B2B Lead Generation — 10 Ideas You Should Try This Year

In the ever-evolving business ecosystem, B2B lead generation has emerged as a critical component, serving as the first rung on the sales ladder. A recent study by Marketo suggests that an overwhelming 96% of B2B companies place lead generation at the pinnacle of their content marketing objectives. Additionally, HubSpot reports that 61% of marketers identify lead generation as their most significant hurdle.

However, before we delve into the subject, let's revisit the concept of B2B lead generation.

According to CIENCE, 34% of businesses identify lead generation as their top marketing goal, with other priorities including driving more traffic to their website (46%) and increasing brand awareness (45%). Moreover, B2B companies with mature lead generation processes enjoy 133% more revenue than average companies, as per a 2021 report by Intellistart.

These statistics underscore the importance of effective lead generation strategies in business, especially nowadays. Stay tuned as we explore 10 innovative ideas to revamp your B2B lead generation efforts in 2023.

What Is B2B Lead Generation?

Let's break it down to the basics. B2B, or Business-to-Business lead generation, is like fishing for customers in the sea of other businesses. Your company is looking for other companies that might need your products or services. These potential customers are what we call leads.

This is a process that involves several steps, all interlinked, starting from discovering businesses that could need what you offer. Then, your sales and marketing teams work to identify whether these businesses are a good match for your offerings. The next step is to qualify them, making sure they're not just interested but are also capable of purchasing your products or services. The final step in this process is nurturing: building a strong, beneficial relationship with these leads until they're ready to become your customers.

To attract these businesses, you use different tactics. This can include sending them emails about your products (email marketing), creating useful content that they might find interesting (content marketing), or improving your website so it shows up in Google search results (SEO). Using social media platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter can also help get their attention.

The main goal is to start a conversation, build a strong relationship, and eventually turn these businesses into your customers. It's an important first step in making a sale and is key for your business's growth.

READ ALSO: Demand Generation vs. Lead Generation: Differences Explained

Challenges Sales and Marketing Teams Face

B2B lead generation, or the process of finding new potential customers for your business, can be tricky. Sales and marketing teams often face a few big challenges.

First, there's a lot of competition. Many businesses are trying to get the attention of the same potential customers, so it's tough to stand out. That's why it's important to come up with creative and specific strategies to reach your audience.

Second, the world of B2B is always changing. New technology and trends pop up all the time, and businesses need to keep up to stay relevant. This means they need to be always learning and adapting, which can take a lot of time and resources. For example, artificial intelligence and machine learning have changed the game in lead generation. Businesses need to invest in these technologies, or they risk falling behind.

Third, not all leads are the same. Some potential customers are more likely to buy than others. So, it's important to concentrate your time and resources on sales-qualified leads, not just any leads.

But don't worry. Even with these challenges, it's still possible to generate good leads. In the next sections, we'll go over 10 innovative ideas to help your business find high-quality leads in 2023. These tips will help you overcome these challenges and succeed in your lead generation efforts.

READ ALSO: Traffic vs. Lead Generation — How to Effectively Turn Traffic Into Leads?

10 B2B Lead Generation Strategies and Ideas

Below, we've collected 10 ideas for lead generation for B2B that can help you drive sales, increase brand awareness and boost business growth. 

1. Run free webinars

Running free webinars is a great way to educate your audience about your company and your product, building brand awareness and trust towards your company as a subject expert. 

Even a 1-hour webinar is an excellent lead-nurturing tool. It can introduce you to many potential customers already interested in your company and offers.

This lead-capturing strategy is especially useful for B2B companies where decision-making is more complex, a sales cycle is rather long, and the process can include multiple decision-makers.

2. Share your knowledge in the form of e-books

Another effective lead generation method for marketing managers operating in the B2B setting. This tactic allows potential customers to dive into a specific topic related to your company and industry and develop trust in your company.

Generating e-books with your prospects and providing practical insider information is one of the most effective ways to establish thought leadership in the long run.

Here's our e-book titled “How to be competitive in marketing as an SMB?” as an example (we recommend reading it too).

3. Create strategic content like reports or whitepapers

Such content provides readers with value and insights about a specific topic related to your industry. 

Here are our propositions for reports and whitepapers content strategy:

• Offer a solution to a problem that your target audience faces.
• Give industry insights (trends, statistics, analysis, challenges).
• Collect emails for further lead-generation actions in exchange for access to your content.
   

4. Try LinkedIn Ads

As the largest global professional social network with over 849.6 million users, LinkedIn is a perfect place for business professionals and decision-makers. 

