B2B Lead Generation Programs without Nurturing Prove Unsuccessful

Posted by JasonB on September 22, 2009

I’m a partner in a company that provides B2B lead generation and our program does in fact use the phone as a primary tool in developing potential business opportunities for our clients.  As a business owner, with the nature of my business aside, I avoid solicitation calls like the plague.  Why?  Not because I don’t want to hear about an offer, or a potential solution, but because I’m busy making decisions about operating my business.  I’m a decision maker, that’s what we do, and if you catch me with a call you better have a good intro-pitch to keep me listening.  But catching me on the phone is a rarity and, generally speaking, other methods of contact are more effective.  I know my situation is typical of most decision makers and, for that reason, if your prospecting program does not include a long term strategy to nurture leads, it will fail.

Consider this: if you “spray” (a lot of calls in a short period of time) a group of prospective targets, you will only reach a real decision maker 5-10% of the time.  This isn’t due to the quality of the telemarketer but rather, connecting with a real Key Decision Maker (KDM) is a big challenge.  They’re simply not taking calls and are too busy making important business decisions to focus on other things.  So the question arises:  How do you connect with the 90+% targets your telemarketing missed?

1. Message Delivery: A successful B2B lead generation program can use the phone, but should also deliver compelling messages while maintaining awareness over a long period of time.  Since telemarketing is generally used as a short term campaign, effectiveness of the phone can quickly become insignificant if used as the only source of communication in approaching key decision makers.  Once you have identified a prospect, you’ll often notice that they don’t usually respond to calls – so how do you successfully get your information in the KDM’s hands? To increase the chances of your message getting seen, not only should it stand out amongst the clutter of your competitors, but it must be expressed in a variety of formats.  Consider a combination of various communication outlets such as email, web video, and direct mail to effectively express your message.
2. Timing: You could sit a prospect down in front of an IMAX movie about your service, but in today’s economy, if they’re not in a buying cycle you’re wasting your time and resources.  KDMs today are thinking about two things: bottom line and new solutions for increasing company profitability.  Because of this, when your target is interested in new opportunities, the company that is top-of-mind stands the best chance of receiving acknowledgment.   To remain top-of-mind you must touch a prospect 8-12 times per year.  A nurture program is essential to advancing any area of B2B lead generation as it allows for a continuous, and structured, flow of communication.  Think of it this way; nurturing is like holding a prospects hand throughout the buying process, a constant reassurance of your company’s presence in the marketplace.  However, for a successful nurture program, sending the same message 12 times a year should be avoided.  Mix it up with different messages and formats.  If you connect with a prospect via the phone, and it doesn’t result in an appointment, the following messages should reflect the information gathered during that conversation.  Expressing an understanding of where your prospect is in the buying cycle, and adjusting communication accordingly, will keep your company in the forefront when the KDM is ready to purchase.
3. Social Media: Speaking of buying cycles, did you know the KDMs visit social websites MORE than corporate websites to find information about a solution or company?  This occurs even more when KDMs are in the early stages of the buying cycle and are searching for information about their particular business needs.  By blogging on a social site, or using a web video, you can successfully position your company as a needed informational resource.  This allows you the opportunity to not only persuade your prospect to follow your input through a series of compelling messages, but nonchalantly creates an open door for relationship cultivation.

I hope this post gives you some food for thought when considering prospecting and nurturing to generate B2B leads.  As usual, let us know if we can help, and please subscribe to our blog for future posts on ways to find new business for your business.

B2B Lead Generation – What Social Media Tools to Use Based on the Buying Cycle

Posted by JasonB on September 2, 2009

Fact: Social Media has changed how decision-makers search for and analyze information prior to making a buying decision.   Where once an individual would place calls to or visit vendor websites to begin their service-provider selection process, now potential buyers are discussing solutions and vendor options with peers first in an attempt to receive real, unbiased feedback regarding an issue.   To generate B2B leads using social media, your organization must have a presence in these early-stage discussions and deploy the proper social media marketing tools for each phase of the buying cycle.

Observe the chart below:

Problem Identification Stage: Some business issues are glaring, others aren’t thought about until someone brings them to your attention.   The latter is happening on social networks by savvy would-be vendors daily.   To prompt decision-makers to recognize an issue that their business may solve, thousands of companies are starting discussions on blogs, forums and video sharing websites.   These websites create a forum for discussions whereby the participants don’t feel like they are being sold, but instead joining in a peer discussion about a topic related to their business.   They promote ideas on issues and solutions.

Companies who start or participate in these discussions in an informative and helpful manner get instant credibility and a foot-in-the-door with decision–makers.   However, it is critical in this stage to position your business as a resource, and not try to “close the deal”.   Social networks are about peers talking to peers, not businesses selling to prospects.    Jump in the discussions, be helpful, and generate early exposure for your business in the buying cycle.

Solution Development Stage: There are often a variety of solutions for every business issue.   In one’s personal life, asking a friend for advice on solving an issue is often the easiest and most trusted way to gather feedback.   Social networking websites now facilitate the exact same level of peer to peer communication.   As I mentioned in a previous post, decision-makers have abandoned visiting corporate websites to investigate solutions, as corporate sites consistently tout that their solutions are the best…regardless if that is actually the case.

Having your thoughts (as a peer, not a company) on specific solutions published online will communicate that your organization is willing and able to help.   To dispense industry advice, you can either publish a blog, or join in discussions on other blogs.   To ensure your ideas get seen, search engine optimize your blog, and posts, to ensure major search engines can see your message and attribute it to your organization.

Resource Search Stage: During this phase decision-makers are looking for the best organization to provide a specific solution.    Your strategy should be to (1) get seen and (2) stand out amongst the competition.

Search engine optimization and Pay-Per-Click will ensure your business gets found for certain keywords and phrases.   Please note:  Conversations, and the phrases used within, change constantly.   Monitoring blogs and forums to derive what keywords are actually being used is critical to targeted search engine marketing.

Standing out from the clutter requires a quick, impactful delivery of your message.  Web video has become the #1 tool used in social media.   Video can clearly and concisely deliver your message in a memorable fashion.

Vendor Evaluation Stage: Three very good reasons for choosing a vendor are:

1. Their breadth of knowledge on a subject
2. Their success with other businesses like yours
3. They were recommended by a trusted peer

Clearly communicating your ideas in a video or on a blog will make an impression on key-decision-makers.   For example, a blog that discusses an issue from “soup to nuts” proves your company knows its’ stuff.   Providing visibility to your answers on issues leaves much of the unwanted “guess work” out of the buying process for a decision-maker.

Providing a case study, preferably in digital format (so it can be forwarded to others), is another impactful way to communicate your success in solving certain issues.  Case studies can be discussed within a blog, or portrayed in a web video.   Leaving a prospect with the feeling that your company has already successfully solved the same issue for another firm can be the deciding factor in making a buying decision.

A personal recommendation by a peer speaks volumes.  LinkedIn, for example, displays personal recommendations made by others who have worked with an individual.    It is wise to have your company’s employees attempt to get recommendations from clients they’ve helped.   LinkedIn users really do look at those recommendations.   If they see your competitors have been recommended, and your business has not, they will notice.

So, some food for thought.   I hope this post helps your business decide what social media tools to use for attracting decision-makers.   As usual, please let us know if we can help.   Please subscribe to this blog for future posts on generating new business for your business.