B2B lead generation does not need a secret incantation to become successful. Rather, it is about choosing the right lead generation channel for your business. It is also about identifying the most effective strategies that will help you achieve your goals.
As a B2B marketer, you should understand the expectations, dynamics, budget, and projected ROI of each channel.
In this two-part article, we will go in-depth into each major B2B lead generation channel. We will also show you time-proven strategies and success stories for each channel.
Email Lead Generation Strategies
In a world where social media reigns supreme, email marketing looks ancient. But it remains an extremely effective lead generation channel because of its low cost and high ROI ratio.
Lead generation starts during an email opt-in and email marketing lies at the center of lead nurturing. Since 2014, email marketing remains at the top of digital channels that drive leads and revenues of B2B marketing.
Email marketing gives you more room for personalization. And that becomes even better with the introduction of AI algorithms, predictive analytics, and lead scoring.
So if you want better engagement and more effective sales pitches, email marketing is still the way to go to achieve these goals.
Related: What goes into creating a successful Email Marketing Campaign
How to Increase Email Marketing Conversion
Email marketing offers the highest ROI and conversion rates. According to GetResponse, the average email open rate is 82.20 percent. Marketing Insider Group, on the other hand, said that you earn $44 for every dollar you spend on email marketing.
Here are some strategies to improve your email marketing conversion rates:
- Subject line
It should be brief yet compelling and shows the benefit to the receiver. Here are some examples of compelling subject lines we received:
- Disney: “Brighten Up Your Next Video Call With Backgrounds from Pixar.”
- Mark Murphy: “Why Giving Advice Does Not Work”
- Flipboard: “How Americans View January 6”
- Use Referrals
According to the Harvard Business Review, 84 percent of B2B buyers start their purchasing process with a referral, while 90 percent depend on peer recommendations. So if you want to increase your conversion rate, mention referrals right away.
Here are some examples:
- Betty White said you’d be the best person to talk to about your lead generation challenges.
- Genevieve Que recommended we get in touch.
- Focus on Buyer Impact
Use “you” instead of “I”, especially when presenting your value proposition.
Example:
“Your post on lead generation got me thinking” instead of “I’ve been thinking.”
- Be Human, Personalize
Don’t use phrases that look like they’ve been copied and pasted. Share your personal details and use humor.
Social Media
Using social media for B2B lead generation is quite complicated because there’s no single answer for conversion rates. Social media is ideal for building top-of-the-funnel awareness. And if you want to capture quality B2B leads, LinkedIn is the best place to go.
LinkedIn has more than 690 million users in 200 countries. According to Oktopost, 94 percent of B2B companies use this platform for marketing. Furthermore, 45 percent of traffic to B2B blogs and sites come from LinkedIn.
So how do you stand out on LinkedIn? Here are a few tips:
Strengthen your profile
You want to make a good first impression to other professionals so make sure you have a professional-looking photo with a clear headshot.
Fill out as much details about your experiences. You don’t have to list everything but what’s only relevant. Keep it short and simple. To further strengthen it, use the summary section to list what you and our company specialize in.
Utilize Lead Gen forms
The LinkedIn Lead Gen form is an amazing feature which adds a call to action to your sponsored ads. It autopopulates your lead’s LinkedIn contact information, saving you the hassle of typing out everything.
Create and publish engaging content
Your audience on LinkedIn are professionals and a lot of them are decision makers in their organizations. So when you create content, it should be something that provides insight and knowledge.
You will be targeting different people who belong to diverse industries, so you also need to diversify. Include explainer videos, FAQs, thought leadership videos and articles, product tutorials, and more.
Use Micro-Segmentation
LinkedIn’s Showcase pages is another useful feature that allows you to segment your audience. It provides different landing pages for different audience segments. Group them according to your goals and refine them to get more valuable insight about each lead.
Related: Social Media Marketing: Top 9 Keys to Generate Leads and Boost Sales
Phone
Online lead generation is the most popular lead generation approach today. According to a Demand Generation report, 47 percent of buyers read 3-5 pieces of content before talking to a sales rep. And as we mentioned above, LinkedIn captures most of the B2B leads among social media channels.
So, does the phone still has a place in B2B lead generation?
Yes, but you got to ditch cold calling and go for warmth instead. In warm calling, you already have initial contact with a prospect before calling them. Perhaps you connected over social media or through a mutual acquaintance. During that time, you might have exchanged business cards. Thus, the prospect won’t be surprised when you call.
Here are some big boss tips to make the most out of warm calling:
Focus on the good fit companies
Don’t focus on the size of the company. Rather, look at whether what you offer can solve their pains and challenges. Also, check if the prospect fits your buyer persona. Look at your customer base again and check if there are similarities between your prospects and your most successful clients.
Do your research
Find out as much relevant information about the person you will be talking to as well as his/her company. Find out what challenges or problems they are facing right now, so you can tailor your solution when you talk to them.
Identify the decision makers
LinkedIn is a treasure trove when you want to find out more about a person or a company. Identify a common ground that will help you connect better with them.
Have them at “Hello”
Calling CXOs is like performing. You need to capture their attention and demonstrate value in as little as 15 seconds. Be confident and in control to capture their attention. Sounding nervous might be a turn down. Your voice and your sense of humor are your secret weapon to put people at ease.
Prepare
Reference a non-generic but specific topic and ask relevant questions to open the conversation and establish trust. You can use a recent blog of achievement of the prospect.
Keep it short and simple
Your call is still an interruption in the prospect’s schedule so keep the call as short as five minutes. If you are able to impress the prospect, he/she will schedule another call with you. Your goal is to establish trust and awareness, so you don’t have to cram everything into this call.
Related: Ways To Qualify Sales Leads Over The Phone
To Be Continued
In the second part of this article, we will be discussing lead gen strategies in webinars, websites, and chats.
