B2B lead generation is the fuel that powers the engine of modern commerce. It’s all about identifying and nurturing potential clients in a world where digital interactions are abundant, but meaningful connections are rare.
At Taktical Digital, we know a lot about transforming prospects into valuable business relationships. So to help, we’ve written this guide to provide you with 15 proven strategies for B2B lead generation.
In this article, we’ll explain these B2B lead generation best practices in detail and offer real-life examples of each in action. But before we do that, let’s cover some of the basics around B2B strategy and B2B marketing.
What Is B2B Lead Generation Strategy?
B2B lead generation is about developing a list of contacts and finding potential clients who genuinely need what you offer. Unlike the broader approach in B2C, B2B lead generation zeroes in on specific businesses and decision-makers.
It involves identifying companies that can benefit from your services and understanding their buying process. This approach in B2B strategy requires not just a contact name but a deep dive into the needs and behaviors of a business. In essence, it’s a more focused and personalized philosophy around B2B marketing.
Why B2B Lead Generation Matters
Effective B2B lead generation is the lifeline that ensures your business growth and long-term sustainability. A well-oiled lead gen machine not only fills your sales pipeline with potential clients but also significantly impacts your return on investment (ROI). This process is vital for businesses looking to expand their reach, increase market share, and build a solid foundation for future growth.
A robust B2B lead generation system ensures a steady flow of high-quality leads, which is crucial for maintaining a healthy sales pipeline. These leads, when properly nurtured and converted, translate into sales and revenue, directly impacting the company’s bottom line.
It’s also worth noting that a strong lead gen strategy helps identify market trends and customer needs. This allows businesses to adapt and innovate, while staying ahead in a competitive B2B marketing landscape.
What Kinds of B2B Leads Are There?
The journey from a curious browser to a committed buyer in the B2B world has several stages, each represented by different lead types. Each lead type requires a different approach, and understanding these distinctions is critical for an effective B2B lead generation strategy.
By aligning your marketing efforts with these lead stages, you can optimize your approach for each segment. This ensures you run more targeted, effective, and ultimately successful B2B marketing campaigns.
Let’s discuss 3 main types of B2B marketing leads that exist:
1. Information Qualified Lead
Think of IQLs as beginners in their buyer journey. They’re gathering information, often exchanging their contact details for insightful content like eBooks or industry reports. Here, the B2B marketing focus is on providing value through information, nurturing their interest, and gently guiding them further down the sales funnel.
2. Marketing Qualified Lead
These B2B marketing leads show more promise. They engage with your B2B marketing efforts more deeply, like downloading advanced resources or signing up for webinars.
MQLs signal interest in your solutions, nudging closer to a purchasing decision. Effective engagement at this stage could involve more personalized content or direct communication, catering to their specific interests or industry challenges.
3. Sales Qualified Lead
When it comes to B2B lead generation, SQLs are prime candidates for your sales team. They’ve shown clear intent to buy or a deep interest in your product, possibly after a free trial or a product demo. At this stage, direct sales outreach, detailed product information, and tailored proposals are key to conversion.
What Are the 4 L’s of a Lead Generation Strategy?
An effective B2B lead generation strategy can be distilled into four essential components:
- Lead Capture
- Lead Magnets
- Lead Qualification
- Lead Nurturing
Each of these elements plays a vital role in attracting, engaging, and converting potential clients.
Each ‘L’ is a step in a journey that transforms a stranger into a customer and, ultimately, a brand advocate. By mastering these 4 L’s, businesses can create a powerful B2B lead generation engine that not only brings in leads but also nurtures them into long-lasting, profitable relationships.
Let’s explore each of the 4 L’s of B2B lead generation strategy in further depth.
Lead Capture
This initial phase is about gathering your prospects’ contact information. It’s a critical step where businesses must entice visitors to share their details.
The key here is to make the process effortless yet engaging. This could involve optimizing website forms for ease of use, ensuring they are accessible and straightforward.
The goal with this first L is to minimize friction. When you can do that, you maximize the likelihood that a visitor will take the action of providing their information.
Lead Magnets
At this stage of B2B lead generation, the focus is on attracting prospects by offering something valuable in return for their contact information. This could range from free eBooks and whitepapers to webinars and trial subscriptions.
The idea is to provide enough value that prospects are willing to exchange their contact details. The magnet must be relevant and appealing to the target audience, addressing their specific needs or pain points.
Lead Qualification
This crucial L of B2B strategy separates viable leads from those less likely to convert. It involves evaluating each lead based on predetermined criteria such as their industry, job role, or interaction with your content.
This process ensures that sales efforts are concentrated on leads with the highest conversion potential. Efficient lead qualification hinges on a clear understanding of your ideal customer profile and the ability to identify leads that match this profile.
