How do you generate B2B leads?

My favorite method of target audience research is taking a list of existing customers and researching their LinkedIn Profiles and LinkedIn Company Pages. Analyze their industry and company sizes to make sure you're selecting the right ones, and analyze the buyers' job titles. If you have a Dream 100 list of customers, you can also research those to see if your target criteria may be different than the demographics of your current customers. To gather data such as customer pain points and motivations to buy, talking to current customers is the best method. As a shortcut, I also like to ask ChatGPT to compile the pain points and motivators, along with asking for ChatGPT to further explain each of those, to give me more background info.

As a CEO of an IT solutions company in the B2B space, our go-to step to generate leads is through LinkedIn sales navigator. Here is how you can do it all just using LinkedIn: 1. Define your target audience 2. Create a lead list adding your connections in as per their profile and requirements. 3. Continously keep in touch with the lead list you created by engaging with their posts. 4. Create content consistently around the pain points of your leads. 5. Start messaging them asking for a brief chat and offering them any help they might need. 6. After few weeks of consistent engaging with them on LinkedIn, email them asking for a short discovery call to see if you both have any oppotunity to work together. It works 110%!

The journey of B2B lead generation starts with the target audience. So the easiest way to do that is by defining Target customer persona And Getting granular with it It will help you build content relevancy for your leads and will also help you build better customer relationships.

In B2B, you're typically dealing with a group of diverse people who influence the purchasing decisions. Think: CFO, CMO, marketing managers and executives, and the accounting department --> all very different personas. Share various messages in formats that befit these different audiences to win B2B accounts. E.g. tables with details for the accountants, summary ROI % for the C-suite, and 'getting the job done' messaging for middle management.

One simple way of understanding your target audience better is by using the list upload function inside the LinkedIn Campaign Manager. After uploading a contact or company list, you get a break down of. - Geographis - Industries - Company sizes - Seniorities - Functions - Content they engage with - Their general interest Best part about it is that you are then set to start an ABM or remarketing campaign (depending on the source of your list upload).

Content is king! Think about how you can make your content stand out from the noise. What unique perspective or angle can you add, that no one else can? In addition, consider how you can infuse more personality and connect with your audience in a more meaningful and real way. The more they feel connected to your content and your brand, the more they'll engage with you, and that's the start of a buying journey.

Content is THE currency of lead generation. It's how you get a prospect to exchange permission to engage with them. Create a content framework based on: - What triggers an organization to look for a new solution - That addresses their specific questions and issues - Trends that effect their market - Ideas on new way to solve their problems - Tools and frameworks to help them evaluate vendors - Comparison information And have a lot of it!

Content Relevance! It's so important for real time growth. Most of the content today is built high on assumption and low on relevance. Relevance simply means asking your customers what they would like to have. Simple? No that. will extend this point in next post.

I'm all in on inbound marketing—it's a game changer for drumming up new business. But let’s get real: without a rock-solid strategy, it's just a bunch of random acts—random content, random marketing. And that buzz? It fizzles out fast. It all starts with lining up your topics with your buyer personas' journey, the right content at every stage. Then, it's all about nailing down the best channels to deliver that content straight to your audience. Remember, a well-crafted inbound strategy isn't just about creating content—it's about creating value. And that means understanding your audience, delivering the content they need, and engaging them on the channels they use. So let’s ditch the random acts and start building a strategy that works. ??

Become a lighthouse in the sea of information overload. Craft high-quality content (e.g., blog posts, webinars, white papers) that educates, entertains, and solves your target audience's problems. This establishes you as a trusted authority, drawing interested leads closer.

I think it's high time to innovate. We as innovators in different industries. Lead magnets should be something that cares about your customers, or solve a pressing need partially and that could be anything.

The truth about lead magnets is that most of them are rubbish. They are unspecific, look cheap and, worst of all, offer no value. Not the impression you want to leave on a potential customer. The best lead magnets check those boxes. ? Content is specific to the audience who wants help ? Solve a problem that leads to your core offer. ? Delivers an immediate solution.

Lead magnets work only when the value is so high someone would pay money for the material. They should LEAD someone to want to know more about your company.

