Lead generation partners are a great way to make sure that your sales pipeline is always stocked. But, with so many providers out there, how can you tell if your lead generation partner is worth it?
In this quick guide, we examine what makes a B2B lead generation company reliable, and what you should be looking for to create a growth-focused lead-gen strategy.
Relevant Experience in the Industry
There are a lot of lead generation companies, but not all of them will be a good fit for your organization. Even if lead generation is a specialized activity, some organizations specialize in specific industries.
Some will have experience in industries such as B2B IT leads, others only in healthcare, and some companies can specialize in multiple industries.
The hallmark of picking a reliable lead generation partner is choosing one that’s worked with companies similar to your organization.
They will have tried and tested methods to use with your organization. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask them how they helped previous organizations in fulfilling their lead generation requests; this way, you have a quick overview of how they work.
Related: Best Sales Tactics for Top B2B Industries
Customized Strategies
Once you’ve determined their experience in dealing with organizations such as yours before, you need to ask about their lead generation strategy.
There is no such thing as a generalized strategy when it comes to lead generation because no two companies are alike.
Your lead generation partner should be able to provide you with a specific strategy on how they will be generating relevant and qualified leads for your organization.
Scalability
Staying on the same level – or plateauing – is something that most companies avoid. There’s always a focus on sustainable growth, and your lead generation partner should be able to provide this.
Whether you are scaling up to increase revenue or scaling down to specialize, your lead generation partner should be able to join you in your journey and assist you with the leads that you need.
If you’re an organization that is looking to scale globally, then you should look for a company that can help you generate leads on this level in the future. It would be better if you work with a company that can sustain your growth over time.
Related: Everything You Need to Ask When Choosing a Lead Generation Company
Digital Lead Generation
The online marketplace is the largest marketplace that we have today, and if your lead generation partner doesn’t understand this, then you might be in the wrong hands.
To create a multidimensional approach to lead generation, your lead generation partner should be able to provide you with a digital strategy should you need it. This would include advice on how to conduct a content marketing strategy or methods to optimize your website.
They do not necessarily need to provide the services in-house, but a firm understanding of online marketing is an excellent area to investigate if you’re trying to determine their worth.
Analytics
Accurate reporting and analytics are a given, but not everyone will be able to provide your organization with the proper reporting that you need. You have to make sure that your lead generation partner provides you with information regularly – either daily, weekly or monthly, depending on your need – for you to create actionable strategies.
However, that’s not all; they must also provide you with suggestions on how to tweak your current campaign. This is especially relevant if you’re having a slow period in lead generation.
Related: 18 Outbound Lead Generation KPIs to Track in Your B2B Dashboard
Dashboard or Real-Time Reporting
Data on demand is not a luxury but rather a necessity in today’s data-driven world. Although not every provider has a panel that you can access via the cloud, they should still be able to report with live data should the need arise.
Real-time reporting allows you to customize campaigns on the fly and respond to opportunities for growth.
However, you should also note that the presence of real-time reporting is also an indicator that the company invests in new technologies to create better systems for its clients.
Significant Results
Apart from all the bells and whistles, your lead generation company should still be able to provide you with substantial results. A results-oriented approach to lead generation is one of the essential characteristics of a lead generation partner.
You should be able to ask them questions such as, “What will you do if we don’t hit our targets?” What is your strategy in ensuring that the lead generation attempts are sustainable?”
Results still matter.
They are the final determining factor to check if your lead generation partner is doing its job well.
If you are a company that is just starting out or if you want more effective methods of acquiring qualified leads, then getting a lead generation company partner is the best choice for you.
A reliable lead generation partner will make sure that your sales pipeline is always ready with enough leads to keep the sales coming in!
