B2B Sales Prospecting: 8 New Ways To Get More Leads

Most of us would agree that seeking out new business prospects is our least favorite part of the workday. However, every strong business owner knows all too well that effective b2b sales prospecting is critical to their success. 

Training your sales team to use the best-prospecting methods is important, and sometimes that means updating your prospecting strategy. In an ever-changing market, your b2b sales prospecting needs to reflect current trends and deft use of the newest technologies.

That’s why today we’ll be looking at b2b sales prospecting from the perspective of gaining more leads. After all, leads are the lifeblood of your sales department.

Without employing the best b2b sales strategies and tactics, your sales team can be left wandering in a desert. Let’s not leave them chasing mirages of dry leads. We’ve got eight prospecting ideas lined up today that will revolutionize how your team finds and develops profitable news leads.

What is B2B Sales Prospecting?

Before we dive into the b2b sales prospecting strategy list, it’s good to make sure we’re on the same page. Communication and understanding are important sales prospecting best practices, after all! So let’s create a clear definition of b2b sales prospecting for today’s purposes. 

Think of b2b sales prospecting as the process of identifying potential customers (called “leads”), and establishing a rapport with them. This relationship-building is one of the most important selling methods your team can use to drive new business growth.

B2b sales prospecting can be thought of as laying the foundation for your company’s future success. You need new leads coming into your sales funnel and new business to grow on. For these things, you certainly need new customers to fuel your success in the market.

And that’s what b2b sales prospecting is: finding these new leads and converting them into new business and long-term customers. 

What Are Some Examples of B2B Sales?

Another way to understand common b2b sales prospecting would be to consider some successful examples of the strategy. 

Suppose your company creates specialized machinery; market your motors or other parts to large manufacturers or factories. This type of selling to other businesses forms the “b” in b2b sales prospecting!

Does your business provide cleaning or janitorial services? Then sell your services to property management companies.

B2b sales are an essential part of the market, not to mention a very reliable and profitable element. For your company’s success, you need to master the skill of b2b sales prospecting. 

Consider these eight steps to landing the best new business leads in your b2b marketing plan.

How To Get B2B Sales Prospects 

At this point it’s pretty clear that b2b sales prospecting is essential to your success. Follow these easy prospecting tips to see immediate lead generation and overall sales improvement!

Be Consistent With Your B2B Sales ProspectsBe Consistent With Your B2B Sales Prospects

Consistency is key to maintaining a full prospecting channel. Instruct your sales team to make b2b sales prospecting a part of their daily routine.

To help establish this kind of discipline among your team members, set daily and weekly prospecting goals. For example, set a weekly goal of 25 prospecting emails from each b2b sales team member.

As leads grow and sales increase, adjust goals upwards to encourage consistency and avoid complacency.

Setting and maintaining goals will lead to more new leads and closer relationships with established customers. And that’s what you’re looking for, isn’t it? More new leads and stronger customer relationships.

Both of which continue into our next step.

Nurture Your Customer Relationships

This step is foundational to all forms of sales, whether to potential business clients (b2b sales prospecting) or general customers. It’s foundational because a simple fact of life for every salesperson is that some customers agree to buy; others don’t.

Even the most refined salesperson will get doors closed in their face and have phones hung up on them mid-sentence. However, as a savvy business owner, you know that every “no” you receive today can easily become tomorrow’s “yes”. 

How do you transform these rejections into sales? By nurturing your customer relationships. Treat your potentials like the real people they are and earn their trust by building rapport. 

This kind of long-game planning isn’t for the faint of heart. But nurture those prospects you’ve made while always looking for new ones (referrals), and watch the results blossom before your eyes.

Cold Calling B2B Sales Prospecting Still Works

You know from experience that cold calls can be difficult to navigate. Whether it’s b2b sales prospecting or even b2c sales generation, most of us would rather not volunteer for this department.

But cold calling still works; don’t let this b2b prospecting tool be neglected by your sales team. To make the experience more enjoyable and less stressful, remember these helpful tips:

  • Set reasonable goals and expectations. Making a sale the first time you call a prospect would be great, but that’s not usually how it works out.