Offer irresistible freebies (e.g., ebooks, templates, free trials) in exchange for contact information. These "lead magnets" incentivize website visitors to become leads, opening a direct communication channel. Research and understand the pain points of your target audience, and you can create some high value lead magnets.

Also consider adding trust and credibility factors to your landing pages. If your page makes claims and offers, back it up with testimonials and quotes, or logos of customers.

User Interface that easily navigates your Lead to the CTA. And you are done. This is the purpose of the Landing page. Being a medium between you and your customer. How many of you would agree?

Find all the tips you'll need in an blog article I wrote on our company website in 2017: 'landing page design best practices'. Ok. I've updated it in 2023, but every single element is still valid. It's a formula really. Don't just take my word for it. I just doubled the conversion rate from a client's landing page. As that landing page is associated with all my client's PPC ad spend, I doubled the benefits from their online advertising, with just 1 page redesign. It did not even take a long time. (DM me if you want to get the link, as I'm not sure it'll be featured here in these interactive posts.)

Landing pages are dedicated havens for lead capture. Design clear, focused pages with compelling headlines, persuasive copy, and prominent CTAs (calls to action) tailored to each lead magnet. Optimize them for SEO and mobile to maximize lead generation potential. Maximum 2-3 scrolls, some reviews for establishing trust and page that loads super fast, will help you boost your conversion raates.

Often a good place to start with lead nurturing is suggesting they follow your company page or other social accounts. It's an easy, low barrier to entry way to get them connected to you, and continue to receive updates in the future.

The primary purpose of lead nurturing is to educate and provide value. It's an "Educate, don't sell" kind of phase. Let's say you're in a scenario where you're a company selling supply chain software solutions. Sharing a case study titled "How X Company Improved Its Supply Chain Efficiency by 30% in Six Months." Detail the challenges faced by X Company, the solutions your software provided, and the resulting benefits. I also find How-to Guides to be highly relevant for lead nurturing. Let's say your company sells graphic design software tailored for ad agencies. Produce a series of video tutorials or step-by-step guides on "Creating Stunning Ad Campaigns with [Your Software's Name]." Offer tips for various design challenges.

Keep in mind. Lead nurturing =/= handing them over to sales. Your goal is to get a person from "I care about the content of this ebook" to "I care about what this company has to say". Because just because someone downloaded an ebook does not mean they necessarily care about your brand. In order to do that, you should use a combination of 1) email marketing with content tailored to the specific lead magnet, 2) targeted ads that get them closer to the product and 3) social media engagement through comments on their posts or direct messages.

Leads aren't ready-to-buy fish, they're curious nibblers. Engage them with nurture campaigns: email sequences, personalised content, and targeted offers. Educate them further, build trust, and gently guide them towards your product or service when they're ready to bite.

6. Implement Remarketing or Retargeting Don't let potential leads slip away after their initial interaction. Implement remarketing or retargeting strategies to re-engage with those who've visited your website or interacted with your content. For instance, use display ads on platforms like Google Ads or Facebook to remind them of your offerings. If a visitor browsed your product pages but didn't make a purchase, show them relevant product ads to bring them back into the conversion funnel. This keeps your brand top-of-mind and increases the chances of converting those prospects into leads and eventually customers.

Brace yourself for the unexpected. As I grab my crystal ball to scout for black swans, emerging platforms, and vanishing ones, I'm reminded to account for a heap of unknowns. Let's face it, when you're laying the groundwork for your strategy and approach, it's impossible to predict game-changing trends or new tech that could either be a game changer or a disruptor down the road. So, let's keep it nimble. Planning for the unforeseen is crucial in B2B lead generation. Remember, a strategy isn't set in stone—it's a roadmap that guides us, but we must be ready to take a detour if a new, more promising path emerges. Stay alert, stay flexible, and stay ahead of the game. Budget some 10% for WKW-Who Knows What might come along the way.

Don't just cast nets, fish smarter! Utilize tools like social media, paid advertising, and industry events to reach your target audience more effectively. Track your results, analyse, and adapt to ensure your lead generation efforts reel in the biggest catches.