Doing B2B lead generation means finding new contacts from companies or organizations that are interested in your offering and can become paying customers: here are 12 strategies for doing so and thus stimulating the growth of your brand.
Looking for new ways to generate sales leads in the B2B market can sometimes seem particularly difficult-if not daunting.
If you operate in this field, you know something about it, don't you?
Know, however, that you are not alone: according to some recent surveys, the lead generation is a headache for more than half of all brand owners or marketers and looks set to remain so for the foreseeable future.
If you think about it, we are so inundated with all kinds of information and the competition is so fierce that it is increasingly difficult for a brand to engage, reach and monitor potential customers.
And in this jungle there are many who struggle, not only to survive, but also to succeed.
Thus, B2B lead generation is not exactly a walk in the park.
But you can't avoid it: you need leads to stimulate growth, because more B2B leads equals more sales.
If you would like to revamp your B2B brand's lead generation strategy, but don't know where to start...
This article is for you!
You will find some tips on how to generate leads, how to qualify them, and how to grow your brand through the best tactics and strategies.
What is B2B lead generation?
If you are already knowledgeable about the topic, go ahead and skip that paragraph and go directly to the next one.
If not, here is a quick explanation of the topic.
B2B (i.e., business-to-business) lead generation is the process of getting new leads, i.e., new contacts, if you have a brand that sells and markets to other companies.
It thus differs from B2C lead generation, in which services and products are sold directly to end consumers.
Leads potentially represent your ideal customers, whom you will need to engage and stimulate to purchase your offer, turning them into paying users.
It constitutes an important initial step in a typical sales funnel, a promotional campaign or, more generally, in a marketing strategy.
Lead generation involves collecting such potential customers' information, such as name and e-mail, and using that information to target them with personalized advertisements or targeted sales proposals.
If the lead is not yet inclined to buy, can be fed by the marketing team through relevant and useful content such as blog, white papers and case studies.
The goal of B2B lead generation is to create a consistent and predictable pipeline of contacts that have a high probability of converting into customers: if implemented correctly, through a decision-making process based on the data, will bring new buyers and revenue to your business allowing it to grow.
Types of B2B leads
B2B leads are therefore organizations, individuals, or companies that have the potential to become customers for B2B (business-to-business) services or products. Unlike business-to-customer (B2C) sales, these leads come from other companies rather than individuals.
They can be distinguished into two main types:
Marketing Qualified Lead.
Qualified marketing leads are potential leads selected by the marketing team who might purchase a service or product based on key selection criteria.
They are generally not yet ready to buy, but have expressed interest in your brand (e.g., they signed up for your newsletter or downloaded your latest e-book).
Marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) are passive leads that must be nurtured and cultivated, to make them ready to receive a sales proposal.
(Read also: Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL): everything you need to know)
Sales Qualified Lead.
A qualified B2B sales lead is an inbound lead who has interacted directly with your brand and your sales representatives in some way. They may have requested a demo, sent an e-mail or contacted your sales team showing interest in a specific service or product.
These leads are very important and should be prioritized: any user who contacts your brand before you reach out to them should be followed up quickly through your sales channel.
12 B2B lead generation strategies that work
The most effective way to generate more sales is to customize your B2B lead generation plan according to buyers, product and target industry.
To do so, here are some suggestions of strategies you can implement to encourage innovation and help you discover new paths to growth.
#1 Run an A/B test
I know we would all like to get it right right away, but know that communication and marketing do not have to be perfect on the first try; on the contrary.
I A/B testing are very useful in this regard, because they allow you to experiment with different formats, messages, and promotional styles to see which one generates the most attention and engagement.
To figure out, for example, which of two images is more effective or whether it makes sense to redesign your site's home page, you can run an A/B test.
It's the little touches that make a difference-even something like "Sign up now" replaced by "Learn more" could increase clicks. So collect and monitor the data and then make the decisions that work best for you.
#2 Create useful content
One of the most effective lead generation strategies is the regular creation of new content.
On average, an content marketing first-rate generates three times more possibilities than conventional marketing tactics (such as cold calling) and is much more cost-effective than other strategies.
Think eBooks, practice guides, white papers, blog posts, and so on. Answer the most common questions and position yourself as a thought leader, you will attract new customers in numerous ways.
First, your website will be more attractive: potential customers who find your content through search engines and arrive at your site will have more reason to stay there.
Not only that: more useful content means you have material to use for promotion and advertising. Whether it's a premium newsletter or social media ads, you have the best weapon at your disposal to earn your customers' trust.
Social proof is an important part of most B2B lead generation tactics. As more and more brands move into the social selling space, B2B lead generation extends to connections available on various platforms.
Because buyers may doubt claims about your service/product, they will look for testimonials to make a more informed purchasing decision.
The more social proof you can collect on your website, the easier it will be to establish trust and increase sales.
