, which can sometimes break during website or software updates.
Over the past 15 years, I’ve built hundreds of websites for clients using this method, and it’s the approach I always recommend.
Personally, I use HubSpot forms, which allow me to ask qualifying questions upfront, build workflows, route leads efficiently, and review all lead data within the CRM. I’ve set up workflows to send automated emails based on key factors like budget, revenue, or required services. This keeps the communication flowing, even when I’m not actively online.
I also segment leads based on specific criteria and enroll them in nurture sequences. This lets me automate follow-ups for leads that aren’t ready to buy yet, keeping them engaged until they’re prepared to enter the sales pipeline. This process has saved me a significant amount of time and helps manage leads far more effectively.
Nirmal Gyanwali
Founder and CEO, WP Creative
Leverage Webinars for Lead Management
We use webinars as a dual tool for both lead generation and management. By offering educational content that requires registration, we attract qualified leads interested in specific topics. These leads are then nurtured with additional resources and follow-up meetings set through our CRM, aligning educational content with their business needs to move them down the sales funnel.
A referral lead was managed through personalized interactions where they received custom analyses of their current digital marketing efforts, showing gaps and opportunities. This lead was then invited to a roundtable discussion with other industry leaders hosted by our firm, providing direct insights and networking opportunities. The personalized attention and the exclusive nature of the roundtable effectively showcased our value, leading to a successful conversion into a high-value client.
Jason Hennessey
CEO, Hennessey Digital
Utilize Email Lead Funnels
An email lead funnel is second to none. We use email data capture to identify leads driven to the site through SEO & paid channels because then we can communicate with them on a one-to-one basis. Usually, a white paper or industry report is enough to get them to give us their email. Then we slowly feed them information about the problems we solve for similar personas.
One example would be a lead that landed on our site and downloaded our marketing research report. We emailed them this report immediately. But this also set them on a journey of emails about how vending machines have helped other similar personas generate brand awareness for other clients of ours. This led to the contact booking a demo through our clear calls-to-action in one of the emails. And voila, three weeks later we had a new customer.
Elyas Coutts
CEO, Connect Vending
Engage Leads with Chatbot Integration
I prefer using a chatbot integrated into our website for collecting and managing leads. The chatbot engages visitors right away, answers their initial queries, and collects essential contact information, like their name and email address. For instance, when a customer asks about a custom flower arrangement, the chatbot can instantly provide options, then prompt the customer to leave their details for further assistance. This not only captures leads quickly but also ensures they’re not left waiting for a response.
A great example is when a customer expressed interest in wedding florals through our chatbot. After gathering their contact info, I followed up with a personalized email offering a discount for early booking and a catalog of our previous wedding arrangements. By keeping the conversation going and providing value, that lead turned into a paying customer who booked us for their big day. The key to nurturing leads this way is to offer timely, personalized follow-ups that address their specific needs.
Sophie Marasco
Founder, Thanks A Bunch Florist
Integrate CRM with Website and Ads
Our HVAC company uses a CRM system integrated with our website and marketing campaigns. It captures leads directly from web forms, chatbots, and Google Local Services Ads, which allows us to respond quickly and track each lead from the moment they interact with us to when they become paying customers. This integration ensures that no lead falls through the cracks and allows us to prioritize follow-ups based on the type of inquiry and urgency.
We nurtured a lead into a paying customer starting with an inquiry through our website’s AI-powered chatbot. The customer had questions about upgrading their HVAC system. The chatbot collected their contact details and immediately flagged the lead in our CRM for follow-up. Our sales team reached out within an hour to schedule a consultation to assess their needs. During the consultation, we provided a detailed quote, answered their questions about energy efficiency, and shared information on financing options.
Over the next week, we sent the customer follow-up emails with testimonials, financing reminders, and a special offer for new installations. Timely communication, personalized service, and flexible options helped convert this lead into a sale.
Andrew Hulsebos
Service Director, Reiner Group Inc.
Segment Leads with Behavioral Data
Behavioral segmentation is key to turning leads into loyal customers. We group leads based on their interactions with a brand, such as pages visited, content downloaded, emails opened, and social media engagement.
This provides insights into each lead’s interests, pain points, and buying journey stage, allowing for targeted nurturing campaigns. We use tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, and Salesforce to collect and manage this data.
For example, a B2B SaaS client struggled to convert free-trial users. We divided them into Power Users, Casual Users, and Tire Kickers based on in-app activity. Each segment received tailored nurturing sequences:
- Power Users: advanced tips and case studies.
- Casual Users: educational content and use case ideas.
