Lead generation is fundamental for any eCommerce business planning to expand its audience and boost conversion rates.

This can be a difficult process, especially for smaller enterprises with little to no experience. The most common obstacles preventing most businesses (61 percent) generating the right leads are inadequate funds and understaffing. But companies must leverage the tools, time and employees they do have to achieve their goals in the most effective way.

Here are six tips any eCommerce company can take advantage of for more effective lead generation.

1. Take advantage of CRM

Implementing an intuitive all in one CRM empowers eCommerce businesses with a number of advantages in the battle for a better lead generation strategy. Good CRM can boost conversion rates by 300 percent and purchase value by 40 percent.

The best intuitive CRM systems make gathering and organizing critical customer data easier. This is especially important for small enterprises operated by skeleton crews trying to handle a growing audience: 91 percent of businesses with 11 employees or more rely on CRM software.

A good CRM lets eCommerce companies segment customers into groups based on their buying habits/interests (tech, computing, footwear), gender, buying history and more. This facilitates more personalized marketing and customer service.

2. Invest in quality content creation

Content marketing is one of the most common lead generation strategies, with 67 percent of brands questioned for a Salesfusion study citing it as a major technique.

Good content takes various forms: videos, blog posts, podcasts, e-books, white papers, articles and press releases. It's not enough to unleash an endless stream of hastily-written, sloppy work, though. Quality content counts.

This starts with eCommerce businesses publishing well-written material offering real value to the reader. Content can't be a thinly-veiled excuse to shoehorn keywords onto as many pages as possible.

One top tip for effective content marketing is to embrace buyer personas. Think about the target consumer's key details -- age, income, location, pain points, etc. -- and tailor content to suit these factors.

3. Use social media to reach new prospects

Social media is an essential component of good business-customer relationships. More than half of consumers surveyed by Marketing Sherpa follow companies on social channels, citing such reasons as:

Hoping for regular promotions/coupons

Interested in purchasing products

Content shared is entertaining

Content shared is useful

A good eCommerce businesses should offer followers a clear incentive to visit their site and access valuable or entertaining gated content. They'll gain access to the free video, guide, etc. after submitting their email address (or other crucial details). Everyone wins -- the brand gets a new lead to follow-up, the consumer gets their freebie.

Research by eMarketer shows that white papers, webinars and case studies are the most effective types of content for driving leads. Offering some for free gives prospects the chance to gauge quality and relevance before signing up for gated content.

Access to in-depth analytics, order management and centralized social interactions all provide companies with actionable data for informed decision-making, too.

4. Use webinars to engage and grow audiences

Roughly 73 percent of sales and marketing leaders claim webinars are one of the most effective techniques for quality lead generation.

Webinars provide eCommerce businesses with an opportunity to demonstrate thought-leadership, gain recognition as a valuable resource, engage with consumers and reveal a more human side.

Different webinar types include:

Interviewing respected industry figures with valuable advice/stories

Exclusive glimpses behind the curtain (such as a factory or warehouse tour)

Revealing products ahead of launch to build interest

How-to guides/troubleshooting for various products

Advertise webinars on social accounts, blog posts and press releases to encourage any interested parties to register. Sign-up forms should be simple and minimally-invasive: requesting an email address is enough to secure a quality lead.

5. Embrace email marketing

Businesses using email marketing see a return of $44 for each dollar invested, according to Campaign Monitor. This works in tandem with a good CRM system, as email addresses can be stored and accessed easily. Email marketing may be automated to keep the process as streamlined as possible, too.

Marketing emails generate leads by offering discounts/freebies, promising news on upcoming product launches, providing a reward for completing a customer survey and more. Automated marketing tools enable eCommerce brands to send different emails to subscribers based on specific criteria, such as gender, location and purchase history.

But it's crucial to keep it personal: more than 70 percent of marketers cite targeted personalization as a valuable way to boost customer engagement. Address recipients by name and appeal to their personal interests or activities.

6. Build irresistible landing pages

A solid landing page means the difference between converting a visitor and driving them away. Each landing page must be related to a specific offer, promotion or paid ad to generate leads, and deliver on promises. Simplicity is key: putting multiple offers on a landing page has the power to decrease conversions by as much as 266 percent.

Landing pages should make it clear to visitors what they can expect for clicking a call-to-action and taking the next step. How will this product/download/piece of content improve their life? What action do they need to take to gain access to it?

Use visual media to capture attention and increase engagement. Videos, for example, can boost conversion rates by as much as 86 percent.

A well-planned, well-executed lead generation strategy is vital for eCommerce businesses to achieve growth ambitions. Try the six tips explored above to expand your audience, find valuable new leads and boost conversions. It demands time and patience, but consistency and persistence will pay off.