Instead, set easier goals, like having the prospect agree to a second call, or maybe inviting them to a demonstration event. 

  • First impressions matter! It’s true that most folks don’t relish being called up and sold to, but you can neutralize this resistance.

Make a warm first impression by being upfront and honest and displaying your product’s value to solve the potential’s needs. Do these things early in the call and with an air of friendliness to see the best results.

  • Know who you’re calling. This last tip is really the first one any cold caller should take in their b2b sales prospecting. Do your homework and come prepared to meet your customer right where they are.

Anticipate their needs and understand their sales persona. Above all, be prepared to explain how your business can meet their needs better than your competitors. 

Build Your B2B Brand via LinkedIn

Build Your B2B Brand via LinkedIn

LinkedIn is an incredibly powerful, though sometimes overlooked, tool for b2b sales prospecting. Use this platform to identify new potential leads. Also, use this platform to let your prospects discover you.

By building your brand on LinkedIn, you will be preemptively casting your business’ image in the minds of your customers. This is important because you want to dictate the associations and connotations your brand holds among businesses in the market.

When you reach out to a prospect, ask if they’re familiar with your brand. Encourage them to check out your company’s LinkedIn profile. This will lend you both validity and authority, thereby earning potential clients’ trust.

Invest In The Right B2B Sales Prospecting Tools

Some websites offer b2b sales courses free of charge, but prospecting will never succeed without investing in these core tools:

  • Insights for prospecting and data (knowing is selling!)
  • Selling enablement tools.
  • Social (media) selling. An increasingly lucrative market for both b2b and b2c prospecting.
  • Auto dialing technology. These tools are linked with the data insights mentioned above.
  • Software for lead management.
  • Lead scoring technology to qualify potential customers ahead of time.
  • Sales and metrics performance software. Know what’s working for your team and what needs consideration or reconfiguration.

Familiarize yourself and your sales team members with these and similar tools for the most effective b2b sales prospecting. Among the most important will be gaining crucial data insights and tracking your sales performance. 

Knowledge is power, nowhere more so than in the market of business-to-business sales. Make sure your team is equipped with every tool they need to successfully identify profitable leads and close the deal!

Create A Podcast Series

Another tool for generating new leads in b2b sales is creating and maintaining an industry-specific podcast series. After all, podcasts of all kinds continue to grow in popularity and should be considered in any marketing plan. 

Use podcasts to provide value for listeners while also creating a sense of community. As more listeners tune in, your brand name will increase in awareness, while well-placed calls to action will inspire follow-ups.

This will bring potential clients forward as leads and will make sales prospecting an obvious outcome of each episode. 

Use Videos to Convey Information

If a picture can be worth a thousand words, just imagine how many words videos could be worth to customers! Lay the groundwork of any effective b2b sales prospecting by using videos to convey important information about your products/services.

Include important calls to action at the end of your videos to generate leads and initial contacts. From there it’s simply a matter of applying the b2b sales methods your team members have already been trained in.

Analyze Your B2B Sales Prospecting DataAnalyze Your B2B Sales Prospecting Data

In this final step, you need to understand your b2b sales prospecting process from start to finish. Consider the areas of lead generation that seem to work best. Also, look at those areas that need improvement.

Getting more leads in business means staying current while also anticipating what’s ahead. It also means taking regular inventory and assessing the data available.

Use the tools mentioned earlier to chart your team members’ success. Review the customer personas you’ve collected and evaluate the status of client relationships at all levels.

Continually bringing new leads into your sales funnel is critical to continued success, but it isn’t rocket science. Use the tools, follow the steps, and your success is all but guaranteed in b2b sales!

It’s time to generate new leads with these B2B sales prospecting tools!

B2b sales prospecting is essential to your company’s success over the long haul. Thankfully, Selling Revolution is here to make sure you enjoy that success!  

Our fully customizable training programs empower your team to become b2b sales champions, bringing in leads that produce real results.

Don’t wait for top b2b prospects to fall from the sky all on their own! Book a call with Selling Revolution and let’s get you the leads you deserve!