Using LinkedIn's lead generation tool, LinkedIn Ads, you can reach your targeted audience by inputting data like:

• Location
• Industries
• Job titles
   

The tool allows a quick, easy, and efficient lead capture process for you and your potential customer. 

Check also: In-House Strategies to Amplify Lead Generation for Financial Services

5. Use long-tail keywords on PPC Ads

Another highly effective targeted marketing tool for B2B lead generation is using long-tail keywords in PPC (Pay-Per-Click) ads.  Such keywords and keyphrases are more specific & relevant to the user's purchasing intent. They also have lower competition rates & cost-per-click compared to the more popular and generic ones.

With long-tail keywords, marketing managers can reach a more qualified audience that is already searching for the product or solution related to your business. 

6. Add an exit pop-up on your page

An exit pop-up is a message that appears when a website visitor is about to leave the page. With the ability to capture leads that otherwise be lost, exit pop-ups can encourage page visitors to provide their contact information and become a lead. 

With a simple add-in to your website, like a callback widget, you can improve your UX (User Experience), potentially reduce the website’s bounce rate and increase website conversion rates. 

7. Be engaged on social media

Employing social media is one of the go-to lead-generation strategies for many B2B companies. According to 2022 HubSpot research, 44% of marketers said that social media is their top channel for customer acquisition. 

It helps build brand awareness, reach a new audience, establish thought leadership, and create relationships with their target audiences. 

By reaching these goals through social media, you can make a channel that will continuously attract new leads into your sales funnel. 

8. Start a referral program

According to Forbes, 78% of B2B marketers consider B2B customer referral strategies as an excellent source of high-quality leads.

This brilliant strategy can leverage existing relationships and boost trust in your business. Referral programs can increase word-of-mouth marketing, one of the most powerful instruments. 

Here are some referral program ideas that you can leverage:

• Customer referral program
• Partner referral program
• Employee referral program
• Affiliate Program
• Customer loyalty program

9. Find business partners for cross campaigns

Finding business partners for cross-campaigns is a strategic win-win approach. 

Tips that might help you identify the best business partners for B2B lead generation campaigns:

• Research complementary businesses.
• Partner with suppliers, vendors, or other companies you already work with.
• Local businesses partnerships.

10. Attend industry events 

Trade shows and industry events can be extremely valuable sources of potential sales leads. Through such events, your company can build long-term relationships with the potential for future business and a positive industry reputation.

Tip: don't just attend such events. Consider also:

• Networking with potential customers, other businesses in your sector, and industry leaders
• Speak at the event, share your knowledge, participate in panel discussions
• Follow up with your new contacts, add them on LinkedIn, communicate with them, and build relationships.
   

READ ALSO: Local Lead Generation: 10 Strategies for Quick Results

CallPage: A Great Tool to Generate Leads Automatically

Besides the ideas and strategies we've talked about, there's one more tool we'd like to suggest.

CallPage automates the process of B2B lead generation, turning website visitors into sales calls. This innovative platform is designed to generate leads, helping businesses to secure more leads and streamline their marketing automation processes.

The callback widget feature of CallPage allows potential customers to request a call or schedule a meeting, leading to immediate and valuable interactions. This feature significantly increases the number of sales calls, providing an efficient way for the sales team to connect with potential customers.

CallPage ensures rapid lead distribution, connecting potential leads with the first available sales representative within seconds. This feature not only reduces the time to lead but also maximizes the efficiency of the sales team.

The platform also offers conversion-focused features, such as customizable pop-ups and scoring rules. These features enhance your website's lead-generation capabilities, making it a lead-generation machine.

Finally, CallPage provides call recording and reporting features, offering valuable insights into lead quality, response level, and call handling. These insights can significantly improve the efficiency of your sales team, making CallPage a comprehensive solution for B2B lead generation.

Start Generating Leads Today!

With these 10 strategies in your arsenal, you're well-equipped to tackle the challenge of B2B lead generation. Remember, the key to successful lead generation is to understand your target audience, provide value, and build relationships. It's not just about selling your product or service; it's about establishing trust and credibility with your potential customers.

In the end, the most effective B2B lead generation strategies are those that are tailored to your business's unique needs and goals. So, don't be afraid to experiment with different tactics and adjust your approach based on what works best for your company.

Keep in mind that B2B lead generation is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time to build a robust pipeline of potential customers. But with patience, persistence, and the right strategies, you can significantly boost your B2B lead generation efforts and set your business up for long-term success.

So, start implementing these strategies today and watch your B2B lead generation efforts soar to new heights in 2023!