How to create successful B2B lead generation campaigns

We’ve found that incorporating inbound marketing campaigns has helped clients generate more leads – and move those leads through the sales funnel faster. Inbound marketing is nothing new, but a combination of forces is making this strategy especially effective right now.

The overarching goal of an inbound approach is to use content to build a trust-based relationship with your customers.

Establishing and strengthening relationships with your customers of course takes time and commitment, but in our experience, starting with a “proof of concept” lead generation campaign, most clients find that this method is worth investing in over the long term.

Based on several successful projects, we’ve outlined a path to efficient B2B lead generation with inbound campaigns. Below is an overview of the core points to consider in your campaigns.

1. Identify your audience and their needs

In order to create content that drives leads, you need to define your marketing goals. Are you aiming for “low hanging fruit” or one super customer?

Identify your target market and audience, and then define the most important decision-makers. Understanding your audience’s roles, drivers, and pain points will help you determine what messages are relevant for each decision maker at each point in the buyer journey.

CBC blog link: What is Account-Based Marketing?

2. Create your content asset

With your target in mind, you need to identify your subject matter. Remember, you’re not selling, but solving problems for your customer. Your two goals are to make their job easier and to make it clear that you are trustworthy, knowledgeable, and engaged with their industry.

You can certainly go big and create a heavy-duty white paper. But if you’re just getting started, it will be easier to create something short, attention grabbing and packed with value.

A guide or handbook format that succinctly addresses your customer’s pain points is a good way to start. Customer case studies, hypothetical product use cases and saving calculations can also be included.

As part of the content creation process, you should identify subject matter experts (SMEs) who can provide in-depth background for your content. These people may have presentations, product demos, and customer cases that can be repurposed in your new asset.

CBC blog link: Unlock customer insights to improve your digital lead-gen

3. Activate your content asset

The common practice is to set up a simple web page where people can sign up and download your content. You can drive traffic to that page using ads, email, SEO and organic social media posts. Another channel we find especially effective is sponsored LinkedIn posts.

With LinkedIn, you can micro-tune audience demographics to get your post into your target audience’s feed and track exactly how much each impression and click costs. In sponsored posts, your audience can sign up and download your content directly from LinkedIn, with no need to click away to another web page.

4. Implement a lead-nurturing flow

Once someone signs up, you can quickly determine if they match your lead criteria for a marketing qualified lead (MQL). If they do, you can keep nurturing them with email until they’re ready to engage.

The email nurturing process helps you better identify each customer’s needs while moving them through the sales funnel. You start with a “thanks for signing up” email and then follow up with offers of more information.

You can reinforce your messaging by creating blog posts, webinars, and videos covering topics related to your new content asset. That content can then be shared in your nurturing email flow and your social media feed.

5. Measure, improve, repeat

Inbound marketing is an iterative process that allows you to improve as you go by tracking what your audience responds to. When you know what works and what doesn’t, you can pivot to a stronger position and focus your spending where it matters most.

Working together with shared KPIs for generating and nurturing leads will help unite your sales and marketing teams, meaning your customer gets more consistent and convincing messages over time. With the ability to track the entry point for each lead, you can clearly demonstrate ROI from your marketing efforts and make your next campaign even stronger.

We can help

Ready to get started with your B2B lead generation campaign? Our team can help with each step of this process. Please get in touch to share your ideas and to learn more about how our clients have succeeded with this method by contacting Ralph Krøyer at rk@cbc.dk or +45 35 25 01 75.