Can a business directory help in generating sales lead?

It generates, it consists of listings of business informations be it public or private individuals.Gives details what services, products, phone nos, it's locations,jobs be local or international and more.

TradeYourAsset

-----------------

Hi Cameron,

You ask a good question, but I think you need to ask a second question too. Yes, a business directory can generate leads, but the critical success question is: Will any particular business directory help generate the kind of leads you WANT for your particular business?

To answer this question you might want to ask what similar businesses and competitors are doing, and they try to see if it is effective. For example, telephone yellow pages is a type of business directory, but many people find it much more effective to join a fee-based referral group that provides word-of-mouth referrals (e.g. BNI, Chamber of Commerce, etc.) or use social networking (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) to promote their business. This is true with my own business as a business and personal coach; most people want to find me via meeting me, getting to know me via social media, or by being referred by someone who knows me to be an effective coach.

The problem with a directory is that you put your own material in it, and naturlly people expect you to present your best. There are many businesses where people want a referral and not a lead because with a referral you have someone who has witnessed how you do business and can give a firsthand account of your quality and integrity. Do you really want to look in a directory to find your next doctor, lawyer, dentist, coach, financial adviser, etc. when you really want to know what experience others have had, both good and bad?

If your business works better on referrals, rather than leads, then a directory might not be a cost-effective choice. --Hope this helps...

What type of business do you operate? What industry do you market to? Are you B-to-B or B-to-C? These are the types of questions I would want to know before determining if a directory is the best option to generate bonafide leads for your business.

There are numerous free directories that you can list on regardless of the answers to these questions, but I would likely advise you to spend your money on SEO and targeted PPC campaigns.

Yep, websites submitted in business directories gains traffic and good SERPS. Good SERPS and traffic means leads to your website and eventually will convert into sales. Keep submitting your website to high quality business directories for best results. 

Yes but that is only portion of your overall campaigns. Many prospects tried to look for the list of lead generation company to study their features and select the best one. So there are times they will come to you from directories that has complete list of what they are looking for.