6 Keys to B2B Lead Generation Success

Does your company sell in a B2B setting? Here are six rules that can help you generate more B2B sales leads.

Focus on the Customer

The golden rule of B2B lead generation is to focus on the customer. There's even a term coined for this tactic: “customer-centricity,” which has become a popular buzzword in B2B sales. Place yourself in the shoes of a typical customer to identify their needs. Only then can you provide the best quality service while encouraging the prospect to buy your product.

Target the Right Prospects 

Another rule of successful B2B sales is to focus on the right prospects. Not every business or professional is going to be interested in buying your product – and that's okay. So, identify your core target demographic and focus your promotional efforts here.

Rate Leads by Quality

Even after sourcing a decent amount of leads for your B2B company, you should go ahead and rate them by quality. If a prospect has expressed strong interest in your product, you should rate them as being highly likely to buy your product. On the other hand, if a prospect has expressed little-to-no interest in your product, you should rate them low. Using this otherwise simple ratings system, you can identify and target prospects who are ready to buy.

Competitive Edge 

Why should customers choose your business over one of your competitors? If you can't answer this question, you'll have a hard time convincing prospects to buy your product. This is especially true when speaking of B2B sales due to business owners' and professionals' disposition towards making new purchases. The bottom line is that you need a competitive edge to succeed in the world of B2B sales.

Personalize

Whether it's phone, face-to-face, email, etc., you should personalize all correspondences with prospects. Something as simple as addressing the prospect by his or her name can entice them to make a purchase. Personalization can also include reference information from prior correspondence. If a prospect described his or her business needs the last time you talked, perhaps you could reference this during your next correspondence.

Nurture Prospects in All Stages of Sales Funnel

Many B2B salespersons make the mistake of focusing all of their energy on prospects during their initial correspondence. B2B sales, however, requires a more methodical approach in which salespersons nurture prospects through all stages of the sales funnel. This includes the initial correspondence, as well as later mid and late stages. 

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