B2B Prospecting During COVID-19

B2B Prospecting Strategies: Digital Marketing Tactics During COVID-19

B2B prospecting is more difficult than ever due to COVID-19. That’s because in-person events and trade shows are cancelled. Business travel is postponed. And physical distancing requires virtual communication or at least 6-feet of separation.

Even before these new obstacles, more than 40% of salespeople said that prospecting is the most challenging part of the sales process. However, B2B prospecting plays a critical role in filling your sales pipeline with potential customers.

So how can sales and marketing effectively prospect to potential B2B customers in today’s “contactless” society? Here are a few digital marketing tactics to help you get started and overcome B2B prospecting challenges.

LinkedIn For B2B Prospecting

When it comes to B2B, there’s a strong chance that most of your prospects are on LinkedIn. That’s why it’s a good idea to establish a strong LinkedIn presence. I also recommend using LinkedIn Lead Generation Ads to fill your sales pipeline with qualified leads for prospecting.

Your marketing team can use data to target the right people, entice them with relevant gate-worthy content and maximize form completions with the auto-fill features. The sales team can then use the leads to gain appointments with potential B2B customers. It’s a win-win.

B2B Prospecting Emails

Email is an important prospecting tool for longer B2B sales cycles. According to the 2020 Chief Marketer B2B Marketing Outlook Survey, respondents say that email is the largest source of lead generation. 

However, when you send prospecting emails, you may need to adjust your pre-coronavirus messaging and tone. Rather than coming off as “salesy,” today’s prospecting email should be helpful, educational and clearly communicate your value to their business.

Live Chat With B2B Prospects

Live chat is a valuable customer service tool for B2C websites. Although it’s often overlooked, live chat can also be a successful prospecting tool for B2B.

In the beginning of the B2B buyer journey, prospects conduct online research to define their needs and evaluate options. Live chat allows your salespeople to provide immediate answers to questions that arise as they do their research.

They can give specific details, in-depth explanations and supporting content to remove barriers to purchase consideration. This helps qualify your company as an option early in the buying process.

B2B Prospecting Using Content Marketing

B2B buyers are consumers first and foremost. The experiences they have as consumers shape and influence their behaviors as B2B buyers. That’s a key reason why the majority of the buyer journey takes place online.

In today’s zero-contact society, sharing compelling content online in those early stages is extra important for B2B prospecting. The right content at the right time can help marketing and sales build awareness of the brand, establish credibility, and sell the value of your company’s product or service.

But content use shouldn’t end at the top of the sales funnel. Content plays an important role throughout every stage of the B2B sales process. When executed well, content marketing enables you to communicate the value of your company and close the sale.

When it comes to B2B prospecting, leads don’t just magically appear. You must take action and use the digital marketing tactics to bridge the gap between prospects and sales—but do so responsibly. The way you treat B2B prospecting now will directly impact your ability to retain those same customers in the future.

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