Lead Nurturing
The final ‘L’ is all about building relationships with qualified leads over time. This involves regular communication through personalized emails, targeted content, and meaningful interactions that nurture the prospect’s interest in your product or service.
The focus here is on providing continuous value, keeping your brand top-of-mind, and gently guiding the lead towards making a purchasing decision. This L of your B2B lead generation strategy requires an understanding of the lead’s position in the buying journey and tailoring your communication to their specific needs and stage of decision-making.
15 B2B Lead Generation Best Practices (With Examples!)
Now to the main course. This next section uncovers 15 effective strategies, ranging from digital outreach to relationship building.
Continue reading to learn actionable tactics to enhance your B2B lead generation efforts. These methods cater to varying aspects of a robust B2B strategy, each offering unique pathways to capture and nurture prospects.
1. Content Marketing
Content marketing is a cornerstone of B2B lead generation. By producing valuable content like blogs, eBooks, and whitepapers, businesses can attract and engage potential leads.
To develop your own content strategy, center around answering the common questions of your B2B audience. Use analytics to understand what content resonates most and optimize accordingly.
HubSpot are masters at content marketing. From blogs to eBooks, their content is tailored to answer specific industry questions, drawing in B2B leads seeking their expertise.
For instance, their detailed guide on inbound marketing tactics directly address pain points of their target audience. This develops trust and generates qualified leads.
2. SEO and SEM
As explored in the HelloBar guide, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) are vital for visibility in search engine results. Targeting keywords and phrases that your ideal customers are already searching for is crucial for B2B lead generation.
To build your own SEO and SEM strategy, conduct thorough keyword research to understand what your target audience looks for. Optimize your website and content for these keywords. Invest in SEM by targeting these keywords in your paid search campaigns.
Moz stands out in SEO and SEM, consistently ranking high for key industry terms. Their secret? Focusing on SEO-friendly content and targeted SEM campaigns.
Moz’s blog posts and toolkits are optimized for search terms that their B2B audience frequently searches. This ensures visibility and attracts high-quality leads.
3. Social Media Marketing
Social media platforms are effective channels for B2B marketing. To leverage social for your business, you can share insightful, industry-relevant content on LinkedIn.
Engage with your audience by responding to comments and participating in group discussions. Utilize LinkedIn advertising tools to reach a broader yet targeted audience.
Adobe leverages LinkedIn to connect with B2B professionals. Their strategy includes sharing insightful articles and showcasing product innovations. By engaging with topics relevant to their audience’s interests, Adobe nurtures leads and reinforces its position as an industry leader.
4. Email Marketing
Email marketing remains a powerful tool for direct communication with potential leads. Segment your email list based on user interaction, interests, or industry.
Personalize your emails to these segments for higher engagement. Regularly review your email analytics to refine and improve your campaigns.
Gusto is a cloud-based platform providing payroll, benefits, and human resource management solutions for small to mid-sized businesses. Their newsletter is a prime example of how targeted content can be highly effective.
It offers a rich mix of the latest small business news, expert insights from Gusto and industry professionals, updates on complex legislation and policy changes, information on SMB relief, and tools to ensure business compliance. This approach demonstrates Gusto’s deep understanding of their audience’s needs.
5. Webinars and Online Events
Webinars and online events offer an interactive platform to engage with leads. Host webinars or online events that offer value to your target audience, such as industry insights or product demonstrations.
Promote these events through your marketing channels. Follow up with attendees post-event with tailored content or offers.
Salesforce uses webinars to engage potential leads actively. Their sessions focus on industry trends and demos of their CRM.
This attracts a specific audience interested in Salesforce’s offerings. By providing valuable insights and interactive Q&A sessions, they create a platform for lead nurturing and relationship building.
6. Networking and Partnerships
Networking and partnerships can open doors to new B2B leads. Collaborating with other businesses or participating in industry events can significantly expand your reach.
Develop a strategy that identifies potential partnership opportunities. Attend industry conferences, join professional groups, or collaborate on joint ventures. These partnerships can introduce your brand to new audiences and create mutual benefits.
IBM excels in forming strategic partnerships. Their collaborations with other tech giants like Amazon and smaller innovators alike broaden their market reach and introduce their solutions to new audiences. IBM’s ability to identify and nurture these partnerships is key to their sustained B2B lead generation success.
7. Referral Programs
Referral programs incentivize existing clients to refer new leads. They can be a powerful way to leverage word-of-mouth for lead generation.
Create a referral program that offers tangible rewards for both the referrer and the referred. Ensure it’s easy for clients to participate and share with their networks.