- Tire Kickers: overviews of key benefits and success stories.
This approach significantly boosted conversions. One Tire Kicker became a top account after receiving targeted nurturing.
The lesson? Leverage behavioral segmentation to understand leads and craft relevant communications. This not only converts more leads but also builds long-term loyalty.
Brogan Renshaw
Managing Director, Firewire Digital
Trigger Sequences with Fresh Data
I swear by fresh data and a solid automation stack. I use sales triggers to start off sequences to reach out to the leads who are in the right purchasing stage. For example, they may be the head of a department that’s started hiring en masse. The increased job postings are the trigger. Then, I use automated nurture sequences that reference their pain points (based on ICP research) and frame how our solution can help alleviate them. In terms of collecting and managing leads, I store them in the CRM, where I also do data cleansing and enrichment, so the information stays fresh for the moment when it’s time to send the outreach!
Lana Rafaela Cindric
Growth Associate, RevBoss
Capture Leads via Blog and CRM
Our website features a blog section with resources that conclude by inviting readers to sign up for a free trial of our shipment-tracking API or request a product demo. The leads collected from this process are stored in our go-to CRM tool, HubSpot.
Once we’ve captured the leads, we start the lead-nurturing process immediately with customized reach-out for prospects who requested a product demo. We arrange for this to happen at a time that is most convenient with their schedule. A sales representative will give the potential client a personalized walkthrough of our product and highlight features that suit their specific needs based on industry and package-tracking needs.
We will follow up on this product demo with personalized emails that engage the leads over the next few days. At the same time, we also target them with LinkedIn Ads and share resources, including case studies that will help nudge them further along the sales funnel.
When it is time to present an offer to the client, we ensure that we match them with a pricing tier that is ideal for their tracking needs. We also offer technical support during the API-integration process and continuously after they start using the tracking solution.
Steve Yang
Cro, TrackingMore
Combine Landing Pages and CRM
My preferred method for collecting and managing leads generated through my website is through a combination of landing pages and customer relationship management (CRM) software. I create targeted landing pages that offer valuable resources—like eBooks or webinars—in exchange for contact information.
Once leads are captured, I integrate them into my CRM system, which allows me to segment them based on their interests and behaviors. This segmentation enables me to tailor my communication effectively, ensuring that each lead receives relevant content that addresses their specific needs.
For example, I once generated leads from a webinar focused on digital marketing strategies. After capturing their information through the registration form, I followed up with personalized emails that included additional resources related to topics discussed during the webinar.
Over time, I nurtured these leads by providing valuable content like case studies and exclusive offers tailored to their interests. As a result of this targeted approach, several leads converted into paying customers who engaged with my services long term.
Greg Walters
Co-Founder, SEO Modify
Personalize Lessons for EdTech Leads
As an EdTech business, we’ve found that personalized lessons and personalized approaches to each customer are critical to our success. That’s why we use a 15-step questionnaire and an appointment-setting tool to collect leads and store responses in our CRM system. During the questionnaire, we collect customer pain points, study-related preferences, and learning habits. These responses are then passed on to our teachers, who personalize the trial lesson for each customer accordingly, considering learning gaps, learning styles, and pace.
Our key insight is that a personalized free demo lesson is key to nurturing a lead into a paying customer. The potential customer gets a chance to experience our teaching approach before committing financially.
Andriy Shvets
Chief Marketing Officer, Brighterly
Pair Forms and Lead Magnets with CRM
My preferred method is a combination of forms and lead magnets, paired with a solid CRM for tracking and nurturing. I use a tool like HubSpot or ActiveCampaign to automate the process—from the moment someone fills out a form, they’re segmented based on behavior or interests, and immediately entered into a personalized nurturing sequence.
Let me give you an example: We ran a content campaign offering an ebook on “Scaling SaaS Operations.” Visitors signed up via a landing page, and once they did, they were automatically added to our CRM and placed in a lead-nurturing workflow.
Here’s how we nurtured one specific lead: After downloading the ebook, the person received a series of follow-up emails offering more in-depth content like case studies, tutorials, and webinar invites—all tailored to their interest in SaaS scaling. Each interaction was tracked, so when the lead started engaging more (like attending the webinar), our sales team was alerted.
At that point, they reached out with a personalized demo offer. Because the lead had already been warmed up through valuable content, the conversation was less of a sales pitch and more of a solution to their specific needs. The lead ended up converting into a paying customer within a few weeks.
The key? Using targeted content and automation to keep the lead engaged at every step, while keeping the sales team informed so they can jump in at just the right time.
Thomas Moussafer
Co-Founder, Jimo
