40 B2B Lead Generation Tactics Used by Expert Marketers

40 B2B Lead Generation Tactics Used by Expert Marketers

All sales-oriented businesses require new customers to grow. This growth always begins with exposure to new leads. Finding those leads quickly and effectively will ensure the stability of your business.

What are B2B Leads?

B2B leads consist of people and companies with the potential to become customers of your business. Leads potentially find value in your product or service. 

There are two types of B2B leads:

Market-Qualified Leads (MQLs)

Market-Qualified Leads have some sort of engagement with your marketing strategy. Frequent or meaningful interactions with marketing materials make them likely customers. MQLs visit stores or websites often, sign up for newsletters or provide basic contact information.

Sales-Qualified Leads (SQL)s

Previously MQLS, SQLs have moved down the marketing funnel past the initial awareness and interest stages. They intend to buy your product or service and need a solid pitch to capture them. Your sales teams need to contact them in order to begin presentations. Identifiers for SQLs include requesting further information, requesting a demonstration or reaching out specifically.

The Importance of B2B Lead Generation

All customers start out as leads. To continue growing or even sometimes maintaining your business, you need new customers. Lead generation sets the stage to attract new customers. No business can survive without sufficient lead generation.

How to Generate B2B Leads Efficiently

Unfortunately, generating leads has no singular solution that applies across the board. Industry, type of business, market factors and other elements impact how a business should go about generating leads. 

Methods vary. Where one business might thrive and flourish with cold-calling, that method will not work for another. Experimenting with lead generation allows for greater exposure to new leads. Mold your marketing strategy around your business and try new methods.

Lead Generation Process

Lead Generation Process

The lead generation process contains four repeatable steps which apply to all industries. However, the actions are taken within each step still depend on your own business needs and situation.

Step 1: Finding New B2B Leads

Prospecting, or looking for B2B leads takes several forms. You can outsource to a lead generation company or have an in-house lead finding team. The goal here centers around retaining contact information from a batch of leads for further marketing exposure.

Step 2: Reaching Out to Leads

After getting a lead’s contact information, you would then react. You could simply send an email with an offer and link or reach out via a phone call. Unless a lead expresses strong interest or contacts you first, start by treading lightly. You do not want to scare a lead away before securing an intent to buy.

Step 3: Qualifying & Prospecting High-Quality Leads

Organizing your leads by likeliness to buy helps your sales team prioritize their focus. Identify high-quality leads by utilizing a lead scoring system. This marks attributes belonging to current customers and looks for them in new leads. Sales teams should start with high-quality leads and work down to those less likely to buy. 

Step 4: Closing Leads

Finally, the lead makes the move to becoming a customer. Nurturing leads toward the goal of closing increases your likelihood of making a sale.

40 Ways Experts Generate Leads for 2021

Although the right lead generation tactics vary for industries, you have to come up with them alone. Here are 40 different lead generation methods used by experts:

Use an AB Test for Web PagesUse an A/B Test for Web Pages

A/B testing compares two versions of the same web page. Expose a subject to both versions and see which one they prefer. A/B testing helps create key web pages that appeal to a wide array of audiences. You can hold a tournament-style competition with several variants to find the best web page.

Fix Broken Pages for B2B Leads

Your broken website kills your professionalism. Leads do not enjoy running through a maze, trying to find which links work. The more dead ends a lead encounters, the more interest is lost. Keep your website updated and remove or fix any broken web pages.

Keep Mobile in Mind for New B2B Buyers

Smartphones allow access to your website for leads on the go. Your website should appeal to both mobile and desktop browsers. Figure about half of web visitors do so from mobile devices.

Use Stronger Microcopy in Messaging

Microcopy refers to short sentences and words designed to push leads toward the desired action. In many cases, microcopy consists of just one word. Use simple, action-based copy in your messaging for clear communication.

Run Campaigns Based on Competitor Keywords

Optimizing the same keywords as your competitors help increase the exposure of your business. Whereas searches would only yield your competitors’ site, using the same keywords evens the playing field.

Use Long-Tail Keywords for More Qualified Leads

Long-tail keywords contain at least three words, and because of their length generally yield fewer results. However, their specificity attracts those leads looking for a niche solution.

Analyze B2B Buyers’ Online Behavior

How a lead browses your website gives much information relating to their preferences. This data also shows how well your website works. See which pages get the most attention to optimize these pages toward sales.

Optimize your Landing Page

First impressions matter both in-person and online. Set a good impression by creating a landing page that entices leads to continue browsing your website. Add a lead capture device to get the most out of your landing page.

Social Proof Earns Buyer’s Trust

Encourage customers to share their pleasant experiences with your business, creating social proof. The more social proof, the more leads will trust you.

Create a Frictionless Experience for B2B Leads

Make it as easy as possible for leads to get on your website, browse and contact/purchase. Any frustrating experience ensures a lead will do business elsewhere.

Create a Lead Score Method

Lead scoring helps distinguish the high-quality leads your sales team should focus on. Finding the leads most likely to buy saves time and keeps the competition from getting to them first.

