Want to grow your business? Check out these 11 effective lead generation strategies and tactics in 2024.
Precision prospecting is essential for effective lead generation, leveraging data to identify and engage high-potential prospects. Sales intelligence tools like SMARTe enhance this process, offering access to over 229 million global contacts, including key decision-makers, and providing advanced search filters for creating targeted prospect lists with verified contact details.
SMARTe helps businesses accurately identify Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) through granular filters based on parameters such as revenue, employee count, and location. Additionally, it offers technographic insights, enabling tailored messaging to address specific prospect needs.
In summary, precision b2b prospecting with sales intelligence tools like SMARTe ensures targeted, efficient outreach, maximizing the chances of conversion by focusing on the most relevant prospects.
Content marketing driven by SEO best practices remains one of the most cost-effective lead generation channels available for the long term.
Create a steady cadence of optimized blog content, eBooks, guides and other resources that help prospects navigate their challenges. As your domain authority grows, so does your organic traffic flow.
Team this with conversion rate optimization to turn more of those visitors into subscribers, leads and opportunities. Trust-building long-form cornerstone content can be especially fruitful.
Research reveals that brands incorporating blogging into their strategy experience a remarkable 67% increase in lead generation.
Smart paid media can rapidly amplify your lead generation efforts. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) on platforms like Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Twitter Ads allows you to get in front of your target audience with surgical precision.
Moreover, you can retarget website visitors who didn't convert on their initial visit through retargeting campaigns. Retargeting keeps your brand top-of-mind and nurtures prospects further down the marketing funnel, increasing the chances of conversion.
By combining PPC advertising and retargeting strategies, you can effectively attract new leads while simultaneously engaging and converting those who have already shown interest in your offerings. This powerful combination ensures that your marketing efforts are optimized for maximum impact and lead generation success.
An omni-channel approach is key for maximizing your lead generation reach. While prospects are browsing your website, they're also active on social channels like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc. Social selling allows you to monitor those channels and directly engage with your target buyers.
Use social listening tools to identify prospects asking questions related to your product/service. Then proactively reach out to provide value and position yourself as a trusted advisor.
Combining this with multi-channel outreach like live chat, SMS, and messenger apps for real-time response can be incredibly powerful.
Today's buyers crave video content. According to stats a whopping 96% of consumers have boosted their online video consumption, and 90% of viewers expressed a desire for more videos from brands and businesses. In fact, it's predicted that the average person will spend 100 minutes per day watching online videos.
Video excels at capturing attention, building trust, and explaining complex solutions in an engaging way. From educational product demos and tutorials to customer testimonials and cultural spotlights, video allows you to connect with prospects on a deeper level. Social platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn make it easy to distribute video ads and measure engagement metrics.
For example, email marketing provider Constant Contact sees 75% higher engagement rates when using video in nurture campaigns compared to static emails.
Partnering with trusted industry voices can amplify your lead generation reach exponentially. Affiliates, ambassadors, complementary software vendors, media publications, and influencers can expose your brand to vast new pockets of your target audience.
Find relevant partners whose audiences match your ideal customer profile. Cross-promote each other's content, co-host webinars, or bundle product offerings. A study finds that 81% of consumers engaged with influencer marketing over the past year.
Third-party validation carries immense weight in today's skeptical B2B landscape. Leverage reviews, case studies, and customer referrals to build trust and credibility with prospects. These provide social proof that your solution delivers on its promises.
For example, software review site G2 found that 92% of B2B buyers are more likely to purchase after reading a trusted review. Case studies that quantify the business impact for real customers are also highly influential.
Finally, implementing a referral program incentivizes your happiest customers to become brand ambassadors and fuel your lead generation engine through word-of-mouth.
Webinars and virtual events remain powerful lead generation tactics. These give you a captive audience to showcase your expertise while capturing prospect details through registration.
Webinars are effective throughout the funnel - from top-of-funnel educational sessions to bottom-funnel product demos and customer spotlights. Virtual events enable exhibitors, networking opportunities, and sponsors just like physical conferences.
Numbers don't lie - 89% of people believe that webinars are more effective than other channels for generating sales qualified leads.
For enterprise sales, Account-Based Marketing (ABM) can be a game-changer. ABM focuses resources on engaging specific high-value accounts rather than broadcasting broadly.
Using intent data and technographics, you identify ideal-fit accounts showing buying signals. Then orchestrate personalized multi-channel campaigns (ads, direct mail, social, etc.) to connect with all stakeholders at those accounts.
When executed well, ABM delivers a 208% higher marketing ROI than traditional inbound/outbound tactics.
Breaking through the noise often requires a memorable, tangible presence. Creative direct mail campaigns and branded premium items can effectively capture attention and engage prospects in ways digital channels may not. These physical touchpoints create a lasting impression, making your brand stand out and fostering a deeper connection.
High-quality, personalized mail pieces and useful branded items surprise and delight recipients, increasing the likelihood of conversion. In an era dominated by digital communication, incorporating direct mail and physical standouts into your strategy offers a refreshing and impactful way to generate leads.
Getting in front of your target audience face-to-face can be immensely impactful for lead generation. Speaking opportunities position your team as subject matter authorities.
Proactively pursue speaking slots at major industry conferences, local meetups and webinars. Well-delivered presentations lend credibility and expose your solution to large numbers of potential prospects simultaneously.
Back up those appearances with boots-on-the-ground field marketing teams who capture prospect data through in-person event sponsorships, product demos and networking.
83% of B2B marketers confirm live events play a key role in their lead generation efforts based on Certain research.
Also Read: Proven B2B Marketing Strategies that Work in 2024
Alright, if you've made it this far, you're probably feeling pumped up and ready to crush some lead gen goals. But before you storm off to battle, let's have a real heart-to-heart.
Generating high-quality leads consistently requires dedication and resilience. It's an ongoing process, influenced by market changes, competition, and evolving consumer preferences. But with the strategies outlined in this guide, you'll have a solid foundation for success.
Stay focused, adaptable, and willing to adjust strategies as needed. While the journey of lead generation is ongoing, the rewards for those who persist are significant – a strong sales system ready to meet and exceed revenue targets.
Nitesh is SMARTe’s Head of Growth Marketing. He writes on topics within B2B marketing and sales, providing readers with real life, actionable tactics.
The 4 L's of lead generation strategy are:
The best lead generation strategy depends on your business goals, target audience, industry, and ticket size. Generally, a combination of inbound and outbound marketing techniques works best. This includes content marketing, social media marketing, email marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and targeted advertising. For high-ticket items, personalized outreach and relationship-building are crucial, while low-ticket items benefit more from automated, high-volume tactics. It's essential to continuously analyze performance metrics and feedback to optimize your strategy.
For B2B marketers, four effective lead generation strategies include identifying your ideal customer profile, optimizing your website for both lead acquisition and nurturing, enhancing your website’s SEO, and employing email marketing to capture and nurture leads.