B2B lead generation is the beginning of the sales process where the consumer starts to exhibit some interest in services or products offered by a business. Therefore, a lead is an individual or an organization that has the ability to become a customer. Lead generation can be understood as the initiation of the buying cycle. However, whether or not the prospect converts into a customer depends largely on how they are handled along the way, which is why it is important to qualify a lead before pursuing them.
Qualifying a Lead
Lead qualification parameters will be different for each organization. It is recommended that you must have a system that will help you to identify the potential of each lead and differentiate them accordingly. Here are some guidelines to help you qualify a lead:
- Define your customer qualities.
- Have a system in place to track their browsing behavior and conversations.
- Take a close look at hurdles that are preventing them from converting.
- Identify their preferred communication channels.
- Collect all the data at one place for better analysis and engagement.
What changes to make in lead generation strategy in 2019?
The era of digital marketing is upon us and every sunrise sees something new in the business landscape. The rate at which advancement is occurring has changed the whole marketing process and hence, b2b lead generation companies have to change their strategies too. Here are a few suggestions to help you stay at the top of your game in 2019.
- Improve your communication strategy.
Marketing is all about how better you communicate. An effective lead generation process benefits significantly if you have a seamless communication process in place. The modern-day communication requires live interaction. A good tool to achieve the same is live chat support or video call or co-browsing facility.
- Focus on Customer Relationship Management (CRM).
There is hardly any business in the modern world that is not using a CRM system. It is one of the vital requirements for any business to flourish today. CRM is a multi-layered system that makes it easier to track leads and opportunities. A typical CRM will include customer satisfaction, response, needs, loyalty, retention, and service.
- Do not ignore email marketing.
Email marketing is one of the oldest forms of marketing and B2B lead generation. It is one strategy that has stood the test of time. Some marketers still consider it the most effective tool for acquiring and nurturing leads. Data accumulated over the time suggests the same. It is one of the best lead generation and nurturing tools and used together with a CRM, it brings exceptional results.
- Organize speaking events.
Some industry experts believe that speaking events are the most effective psychological tool for lead generation. Therefore, it is suggested that you organize your own speaking event to interact with your audience. However, it must offer something of value like a new product launch, new changes to your brand, or some important announcements. Also, make sure you don’t take up much of others’ time.
- Diversify your content marketing efforts.
Content is the basis of almost all your B2B lead generation strategies. Users only buy content that is well-researched and valuable. In addition to making your content informative and valuable, diversify the type of content that you create. This means you need to create more than social media posts or advertisements. Create webinars, videos, infographics, and slideshares.
- Use support instead of sales.
Another effective strategy to improve your lead generation efforts is to replace the sales by support. For instance, instead of sending promotional content, choose co-browsing and help your customers make an informed decision. This strategy has proved to improve sales statistics considerably.
It is believed that a good lead generation strategy is not what you do but how you do it. It is very important to stay updated and keep upgrading your tactics to achieve the desired results. We are in an era when you need to shift your focus from business needs to buyers’ needs. Once you are able to understand and fulfill the needs of your customers, your business will expand. For more insights, get in touch with us.
