When it comes to forms, ask for as little information as possible. You probably want to request customer information that includes everything from name to shoe size. You can certainly ask for it. But the more information you ask for, the less likely folks are to fork it over. Conversion rates are generally proportional to the amount of information requested. This holds especially true for lead-generating conversions.

Lead generation is a value exchange. Your visitors expect to get something of value from you in exchange for their information. What they have to provide should not be one iota more than they perceive necessary! If you want more information, provide more value in proportion to the request. You want my shoe size for your newsletter? Offer me a free pair of socks after I've received the newsletter.

5. Help Them See It

No two ways about it, if visitors can't quickly make visual heads or tails of your content, they won't stick around and you won't generate a lead. Layout matters. Evaluate your copy for scannability and skimmability. Use eye-tracking principles so visitors can find what they expect to find where they expect to find it.

6. Qualify Better

It is your job to help your visitors qualify their needs as soon as they land on your site. When you provide a means for them to find what they want and get to it quickly, you build rapport and help your visitors feel understood. It's a process that begins on the home page (or a well-designed landing page).

But not all visitors know exactly what they want. Some may not be in a buying mood. That doesn't mean they won't buy. An exceptional qualification scheme is critical to getting a customer. It's just as critical to generating a lead. Let visitors know briefly who you are, what you do, and what you offer. You're more likely to persuade them to become a lead.

7. Test, Measure, and Optimize

Improving lead generation means evaluating what you've done so you can figure out how to do it better. Web analytics to consider include:

Responses: How many folks downloaded your white paper, subscribed to your newsletter, or opted in to your e-mail list?

Time spent on site: How long do visitors stick around?

Reject rates, especially on contact pages: Where do folks bail out of your site? Are you losing visitors just when you think you have them?

Leads-to-close ratio: Is there a connection between perception and satisfaction?

Try incorporating one or two of these suggestions and see what happens. Better still, make all these the centerpiece of your site's conversion philosophy, and watch those leads roll in!