B2B lead generation : 9 techniques that work
The B2B lead generation is one of the major challenges facing businesses today. According to HubSpot, 61% of B2B marketers consider lead generation to be their main obstacle. But with the right techniques, you can turn your lead acquisition strategy into a real conversion machine.
In an environment where B2B decision-makers are increasingly demanding and solicited, mastering the techniques of lead generation becomes essential. Whether you preferinbound marketing oroutbound marketing, each approach requires a carefully thought-out strategy and appropriate tools.
This article presents 9 tried and tested techniques for optimising your B2B prospecting and build a performing conversion funnel. From content creation to social selling, through marketing automation, discover how to turn your visitors into qualified leads.
The fundamentals of B2B lead generation
Understanding the B2B buying journey
The B2B buying journey differs fundamentally from B2C in terms of its complexity and duration. On average, a B2B sales cycle lasts between 6 and 18 months, involving several decision-makers. This reality calls for a methodical approach to B2B lead generation.
The lead nurturing becomes crucial to maintain engagement throughout this extended journey. According to Marketo, companies that excel at lead nurturing generate 50% more qualified leads, at a cost that is 33% lower.
Define your persona and qualification criteria
Before any B2B prospectingaction, it is essential to define your persona precisely. A well-defined persona helps to optimise the lead scoring and improve the quality of the leads generated.
Qualification criteria must include :
- Business sector and company size
- Budget and decision-making power
- Problems and needs identified
- Level of maturity in the purchasing process
This approach enables you to feed your B2B CRM with actionable data for your sales team.
Inbound marketing techniques to attract prospects
1° B2B content marketing : creating content with high added value
The content marketing B2B remains one of the pillars ofinbound marketing. Creating quality content is a natural way of attracting prospects to your company. Studies show that B2B companies that blog generate 67% more leads than those that do not.
Effective types of content for B2B lead generation :
- White papers and case studies : 76% of B2B buyers are prepared to exchange their contact details for premium content
- Webinars : generate an average of 40% qualified participants
- Calculators and interactive tools : Average conversion rate of 25%.
- Explanatory videos : 4 times more likely to be shared
2° Optimising landing pages for conversion
Des Optimised landing pages are a key element of your marketing strategy of lead generation. A well-designed landing page can improve your conversion rates by 200% to 400%.
Essential elements of a high-performance landing page :
- Catchy headline including your value proposition
- Short form (3-5 fields maximum)
- Visible and motivating call-to-action
- Social proof (testimonials, customer logos)
- Responsive design and optimised loading time
3° SEO and natural referencing
Search Engine Optimisation remains a key channel forlead acquisition particularly profitable. 70% of B2B marketers are actively investing in SEO as part of their marketing strategy in B2B lead generation.
Effective SEO strategies :
- Research into long-tail keywords specific to your sector
- Creation of thematic clusters based on your expertise
- Technical optimisation and loading speed
- Netlinking with authority sites in your sector
Beginner's Guide to Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) : here
Outbound marketing strategies for a proactive approach
4° B2B email marketing and automated sequences
TheB2B e-mail marketing remains one of the most effective channels, with an average ROI of 4,200%. The use of automated sequences via the marketing automation makes it possible to maintain engagement without constant manual effort.
Types of effective email campaigns :
- Cold personalised emails : average response rate of 8-10% with extensive personalisation
- Nurturing sequences : 77% increase in conversions with automated emails
- Sector Newsletters : maintaining long-term commitment
- Reactivation emails : recover 12% of dormant leads
5° Social selling on LinkedIn
The social selling on LinkedIn generates 45% more sales opportunities. This approach allows you to build authentic relationships with your prospects even before the first sales contact.
Best practices in social selling :
- Complete optimisation of personal and company profiles
- Regular publication of value-added content
- Authentic commitment to professional groups
- Personalised, non-intrusive private messages
6° Modern telephone prospecting
Despite the rise of digital technology, telephone prospecting is still effective, with an average B2B conversion rate of 2-3%. Integration with your B2B CRM to maximise the effectiveness of these campaigns.
Modernising telephone prospecting :
- Adaptive scripts based on CRM data
- Timing optimised according to sectoral habits
- Multi-channel post-call follow-up
- Ongoing training for sales teams
Automation and technological tools
7° Marketing automation et lead scoring
The marketing automation makes it possible to manage large volumes of leads efficiently while maintaining personalisation. 80% of marketing automation users see an increase in their qualified leads.
Key features of marketing automation :
- Automatic lead scoring based on behaviour and characteristics
- Trigger campaigns according to predefined criteria
- Dynamic prospect segmentation
- Allocation of leads to sales representatives based on business rules
8° CRM integration and prospecting tools
The integration between your B2B CRM and your canvassing tools optimise your entire business. performing conversion. This synchronisation avoids duplication and improves sales follow-up.
Recommended additional tools :
- Prospecting tools (Sales Navigator, Apollo)
- Email automation platforms (Pardot, Marketo)
- Chat solutions and chatbots
- Analysis and reporting tools
B2B CRM comparison on Capterra : here
9° Chatbots and artificial intelligence
AI revolutionises B2B lead generation with chatbots capable of qualifying prospects 24 hours a day. 67% of B2B consumers have already interacted with a chatbot to obtain information.
AI applications in lead generation :
- Automatic qualification chatbots
- Predictive analysis of prospect behaviour
- Dynamic personalisation of content
- Automatic campaign optimisation
Performance measurement and optimisation
Key KPIs to monitor
Measure the effectiveness of your B2B prospecting requires monitoring the right indicators. Companies that regularly analyse their performance improve their results by an average of 20%.
Key KPIs :
- Cost per lead (CPL) : varies according to sector, average €200-400 for B2B
- Conversion rate : from visitor to lead (2-3%) and from lead to customer (5-15%)
- Quality of leads : qualification score and MQL/SQL ratio
- Campaign ROI : Return on investment by channel
- Sales cycle : average conversion time
A/B testing and continuous optimisation
Continuous optimisation via A/B testing allows you to gradually improve your performance. Testing one element at a time (subject line, CTA, design) guarantees usable results.
Items to be tested as a priority :
- Email subject lines (20-30% impact on open rates)
- Call-to-action landing pages
- Timing of campaigns
- Message customisation
The B2B lead generation is based on a strategic combination of inbound and outbound techniques, supported by appropriate technological tools. The 9 techniques presented in this article offer a comprehensive approach to transforming your lead acquisition.
The ever-changing behaviour of B2B buyers means that your strategies need to be constantly adapted. The integration of marketing automation, optimisation of your performing conversion and lead nurturing are becoming essential to maintaining a competitive edge.
Start today with :
- Auditing your performing conversion currently
- Define your personas and lead scoring
- Select 3-4 techniques suited to your sector
- Set up a performance measurement system
Success in B2B lead generation requires patience and consistency. Test, measure, optimise : your B2B CRM will thank you with ever more qualified leads.
Ready to transform yourlead acquisition ? Start by implementing a technique this week and observe the results on your B2B prospecting.
