B2B lead generation: the (really) effective methods

As you know, selling in BtoB is a real challenge. Targeting the right people, generating interest in your product or service, and converting prospects into customers can be challenging. This is why BtoB lead generation is essential today.

But don't worry, we are here to help you! We give you the best strategies for generating BtoB leads.

⭐️ The key things to remember about lead generation:

• Targeting effectively: Identify and reach the right people using accurate segmentation strategies to maximize the impact of your prospecting efforts.
• Create engaging content: produce engaging and relevant resources, such as blog posts, videos, and webinars, to attract and hold the attention of your prospects.
• Analyze and adjust: Regularly assess the results of your lead generation campaigns and adjust your strategies based on performance to continuously improve your conversion rates.

BtoB lead generation: definition

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BtoB lead generation consists of identifying, attracting and converting prospects into customers, in a structured way. It is a crucial part of the sales cycle and an important indicator of a company's performance. In short, the more qualified leads you get, the more likely you are to close sales and grow your business.

Unlike BtoC lead generation, which targets individual consumers, BtoB lead generation is aimed at other businesses. BtoB strategies are often more elaborate and come with longer sales cycles. Indeed, purchasing decisions in the BtoB framework take into account technical aspects and substantial budgets, and require the approval of several decision-makers.

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Importance of lead generation

BtoB lead generation is a bit like the fuel of your sales engine. Here's why it's so important:

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Create a constant flow of leads

With BtoB lead generation, you ensure a continuous flow of potential customers. This then allows you to take care of these leads to maximize your chances of conversion.

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Boost your sales

The more leads you have, the more likely you are to close deals. And who says more sales, says increased turnover!

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Increase brand awareness

By working on lead generation, you reach a wider audience and get people talking about your brand. The result: more credibility and a better reputation in your sector.

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Better understand your customers

By talking to prospects, you get valuable information about their needs and preferences. This data can inspire the development of new products or services.

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Improve your conversion rates

By targeting quality leads, you increase your conversion rates and reduce the time and effort needed to close sales.

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Do more accurate marketing

Knowing the needs and preferences of your customers allows you to create super targeted marketing campaigns.

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Get ahead of the competition

Effective lead generation strategies give you an edge over your competitors. If you get leads before them, you're more likely to convert them into customers.

In short, BtoB lead generation is essential to grow your business. With the right techniques and channels, like sales calls, you can ensure a steady flow of leads.

To take full advantage of it, it is necessary to set up a clear and effective lead generation process, to be followed regularly.

So, let's dive into the steps and strategies that will help you attract more leads for your business.

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5 really effective lead generation methods

Generating leads, regardless of the field, is no easy task. The key to attracting quality prospects lies in understanding their real needs. Prospecting requires a lot of effort, but if you take a one-size-fits-all approach, you'll be able to get more attention.

Here are some lead generation strategies you can try in your business.

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#1: cold emailing

E-mailing quickly proved to be an excellent prospecting method, and it is not without reason: sending emails is much easier than making calls to the chain!

Some will say it is outdated, but we disagree. Why? Because this technique still works great!

However, the real challenge is to contact people who will be genuinely interested in your offer, so that they respond positively to you.

If you have followed the previous steps, your prospecting by email should already show encouraging results.

But be careful, you can't send the same message to everyone and expect positive feedback.

It is essential to follow best practices to maximize the effectiveness of your cold emailing campaign. Here are a few tips:

1. Personalize your messages.
2. Stay relevant by targeting the specific needs of your prospects.
3. Keep it short and to the point.
4. Stand out with an eye-catching subject line.
5. Prioritize quality over quantity.

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#2: inbound marketing

Getting people to contact you may seem complicated, but it's totally doable if you adopt the right strategy!

To start with theInbound marketing, you need to create content that your target audience loves.

And by content, we're not talking about boring old white papers. Instead, think of blog posts, videos, webinars, social media posts, etc.

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💬 For example, if you've already received a call from a customer's friend, that's called a referral. It's a great example of inbound marketing.

These inbound leads are every salesperson's dream — they get them by really helping their customers.

Here are some tips for staying in touch with your customers and increasing your chances of receiving leads from them:

• Follow up regularly with your prospects or customers
• Mention your customers on social networks
• Organize events and invite your target audience
• Give gifts in exchange for recommendations

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💬 Another example: SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is another effective form of inbound marketing. By creating highly targeted content and optimizing it with keywords that are relevant to your industry, you can improve your ranking in search results (SERPs). It increases traffic to your website.

