Let’s cut to the chase! In this article, we will discuss the power of B2B lead generation and how it can greatly impact your business if it’s done well.
It’s important to understand what a lead is for your business. A lead is someone who you have established some sort of contact with. This means you made some form of connection, but you don’t have a sale yet.
The first step to making this happen is knowing what a qualified lead looks like. A qualified B2B lead is a company that has a genuine interest in your product or service and is ready to move forward to the next steps and ultimately a transaction. By using a better lead generation system, you can understand what leads are worth pursuing and how to generate more qualified leads for your business!
The Lead Generation Process
If you want to create the most powerful B2B lead generation system for your business, you need to consider the process. Lead generation generally follows four simple steps:
- Attract
- Convert
- Close
- Delight
This process, when done well takes strangers of your business and makes them raving fans! Delighted clients are the goal for a B2B transaction since raving fans will generate positive word of mouth and more business at no cost. It’s important to understand your prospect in order to create your own lead generation system. For example, manufacturing lead generation often works best when content marketing through the right digital channels is the focus. When you’re able to automate your system and produce measurable results, you’re in a position to produce a fantastic return on investment (ROI).
Content Marketing
An effective content marketing strategy will attract your ideal clients like bees to a honeypot. In content marketing, you will develop content that is useful to your ideal client and helpful in connecting with them. Content such as quality copy writing, makes the web go round so it should be a part of your marketing strategy! Your content can be anything from a blog post, an e-book and regular social media updates. Content Marketing also gives companies the opportunity to reach new audiences. Your content will be seen by people who previously wouldn’t have been aware of your business.
When it comes to social media marketing, LinkedIn is generally the best option for B2B organizations. With your content marketing strategy, you are able to share relevant information with your LinkedIn network. You have access to all of your contacts’ networks which is a huge advantage when it comes to targeting prospects and lead generation. LinkedIn is also perfect for creating valuable business relationships such as referral partnerships and strategic alliances that can last well into the future.
Networking Events
Attending networking events can be a great way to meet new people and get your brand in front of a larger audience. If you’re a small business BNI (Business Networking International) is run in many parts of the world so you may find a chapter in your local area. They have thousands of chapters all over the world and they work very well for BTL (Below the Line) lead generation campaigns because members are constantly attending events, giving you access to their extensive network that you wouldn’t normally be able to reach on your own. Industry events and the local chamber of commerce may also be good places for you to network and promote your business.
PPC
When it comes to paid advertising, pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns are often the best option when creating your own lead generation system. Pay-per-click ads can be cost effective because you only pay for actual clicks and can track the conversion rates to ensure a good return on investment. Paying for visitors that don’t convert into sales, doesn’t make sense so the idea is to spend your money on marketing strategies which have proven to be profitable time after time.
Retargeting Ads
It can take quite some time for many B2B companies to close a sale so it’s important to stay front of mind for those that are interested. Retargeting ads are a great way to reach out and remind people who have already been exposed to your brand. Retargeting is one of the most cost-effective forms of lead generation for B2B companies because retargeted visitors can be anywhere from two to ten times more likely to convert into a sale compared with new website visitors.
Email Marketing
Email is a cost-effective way to market to those that are already connected to your brand in some way. Emails are usually seen as more profitable than other forms of advertising because you know the email recipient has already expressed some interest in your company. There’s generally little cost in setting up a new email campaign once you have your systems in place however you’ll still need a strong strategy in order to be successful with email marketing. Email marketing is still one of the most powerful lead generation systems for B2B companies. Emails can be sent to people who have visited certain pages on your website or completed a form, but you should also be sure to follow any anti-SPAM laws specific to your region.
You Decide!
There is no one size fits all solution when it comes to lead generation systems. We’ve covered some of the most popular options that are proven to boost business growth however marketing automation is the ultimate goal. You should experiment with the tools you have available to you and see what works best for your business. You don’t need to do everything to become a success, find what works best for your business and systemise it.
To your lead generation success!