If you’re one of the 63% of B2B executives who see lead generation as a pressing challenge, this article is for you.
Let’s face it, B2B lead generation is robust though. And with each passing year, it’s getting harder. The old tactics like sending emails and making cold calls don’t work anymore – and in some cases, they aren’t even legal (thanks CASL).
But take that as a sign of an opportunity and don’t feel demoralized. If you can crack the lead generation code, you’re way ahead of your competitors.
Here are eight ways to do it:
Have deep conversations more often
Here’s a simple question: when was the last time that you had a deep and meaningful talk with your customer? Can’t remember? You’re not alone.
There’s a great solution to this. Instead of relying on one-directional communication such as blog posts, videos, and websites, find an opportunity to trigger a real conversation with your prospects.
Grab every single opportunity. If a user asks or enquires about a particular product or service, do not just offer them a link to your knowledge base, instead offer them a 10-minute quick walkthrough through the call. This will provide you with another excellent opportunity to sell. If you are already on a call with them, offer to meet.
The idea here is to get closer to your leads every time you interact with them. Remember the ultimate B2B sales mantra: out of sight means out of mind!.
Produce gated content
What is gated content? Glad that you asked. Gated content is premium content like ebooks, white papers and software tools that are made available to the users for free in exchange for contact information like email and name.
With gated content, you can convert users into sales lead in exchange for providing valuable gated content. Needless to say, the gated content you provide needs to be of EXCELLENT quality. It needs to be really, truly helpful and compelling in order for it to do you any good.
Provide a perfect answer for a tough question
You might think this is crazy advice. After all, every question under the sun is already answered somewhere online.
Not at all.
There’s almost always an opportunity to provide an in-depth, highly tailored answer to specific B2B questions. Use this gap as an opportunity and invest some time in creating a comprehensive and step-by-step article that answers the questions of your prospects. Believe us or not, this acts as a surefire way of generating high-quality leads. After all, the company that knows the minor and significant nuances of their business will more likely be an expert in their field.
Explore the world outside your office
All thanks to the digital world, we have almost forgotten that we can even engage with our prospects in real-world.
So step out of your office and find opportunities to network. This could be done by attending offline events, keeping up with the latest technology news and expressing your views in exclusive events and seminars.
Don’t just leave it there. Take it a step further and create your brand’s authority by creating a well-crafted series of pre and post-event blogs and videos. Share this content on social media and other channels, and let your target people know that you’re an emerging leader in your industry.
Host a giveaway
Giveaways are everywhere, and that’s because of a reason – if done right, they can help you in generating enough leads.
However, you need to play it safe here. If not done right, a giveaway can even attract a ton of junk leads. So make sure that you offer something which is useful and in line with your target demographics.
B2B directories
If you want to reap the maximum benefits without investing too much of efforts, B2B directories can prove to an ideal solution here. All you need to do is complete your company’s profile with all the relevant information and keywords. Next, ask your existing clients to leave a positive review on these directories.
This would provide you with social proof, which would act as a great way to attract and generate leads.
Interview a prominent figure from the industry
This serves as a great way to get and share expertise and gain some credibility by aligning your company with a credible industry expert. It will also help you raise awareness as this exposes your brand to many people who already follow the industry expert but knew little about your brand.
Make your prospects feel special
This is a no-brainer. Who doesn’t like to feel special? We all do, and your prospects really love when you make them feel valuable.
So, how can you do that? Publish great value-packed and actionable pieces and hide certain sections of the blog from your visitors. Let them have quick access, or VIP access to these pieces of content by asking their email address for them.
Similarly, if you are an upcoming startup and if you have already build buzz around your product, it is the best idea to provide beta access to some of your prospects and ask for their feedback.
This would make them feel unique and valuable at the same time, which will make them hooked to your brand for longer.
Get Creative to Supercharge your B2B Lead Generation
There are endless ways to generate B2B leads. It usually just takes some creativity, and of course some elbow grease. The crux remains the same –engage visitors with something compelling and useful to them, and deliver it in unexpected ways. Once you’ve sparked the right conversation, all you need to do is pitch your services at the right time, and you’re good to go.
