The old days of sitting at the phone and cold calling from the Hill and Donnelly is being replaced with a new form of lead generation. Generating and capturing leads online has a whole new dimension and requires knowledge of contact management, building lists and of course being tied into social media. The advice of this ePro Advisor, create a strategic plan and gradually incorporate the following 10 steps into your business practice.

1. Market and Advertise Off-line and Online

A lead generation strategy is useless without a way of getting prospects to the first rung of the ladder. This means implementing a successful marketing plan for your business. A good marketing strategy can motivate cold prospects to become warm leads and take the first step in doing business with you. Engaging online visitors is critical with building your contact list.

2. Build a List

Your list is one of your most important assets. Most prospects are not ready to connect the first time you come in contact with them, but they may be ready at some stage in the future. A well developed list of current prospects, customers and past clients is all a part of contact management.

Of course, good list building is not just an excel sheet with everybody's email address. A contact management program that allows multiple groups and various statues for different types of contacts is a must-have tool.

3. Follow Up Effectively

The Tech Savvy Agent says, "Focus on the deliverable and make sure it is different for long term versus short term prospects. Lots of people are looking for info, but aren't ready to start getting IDX alerts daily. Use what they tell you about their timeline to help mold what your follow-up consists of."

4. Status Identifies the Most-Qualified Prospects

As your list grows even more, you'll want to segregate it to make more money by spending more energy and time on your "Hot" prospects. Spend less time and energy on your "Warm" and "Cold" prospects. The first step is to create profiles of who the Hot, Warm and Cold prospects are.

The next step is to start using your automated system to turn Cold prospects into Warm ones and Warm prospects into Hot leads and, of course, converting Hot prospects into paying customers.

5. Email Drip Campaigns

Setting up an email drip campaign is a critical lead generation task. When you connect with a contact, it's easy to add them to your contact management program and start them on a drip for continuous emails that will be sent automatically. The most labor intensive aspect is writing the emails that the prospect will receive. They don't have to be long, but they do have to be compelling.

Mr. Internet, Michael Russer, is masterful with email dialogue. He says, "Perhaps the most important e-mail you will ever send is your 'first response' to an initial inquiry by an Internet Empowered Consumer." Of his Critical First Response E-Mail, Mr. Internet claims, "Upon examination, you will see that this 'first response' e-mail is radically different from what most sales professionals would typically use."

6. Create a Daily Ritual

By establishing a daily ritual for lead generation, you will be certain to stay connected to contacts. Setting them up on an email drip campaign assures TOMA ( Top Of Mind Awareness), but it won't establish relationships. Follow-up, stay in touch and keep a clean database for your contacts. Make sure you change the status of prospects that convert to a client, and change the status to past client when a sale closes.

7. Ask Engaging Questions

If your prospect didn't respond to you the first time, chances are you didn't ask engaging questions. Remember, answering an email request for more information does not constitute a trusted relationship. Ask questions that compel prospects to reply with more information. Follow up continuously so you're there when the prospect is ready for the next step.

Keep delivering useful content to your prospects, keep making offers, You never know when they're ready to buy. But when they are, you want to be there.

8. Use Landing Pages to Capture Visitors

Keeping the pipeline full is the key to constant, consistent business. A simple "Contact Us" or "Request More Info" is not an effective method for generating leads. Lead capture pages that encourage visitors to register for a report or stats about the neighborhood will provide you a name and email address, which helps you build your contact list.

9. Convert for Closed Sales

It's important to be closing from one step to the next, from the time you engage with a prospect. When you answer an email, be closing for a response. When the prospects provides the opening, close them to be a client and, last, provide exceptional service until you have a closed transaction.

10. Keep in Touch with Past Clients

Once you have closed a transaction with a satisfied client, drip email campaigns make it easy to keep in touch. Set up drip emails with reminders that you are available to help family, friends and neighbors. Provide reports on property values in their neighborhood and tips for maintaining a high property value. Keeping in touch assures your chances of getting introductions to people they know, who would benefit from your service.

To view the original article, visit the Real Pro Advisor blog.