Achieving Success in a B2B Lead Generation

One step at a time.

Securing success in business is constantly a difficult journey. It involves a lot of money, time, effort, dedication and analysis. Besides, reaching the top requires a step-by-step endeavor. The same is true with B2B lead generation. Achieving success demands one step at a time.

Business-to-business (B2B) lead generation is just the start of the many steps in the whole sales process. What comes after is as important as the beginning. Never ever think that once qualified leads are identified, sales process ends.

Though the sales leads show interest in buying, it doesn't follow that they are ready to buy. Prospects that are sales-ready comes only in a small percentage of the total leads generated. It is therefore your responsibility to take care of the other leads. Lead nurturing is the major cause how to convert prospects into closed sales.

Think of applying these steps to have the best chance of being successful in your efforts. Each step is independent with each other.

Step 1. Distribute information immediately.

To make them feel that they are valued as customers, let it be a habit to keep them updated. Educate them by giving information about the company, the services it offers and product specifications. Serve them well by being respectful and at the same time professional. Respond to their inquiries as fast as possible. However, don't push them to purchase. Connect with them to create relationship and to build trust.

In addition, it would be very helpful to:

•  learn beforehand the right answers to diver
• se questions.
•  store information in a computer database to send it via email or downloads.
•  have enough supply of printed materials.
•  keep sales and marketing people prepared.

Step 2. Nurture leads by responding to all inquiries.

It would be an advantage to possess a computerized marketing database. This is a tool to respond to all inquiries swiftly. It is a law to all firms not to make the customers wait.

Step 3. Identify what kind of leads your firm are targeting.

Determining what kind of leads the company are serving is a golden rule. No one would waste everything to a customer who will never buy a product. In this case, let the marketing and sales people identify which of the leads generated are the qualified sales leads.

Step 4. Analytically and critically process lead distribution to sales.

After separating the qualified leads from those who are not, it is a must to concentrate on the qualified leads. As stated earlier, it would do no good if efforts are directed to customers who decided not to buy. Lastly, assure that lead distribution for sales team and others involved is easily accessible.

Step 5. Innovate a program that would nurture the not-yet-qualified leads?

Leads that are not yet qualified can be potential prospects in the future. It is highly recommended that you will create a program that would nurture these leads. Uphold the principles of building trust and be committed in exercising the entire endeavor. Research unfolds that three (3) out of four (4) sales are those often ignored.

It is then better that a separate team must keep in touch with those not-yet-qualified leads. Cold-calling, unlike other mediums, is more effective to generate responses. Let it then be made frequently.

Step 6. Establish a program to keep tabs on the results of every step in the sales process.

Having a program that could measure and track the outcome will be essential to evaluate the success rate of the lead generation process. This program includes an identification of costs (per lead and per sale), know which efforts worked and determining whether the entire lead generation is profitable.

Because leads are the life blood of the organization, monitoring the progress of these programs must be made habitually. Moreover, correcting and enhancing these undertakings will be of extreme importance in achieving success in a B2B lead generation.

Never forget, all it takes is just one step at a time.

This post originally appeared at Belinda Summer's EzineArticles

This article is an original contribution by Belinda Summers.

Find out how you can become a part of Business 2 Community.