What To Look For In A B2B Lead Generation Company
July 20th, 2012 Posted in B2B sales lead generation
by: Jan Loyola
If you’ve ever considered the option of outsourcing your b2b leads to a lead generation company, you surely have been wondering what qualifications you should look for or what you should expect from a professional and reliable lead generation firm. Here are a few points to consider when choosing a lead generation firm for your business:
- Experience - A good lead generation company first and foremost should be able to provide a portfolio of its own clients. If you are doubtful about a company’s capabilities, take a look at their business portfolio. By doing so you will be able to glean important insights such as their experience with your type of business (is their portfolio full of software companies or service-type businesses?), their ability to generate leads (a portfolio with a limited number of clients is certainly not attractive unless the lead generation firm is just starting out), and the size of businesses they have previously worked with.
- Price - Different lead generation companies have different pricing models. While one company may bill you on a fixed rate basis, another may quote for a pay-for-performance basis. For pay-for-performance lead generation, you only pay your service provider whenever they deliver. If they promised a certain number of leads or appointments and the business lead failed to show up on the scheduled date, you either get your money back or your service provider provides a substitute. With fixed rate, you pay a certain amount for a specific number of leads. Both models have their advantages and disadvantages, but most clients gravitate towards fixed rate lead generation due to the unreliability of some pay-for-performance firms. Still, it would be best for you to research on which pricing model will work best for your business.
- Method - Some b2b lead generation firms utilize email marketing, others rely on search engine optimization, while others have telemarketers. Still, there are b2b lead generation firms who find business sales leads through a combination of these methods; integrating social media marketing with SEO optimized content, email marketing, and professional b2b telemarketers. You have to decide which lead generation method resonates best with your business model, but thorough market research will help you identify which method appeals more to your target b2b leads.
- Source - You should also inquire whether the contact information on the business list sent to you or used in your telemarketing list will be generated by the lead generation company itself or bought from another company.
- Contract - Some lead generation firms require a specific number of months for each b2b lead generation campaign, fees for setup, and fees for cancellation of contract. Remember that lead generation campaigns usually take a few months to be productive, so think carefully before you sign any contracts.
These are just a few of the important things you should consider when signing up for lead generation services. To make the best decision for your company, it would be best to speak with the customer support of a lead generation service provider to know more about how that lead generation company works.
