The New Rules of Lead Generation for B2B Businesses

The business-to-business market for eCommerce alone is already worth more than 7 trillion dollars – and it’s just getting bigger.

If you have a B2B business, you might be wondering how to grow your own business. Lead generation is an important part of that. Do you know what to do?

We can help.

Let’s get started with our guide to lead generation for B2B businesses.

What is Lead Generation for B2B Businesses?

Lead generation for B2B businesses involves identifying and building relationships with customers for a company’s products or services.

This can be done through many methods. Some options include email marketing, content marketing, search engine optimization, and social media marketing.

The goal of lead generation is to activate a contact. You want them to fill out a form, ask for more information, or schedule a demo. This creates a pipeline of sales qualified leads. These can be nurtured and eventually converted into paying customers.

Experiment Often

Different lead generation strategies work for different businesses. So, don’t be afraid to experiment with different things. You might just hit the jackpot! Don’t be afraid to listen to your employees, either. They might have good ideas that you just haven’t considered yet.

For example, your employees might think of using your existing base to bring in more customers. Encourage existing customers to refer friends and colleagues. 

Cold Calling Matters

It might seem outdated, but cold calling is actually still a good strategy for lead generation.

To improve the chances of success, salespeople often use lead generation techniques. These could involve researching potential customers and preparing a script or list of questions beforehand. It’s important to be prepared, efficient, and know how to handle rejection.

Of course, there are ways you can ensure your cold calling goes as well as it possibly can.

Try Networking

Networking is important for all aspects of business, including lead generation.

Attend industry events and trade shows to network with potential clients and gather leads. Partner with other businesses or organizations to reach new audiences and generate leads.

You could even hold events of your own. Try things like trade shows, networking events, and leveraging partnerships with other businesses.

If you’d rather not spend the money on in-person events, try things out online. Create and run webinars to educate your target audience on your products or services and generate leads.

Referral Marketing

Referral marketing for B2B (business-to-business) is a strategy where a company encourages its current customers to refer new business to the company. This can be done through various incentives such as discounts, rewards, or bonuses.

Referral marketing is particularly effective in B2B. This is because businesses tend to trust recommendations from other businesses they know and trust.

B2B sales also often involve complex solutions and long sales cycles. This makes personal referrals more valuable than in B2C (business-to-consumer) sales.

Use Social Media

Use social media to connect with other businesses. Rather than immediately promoting your product or service, focus on building relationships with key stakeholders. Quality content creation identifies your target market’s search desires and needs. 

Develop and publish valuable content, such as blog posts and infographics, on your website to attract and engage potential clients. This enhances your presence and lead generation.

Marketing Automation

Leverage marketing automation software to help you identify and nurture leads through the sales funnel.

Marketing automation is the use of technology to automate and streamline marketing tasks and processes. In the context of B2B lead generation, marketing automation can be used to nurture leads through the sales funnel, from initial contact to conversion.

Automating follow-up tasks such as sending thank-you emails, scheduling demos, and sending pricing information.

Marketing automation can help B2B businesses to save time, increase efficiency and improve their lead generation. You can do so by automating repetitive tasks, and by personalizing communication.

Use Email Marketing

Email marketing is a killer when it comes to lead generation for a reason. Email marketing for B2B refers to the use of email to promote products or services to other businesses or organizations.

This can include options like newsletters, automated email campaigns, and promotional emails, and s.

B2B email marketing can be effective in building relationships with potential and existing customers, as well as driving sales and website traffic. Some best practices for B2B email marketing include segmenting your email list, personalizing your emails, and consistently providing valuable content.

There are also strategies you can use to ensure your marketing is really hitting the mark. Sending targeted email campaigns to specific segments of your email list based on their behavior and engagement with your content.

Creating personalized landing pages and forms to capture lead information and segment leads based on their interests. Try using lead scoring to prioritize and qualify leads based on their engagement and likelihood to convert. 

Account-Based Marketing

Use account-based marketing (ABM) to focus on specific high-value accounts and tailor your messaging and outreach accordingly.

The goal of ABM is to build relationships with key decision-makers at targeted accounts. And, to provide them with personalized, relevant content and experiences.

This can be accomplished through a variety of tactics, such as targeted advertising, email campaigns, and events.

ABM requires a higher level of investment and resources than other lead generation strategies. But it can be highly effective in generating high-quality leads and closing deals with large, strategic accounts.

The stronger relationships you build, the more leads you’ll generate. Of course, you need to start your ABM strategy out right.

Gifting

Another tool for lead generation is gifting. You can send a gift to a list of prospects. Make sure you choose gifts that are thoughtful and representative of their interests.

You can also give gifts based on participation. Gift cards are often used for this purpose.

Lead Generation for B2B Businesses: Dive In Today

There’s a lot to know when it comes to lead generation for B2B businesses. That’s why bringing in the professionals can help you take some of the pressure off yourself.

What are you waiting for? Sign up for a free consultation with The Selling Factory today.