If your site and its content are constantly updated, you can become an authority in your field over time.

The only “downside” of SEO is that it requires time, effort, and persistence to see results.

But believe me, it's definitely worth it!

👉 Discover How we generated more than 100 leads per week on highly targeted for our customer Taste Club!

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#3: Sales automation

Automation allows you to complete tasks quickly, easily, and at scale. Using an automation tool, you can set up multi-channel approach sequences to target the right people at the right time.

Whether it's simple or complex tasks, you can set up as many workflows as needed. These workflows will run automatically, allowing you to focus on other tasks. Automation can also help you track customer activity and send personalized emails at the right time.

Not only does it save you time, but it also centralizes all of your messages in a single interface. You can easily track the responses of your campaigns and filter the conversations based on the campaign, the actions of the prospects (response or not), and more. This allows you to focus on the hottest leads.

There are also tools like IFTTT and Zapier to automate small tasks, as well as a variety of Linkedin specific tools to optimize your prospecting.

👉 Find out how we generated leads continuously by structuring a semi-automated lead generation machine for our customer Platform.sh.

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#4: Partnerships

Two heads are better than one, right? This is exactly the principle of partnerships with other companies.

Identify trusted businesses that provide added value that complements yours.

💬 For example, if you sell marketing software, it could work very well with customer relationship management software. As long as your key features don't overlap, you can recommend each other to your customers.

Even better, you can create content together, organize joint webinars, or even set up a referral program. The possibilities are almost endless! This allows you to access their customer list and generate new leads quickly.

You can also offer discounts to your prospects based on their participation. This technique is especially effective when you partner with larger, well-established companies in the industry. But even if it's not, it's still worth a try.

💡 Remember that networking, especially on LinkedIn, is crucial, and this type of partnership can really boost the number of leads for your business.

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#5: Be visible

Finally, to generate leads, you have to be visible and show yourself. It's as simple as that.

Regardless of how long you've been in office, it's essential to introduce yourself to your prospects.

There are several great ways to show yourself and generate BtoB leads. For example, record and share videos explaining what your product can do or answering frequently asked questions. The aim is to position yourself as someone who helps solve problems.

Attending events that are relevant to your industry is another great way to meet potential customers. But don't just be there — be proactive. Start a conversation, exchange business cards, and build relationships.

Don't limit your interactions to physical events. Virtual webinars and conferences are also great places to meet people in your industry.

The key is to be visible and involved, while remaining authentic in your approach. By being present and building relationships, you will generate new leads.

💡 The first and most important step in lead generation is getting to know your audience! Take the time to understand their needs and challenges, and the rest will follow naturally.

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Tools for lead generation

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The right tools for lead generation

There are a multitude of BtoB lead generation tools, each with its own features and benefits. Here are some of the most effective ones:

👉 Email marketing tools : these solutions allow you to design and send targeted email campaigns to capture and engage your prospects and customers. Some of the best known include Mailchimp, Brevo (formerly SendinBlue), and Constant Contact.

👉 Social media marketing tools : they help you manage and optimize your presence on social networks, such as Linkedin, which can be a great way to attract new leads and customers. Tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, and Sprout Social are very popular in this area.

👉 SEO tools for lead generation : they serve to improve the SEO of your website, thus increasing its visibility on search engines and, therefore, attracting more prospects. Some of the most powerful tools include SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz.

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Choosing the right lead generation tools

Choosing the right lead generation tool requires taking into account several elements, such as your goals, your budget, and the specific needs of your business. To make the right choice, it is essential to carefully assess the options available and select the tool that best fits your expectations. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

👉 What is the main objective you want to achieve with lead generation?

👉 How much budget can you allocate to lead generation tools?

👉 What features are essential for your strategy?

👉 What type of support and training does the tool offer to help you use it effectively?

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Our pro tips for going further

For starters, if you haven't implemented at least one of the acquisition strategies mentioned yet, do it.

Once you have established a prospecting process, you can add more. Don't feel like you have to do everything because not all strategies work for everyone or for all prospects.

Next, review your results. For example, if you organized a webinar and no one showed up, it could be an indication that your prospects are not interested in this format. Maybe they prefer in-person meetings. This will vary depending on each business sector and target audience.

Once you've found one or two effective ways to reach your prospects, you can either increase the number of people you contact or explore new strategies.

Finally, to create successful BtoB lead generation processes, it is crucial to test and improve what is not working.

Do you feel lost? The best thing is then to use an agency specialized in lead generation. Here is a Top 5 best lead generation agencies

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