#4 Collect buyer reviews
Regardless of how honest your communication is, people will increasingly believe what other buyers say before they blindly trust your brand.
Almost all consumers read reviews before making a purchase decision-and at the same time many admit to avoiding certain brands because of negative testimonials.
Since feedback shared online has a huge impact on lead engagement, you need to make sure they are there in the first place. In this day and age, not having reviews can be just as damaging as having negative ones.
So don't be afraid to ask for your customers' opinions and make asking for reviews, testimonials and feedback a regular part of the entire sales process.
Then collect it and use it as marketing content to attract new buyers.
#5 Optimize your CTAs.
La call to action is an interactive element on your site that prompts users to take a particular action, thus showing an interest in your brand; it can appear as text, a button or a form.
It is critical for generating B2B sales leads and converting them into customers, as long as it is effective.
For best results, pay attention to the following aspects:
- Make it unique: take care of the design so it stands out; use colors that contrast with the background, create appropriate sizes, and choose shapes that make it irresistible;
- Take advantage of FOMO: This acronym stands for "Fear of Missing Out" and is basically the fear of missing out on something incredible unless you take action and take advantage of it at that instant; include messages in your CTA that emphasize the scarcity of time, perhaps including a countdown, so as to encourage users to take the desired action;
- Place the CTA strategically: place it in places that are easy to notice, such as in the middle of the landing page; avoid placing it near items that may instead distract the eye and divert attention;
- Offer a value proposition unique and direct: a compelling CTA should focus on the advantages and benefits of the product to convince users; to avoid unnecessary confusion, focus on a value proposition for each CTA.
#6 Use the forums
Using content to educate your potential customers and answer their questions is nothing new; we also said so just above.
The problem that most B2B marketers face, however, is:
1. Reaching potential buyers with your content;
2. identify the questions buyers want answered.
Here, forums solve both of these challenges: sites like Quora o Reddit are very useful platforms in this regard and often undervalued by B2B brands.
Use them to identify your audience, answer their questions, and provide valuable content.
#7 Create and promote multiple online case studies.
B2B customers are particularly cautious and analytical when making a purchasing decision: to pique their interest, you need to show credibility by becoming a authoritative expert In your industry.
A great way to do this is through case studies: this is valuable and informative content, and creating it requires in-depth knowledge, which is a testament to your skill in the field.
This helps you, among other things, to improve at awareness of your brand, create backlinks to your site, also increasing its ranking and authority in search engine results pages.
#8 Make the best use of SEO
Did you know that more than 90% of online users do not go beyond the first page of search engine results?
That's why you have to work from the perspective of SEO To improve your Google ranking as much as possible.
Among the various methods, that of using longtail keywords is certainly very effective: these are keywords composed of three or more phrases that express a particular user intent. Although they have a lower search volume than short-tail keywords, those who search for them are more likely to generate conversions, and you can thus focus on leads with a high purchase potential.
#9 Use videos
If you're still not leveraging video in your B2B lead generation campaigns, here are two great reasons why you should:
1. 90% of marketing professionals agree that video is one of the best ways to repurpose B2B content;
2. YouTube is the second largest search engine on the web.
Videos have greater engagement than text and images, which is ideal for your lead generation campaign. To increase engagement, make your video simple and short to ensure that your target audience gets the details of your proposal right away.
#10 Create retargeting campaigns
New site visitors almost never buy on their first visit: they normally explore several pages and run through tons of posts to guide their purchase decisions.
Retargeting focuses precisely on bringing such users back and offering them a boost toward your B2B brand.
If you haven't done so yet, you might consider showing ads to potential customers who had initially visited your site but left without taking any action.
#11 Collaborate with influencers
In online marketing, it is a common trend to promote services or products through the influencer. Influencer marketing is beneficial for B2B lead generation strategies: you can find those who spread your brand with their content on any platform, depending on the type of target audience you intend to address.
The key is to work with influencers who talk about topics relevant to your field, or those who are specialists who work or own brands in your field (without being your direct rivals).
#12 Start a referral marketing plan.
In the B2B space, it's all about networking: so it's normal for companies to be more likely to rely on suppliers of products and services that others have done well with in the past or that come recommended to them within the industry.
Why not incentivize this behavior to gain new potential customers? Launching a program of referral formalizes it by providing a "commission" or incentive, such as discounts and coupons, to those customers who can refer potential new paying users.
Are you ready to do B2B lead generation?
A growing brand is a profitable brand. But profitability is possible only when the right customer buys your services and products.
Yes, yes it can very well be done, but it is a process that needs to be taken seriously: your B2B lead generation strategies underpin all the other moves you will make throughout the sales cycle.
Don't be afraid to be creative and smart and remember that value is what makes the difference.
If, however, you fear you need some help, contact me!
My team and I will support you in creating a B2B lead generation program tailored just for you.
In the meantime, tell me, how are you doing?
Let me know in the comments!