Implement LeadBots

LeadBots automatically chat with website visitors to find their needs and preferences. Automated chatbots save your business money on support staff. 

Create Dynamic Web Pages

Dynamic content helps your website stand out from the crowd. Personalized recommendations and intelligent pop-ups turn leads into customers.

Increase B2B Lead Generation with Guest Posts

Collaboration helps rise the tide for both parties involved. Put a guest post on your website blog to capture a different point of view and help share an audience.

Focus on Successful Lead MagnetsFocus on Successful Lead Magnets

Lead magnets are tactics used to get contact information from a lead. Email newsletters, promotional offers and additional access to content convince lead to provide information for future contact. The more leads you capture, the more sales you can make. 

Upsell your Popular Content

Offer additional developments on the most popular content to diversify its reach. For example, you can upgrade a blog post into a short animated video. Modify content for different mediums to fill different roles.

Use YouTube for a Visual B2B Audience

The more corners of the internet your work touches, the greater your chances for generating leads. YouTube works similarly to search engines. Having videos on the platform allows you to interact with a large community waiting to be tapped into.

Co-Host a Webinar

Collaboration goes a long way towards helping both members. Webinars gain attention from those looking to improve their knowledge in a particular area. Sharing an audience between your own client base and your collaborators increases your exposure.

Create a Free-to-Use Tool

Demonstrate your value by giving visitors a free tool. Free advice and price estimates constitute free tools many companies implement. These tools also help capture contact information.

Tie Content into a B2B Lead Generation Campaign

Creating articles geared towards generating new leads helps put your work in front of new faces. Everything on your site should function as an independent lead generation campaign. Keep lead capture methods on every page.

Publish Original Research

Original research creates statistics and facts backing your marketing campaign. When done correctly others in your field will share your research, bringing in more leads. 

Fix Limp Lead Generation with Creative Content Campaigns

Lead generation strategies sometimes need a kick in the pants to get going. Creative content has the potential to go viral. So, have some fun and experiment with humor, art and creativity. 

Make “The eBook” for your Industry

Become the authoritative voice for your industry by publishing an eBook or pamphlet. Find a less noticed topic involved in your product and make your impact.

Generate Leads with Cheat Codes

Grab interested leads further down into your marketing funnel with lists, questions and other interactive templates. 

Podcasting

Whether you create your own podcast or appear as a guest on another, they earn great leads. You can create hours of content and market through a figure already well-known and trusted by their audience. 

Use Infographics To Generate Backlinks

People love finding information with ease. Visitors love to share infographics, such as graphs, generating further website traffic.

Send Cold Emails

Sending promotions via email is an inexpensive way to increase exposure. Offer a deal through your email and send it to as many people as possible. You might just get some bites.

Try Creative Outreach

Do not just experiment with your content, experiment with how you reach out to leads. Use a funny video or anecdotes, interesting artwork or a topical song. These techniques gain more attention than a traditional approach.

Create a Genuine and Organic B2B Email List

An organic email list allows you to contact leads already clearly interested in your business. Instead of getting sent to the spam folder, an organic email list keeps the emails themselves organic, topical and engaging.

Look to Facebook for High-Quality B2B Leads

You can easily gauge a Facebook user’s interest by their interactions with your posts. Respond to all messages quickly to capture leads reaching out. 

Use LinkedIn

LinkedIn is full of high-value leads. Reach out on that platform for business connections and stay connected with key B2B personnel.

Use Gmail Ads

Gmail ads appear in a recipient’s inbox and often look like emails. If enticing enough, the ads will earn clicks and capture leads.

Remember Niche Sites

Broad advertising helps you reach a large audience, but focused advertising on small sites gains more attention. With a targeted ad on a niche site, you can market to a group already interested in your product.

Affiliate Marketing

Let someone else promote your product for you in exchange for a commission. 

Filter Leads with Negative Keywords

You can choose not to market to a specific group by using negative keywords. Anyone using these keywords will not see your ad, keeping them from muddling your lead group.

Ad-Specific Landing Pages

Make your advertisements take visitors to a specific page built around that ad to capitalize on the message. 

Match PPC Landing Pages to Lead’s Buying Stage

Wherever leads are in the marketing funnel, you need to show them pages that correspond with that stage. 

Personalized Account-Based Lead Generation Through Twitter

Reach out to those using hashtags and posts pertaining to your industry or product. They already expressed interest, now capitalize on it.

Funnel Twitter Followers Into Your Email List

Give social media followers special offers and take advantage of present interest.

Social Listening Creates Stronger Content

Listen to what the people say. Keep a pulse on feedback and adjust your marketing as needed. 

B2B Outbound: How to Build a High Performing Sales Team

Sales teams drive your business. They connect with leads and need to perform to keep your business alive. If you need help building a solid sales team, Selling Revolution can help. 

Selling Revolution specializes in improving leads and recruiting top talent to drive up sales. Book a 20-minute introductory call today and stop letting leads slip through your fingers.