By the Numbers: Marketing Stats that Drive Top B2B Industries

Lead generation is the process of identifying, attracting, and screening potential buyers of your product or service. It involves doing activities that drive and capture interest from your most likely customers.

In a B2B setting, lead generation basically requires you to:

• Find companies that can benefit from your solution
• Identify relevant decision makers from your target companies
• Attract prospects through different marketing activities and campaigns
• Screen prospects based on how much they resemble your ideal buyer profile and how much interest they’re showing toward your offer

The following are the qualities and capabilities you must consider in order to choose wisely when evaluating a potential lead generation service provider:

• Type of lead generation company
• Strategy and process
• Lead qualification and management
• Tools and technology
• Experience and reputation
• People and talent
• How performance and success is measured
• Project terms and specifics

Lead generation helps kick-start the customer acquisition process the right way. Having a lead generation plan is the first step to getting the right number and the right kind of prospects. Without lead generation, it’s going to be very hard to hit your targets.

Here’s a quick rundown of what a solid lead generation process can bring:

• Aligns with how today’s B2B customers actually begin their buying journey - helps them find the information they’re looking for
• Allows you to easily refocus or scale your customer acquisition program - lets you quickly adapt to your changing needs
• Shortens the sales cycle and improves win rates - churns out qualified and interested potential customers
• Sets the stage for building relationships and trust - focuses not only on winning the deal but cultivating loyal customers as well
• Increases the return on marketing investment - relies on targeted and relevant messaging, instead of one-size-fits-all tactics