Better Sales Lead Generation

Building lasting business relationships and effectively marketing your brand is important to maintaining a loyal client base. But with so many new communication media out there, your company will never reach its full growth potential if you rely on a single lead-generation technique. That's why most of today's fastest growing b-to-b companies have a complete arsenal of tools at their fingertips to use at any given time.

Here are eight proven b-to-b lead-generation techniques gleaned from the strategies of more than 170 successful companies:

1. Relationship Marketing
Relationship marketing underlies all the "sales-lead-generation-success" methods. It specifically refers to cultivating a personal, sales-winning relationship with your prospects. By creating a personalized relationship with your clients from the onset, you can develop long-term relationships rather than individual transactions. Make sure to always keep in touch with your prospects via a series of ongoing communications throughout your prospective customers' consideration process. It will help you win sales on the first try—and you'll also pick up the leads the competition dropped on the table.

2. Complementary Partner Referrals
Seek out non-competing companies who interact with the same target clients and join forces with them. Teaming up with complementary partners will instantly increase your lead-generation pool with the best qualified leads, meaning your team won't be wasting time and effort on disinterested prospects. Of all the lead-generation programs available to you, complementary partner referral programs can generate the highest qualified b-to-b sales leads.

3. Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Strategies
Business buyers are more sophisticated and harder to reach than ever. In addition to, or perhaps instead of, launching print or radio campaigns, consider the Web for your marketing efforts. Studies show that about 90 percent of business buyers prefer to find solutions for their service and product needs on the Web. Therefore it's critical to have a well-tuned lead-generation program that includes search engine optimization (SEO) and Internet marketing strategies to attract prospects at the beginning of their buying cycle. The sooner they see your company's presence in the market, the more likely they'll be to remember you.

4. Telemarketing
Although many people despise the thought of telemarketing, it can be a very effective lead-generation tool—when executed properly. Telemarketing is a very personal marketing technique that is not only cost-effective, but efficient, especially when compared to field selling. When you use field sales, you can reach about four or five decision-makers a day. By including telemarketing in your lead-generation plan, you can reach up to 30 decision-makers a day.

5. E-mail Publications
The best way to establish your company as an industry leader and legitimize your professional expertise is to create your own company e-mail newsletter. By sending industry news and tips to prospects in your market, you will be on their minds more often than your competition, especially if you ensure the material in the newsletters is actually objective and useful. Eventually this added exposure will be key to transforming leads into sales.

6. Direct Mail
While there is an entire industry of people who are dedicated to b-to-b selling through direct marketing, most sales and business professionals do not know how to effectively and efficiently use this technique. To avoid a common complaint—that salespeople receive very little response after spending thousands on full-color marketing materials—do a little tweaking to make a big difference. The best place to start revamping your direct response marketing is by determining who your best customers are and then targeting your efforts at companies and individuals who are similar in nature.

7. Print Advertising
Print is far from dead—in fact it can be a highly effective lead generation medium. The key is to remember that you need to focus your message on the benefits and applications of your products or services. Make sure the layout and design of your ads enhance your company's image effectively, and be selective when it comes to choosing the publications that deliver directly to your target audience.

8. Event Marketing
Whether you do it live, through the telephone or via the Web, seminars and workshops are a great marketing tool. The majority of people who attend your seminar will already have an interest in the information you are presenting, and there's a good percentage that are in need of your product or service. It's the perfect way to demonstrate your company's knowledge and expertise as well as market to a highly targeted group of individuals.


M. H. "Mac" McIntosh is a leading business-to-business marketing consultant with more than 20 years of advertising, marketing and sales experience. Get his "Free Sales Lead Report" newsletter at www.sales-lead-experts.com.