Dropbox’s referral program is a classic example of successful B2B lead generation. By offering extra storage space to both the referrer and the referred, Dropbox incentivized users to spread the word and led to a significant increase in user base.
8. Paid Advertising
Paid advertising, including Pay-Per-Click (PPC) methods, can drive targeted traffic to your site. Google Ads, Facebook ads, and other platforms allow precise targeting to reach your ideal B2B audience.
Develop targeted ad campaigns with clear, compelling messaging. Monitor and optimize these campaigns regularly for the best results.
ConnectWise, a leading business management platform for technology companies, harnessed the power of LinkedIn’s targeting and conversion tracking to enhance their online advertising strategy. This approach allowed for more refined campaign optimization, enabling the team to effectively drive lead generation.
Their use of LinkedIn’s tools transformed their B2B marketing efforts. It provided them with valuable insights into campaign performance and significantly boosted their B2B lead generation process.
9. Influencer Marketing
B2B influencer marketing involves collaborating with industry influencers to amplify your brand’s reach. Identify influencers who align with your brand values and have a following that matches your target audience. Collaborative content or endorsements from these influencers can significantly boost credibility and lead generation.
SAP’s community influencer collaborations have been instrumental in extending their reach. By partnering with industry thought leaders around the world, SAP has leveraged their authority and audience, enhancing their B2B lead generation efforts.
10. Trade Shows and Conferences
Trade shows and conferences are excellent for in-person networking and lead generation. They offer opportunities to showcase products, build relationships, and learn about industry trends.
To maximize the potential of these events, have a clear plan for engagement and follow-up. Create compelling booth displays and offer valuable information or demos to attract attendees.
CES, the renowned tech trade show, is a prime example where companies like Intel and Samsung showcase their latest innovations. Their interactive displays and live demonstrations effectively capture the interest of potential B2B leads.
11. Case Studies and Testimonials
Case studies and testimonials build credibility by showcasing your success stories and customer satisfaction. Develop detailed case studies that highlight how your product or service solved a client’s problem. Use testimonials in your marketing materials to establish trust with potential leads.
Cisco’s case studies effectively demonstrate their solutions in real-world scenarios. This establishes them as a trustworthy and capable provider in the tech industry.
12. Interactive Tools
Interactive tools like quizzes and calculators engage potential leads by providing them with immediate value. Create tools that are relevant to your industry and helpful to your audience. They can also be used to collect lead information in a non-intrusive way.
Boopos’ Valuation Calculator is an excellent tool that provides immediate value to site visitors by providing a quick and easy business valuation. It’s also a smart lead generation tactic, attracting potential customers interested in selling their business.
13. Retargeting Campaigns
Retargeting campaigns allow you to re-engage with visitors who have shown interest in your product but haven’t yet converted. Use retargeting to serve tailored ads that remind these leads about your products or services. This can increase the likelihood of conversion.
BambooHR is a leading provider of human resource software solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. They are likely skillfully utilizing remarketing campaigns to drive their target audience towards enticing lead magnets that they run ads to on Facebook.
Given the nature of lead magnets, it’s reasonable to assume that BambooHR’s campaigns are predominantly reaching audiences who have previously interacted with their brand. Such a strategy is more likely to resonate with individuals who are already familiar with BambooHR, rather than a completely new audience.
14. Automation Tools
Automation tools can streamline lead generation processes and personalize user experiences. Leverage AI tools for tasks like lead scoring or chatbots to engage with website visitors. Automation can also ensure timely follow-ups and efficient lead management.
Ahref’s chatbots provide a personalized experience to website visitors, answering queries and collecting lead information. This level of interaction enhances lead engagement and generation.
15. Account-Based Marketing (ABM)
ABM involves creating customized marketing campaigns tailored for specific high-value accounts. Identify key accounts and develop a personalized approach that addresses their unique needs and challenges. ABM focuses on building deeper relationships with high potential leads.
Source: https://www.rollworks.com/resources/case-studies/dialpad
Dialpad‘s ABM program transformed their B2B lead generation strategy. It emphasized hyper-personalized ad campaigns and sophisticated targeting. This approach, which significantly shortened sales cycles, accelerated pipeline velocity, increased traffic from key accounts, and enhanced engagement.
So Which B2B Lead Generation Method Works the Best?
Choosing the right B2B lead generation strategy hinges on your business goals and audience. From content marketing’s broad reach to the precision of account-based marketing, each tactic serves a purpose.
Our Brandformance approach to marketing leverages a combination of these B2B lead generation best practices for our clients. We work hard to ensure their campaigns are not only creative but also result-driven.
For tailored B2B lead generation that aligns with your unique business needs, consider partnering with Taktical Digital. Let’s work together to create a targeted approach that drives tangible results and grows your business.
