For an early start in 2019 in B2B Lead Generation, it will be wise to think about how you may have to do more with less considering slowing economic growth in many regions and countries. It is good practice to focus on what strategies will be cost effective in generating the types of leads most effective in booking sales revenue early on. Proper planning will set your business up for mid to long-term success and keep you from running around trying to define quality leads.
Key effective strategies for business-to-business (B2B) lead generation in 2019.
Reeling in those Cold leads
Igniting cold leads might seem like shock therapy but consider the alternative of gathering a bunch of new leads who might not know who you are and trying to convince them that yours is a better solution. Granted cold leads may require some resources to crank up to idle speed however re-looking at them from a marketing tactics perspective generating programs to bait their interests could be worthwhile.
Segmenting cold leads into buckets where different types of ‘coldness’ may require varying degree of phases to rekindle. Some tactics may need high touches where sales and marketing need to work together for a win. Other program to consider is to outsource to an agency to comb through those out on the fringe for an initial be smart in your approach and above all sincerity usually wins hearts and mind. touch as warm up. Having a good lead progress dashboard maybe a good idea in the long run as marketers have multiple campaigns running in parallel at the same time so categorising leads into appropriate funnel flow will save time and confusion. Most leads require to be nurtured before handing over to sales so make sure leads are properly profiled with as much details as possible. Good depth of details will help facilitate meaning conversations with sales enabling effective team work between departments which often times are in loggerhead.
The key to a longer term marketing strategy is to look for ways to improve. You can do this is by testing new tactics, measuring the results and then making adjustments.
Tune your Content Marketing for 2019
Although you may be the authority on your topic it’s always good to consider that in 2019 your audience may have their views changed. If economics trend downward, spending behaviors will be impacted and in some cases worries might prevail. Start early in 2019 and prepare to have your tone parallel sentiments if the need should arise. For example, articles on cost efficiency in your customer success story could gain more traction than say a shiny new product feature with a few better bling.
Moving Forward in Disruption
We are all aware of the onslaught of disruptive technologies that in time will be pervasive and marketing will be no different. The use of AI technologies to ease business operations and gain competitiveness
You’ve probably seen chatbots by now, but if you haven’t, here’s how they work: A window appears on your website, allowing visitors to chat with a representative. This representative is typically a programmed bot, but in some cases, you can hire a team to run it. Through this chatbox, visitors to your website can ask questions or gather information that may not be readily available on your website. It gives your visitors a sense that they are talking with someone, rather than just reading information off of a page.
Focus on word-of-mouth marketing.
Sometimes the best marketing methods are the oldest, just with a more modern approach. Word of mouth is perhaps the oldest form of marketing, and for good reason. If you provide quality products or services, your customers will want to tell others about you, thus generating more leads. However, you no longer have to rely on people chatting over dinner.
With social media, your customers can talk about you with millions of other people, all with just a few clicks of their mouse. Social media is poised to remain one of the most effective tools for marketing your business, so if you’re not already utilizing it, get started as soon as possible.
Social media allows you to interact with current customers, answer questions from potential customers and promote your business to anyone who might be interested. The great thing about social media is you can operate it on any scale that you want. It could be a tool that is a small part of your overall strategy, or you could hire a social media marketing company to run larger campaigns. It’s up to you and your budget, but regardless, having social media be a part of your marketing strategy is a wise decision going into 2019.
Optimize your conversions.
As mentioned above, but worthwhile repeating, have a system in place to optimize your conversions, put one in place to set yourself up for 2019 and beyond. Track and measure how many people visit your website and how they interact with your content and call-to-action. Make changes on that page and measure the difference in results. A-B split testing is a great method to use, however do know which channels visitors are arriving from e.g. direct email, PPC or social. Each of these tactics may present opportunities to fine tune via your split tests.
Once you find a change that works, stick with it, then measure progress of your leads funnel. As mentioned above, disruption is here to stay but not to be dismayed as this also means opportunity will grow as audiences are more open to your content. Changes will increase around you so be informed and aware of trend changes, having a system in place to quickly and effortlessly make change will help to optimize your conversions bringing benefits to your brand.
Plan for long-term success.
It’s hard to plan for how the world will change in the coming years. New technologies might emerge that completely transform the way we do business. That’s why you need to focus on marketing strategies that set you up for long-term success, no matter how the world may change. Your audience is constantly on the lookout for information to try to make sense of these changes and its impact on their businesses and market in general. As marketers it may be imperative to be just ahead of the curve just so your brand is relatable and in the long run relevant.
B2B communication channels will continue to be fragmented as niches form and grow. However, the basis of marketing is to spread the word of your brand and/or solution hopefully standing on good reputation. With a solid reputation the job of marketing is much easier and even more quicker. Spreading the good word on popular platforms and sites then inculcate a healthy interaction with potential customers and putting a system to measure will keep you improving and nimble. If you can do this, your lead generation abilities will be well situated not just in 2019, but for many years to come.