25 lead generation ideas for B2B in 2025 (curated by experts)

These days, it’s hard to find B2B lead generation tips online that actually work. That’s why we created this list. 

Belkins’ experts and I handpicked the best B2B lead generation tips from our account managers, SDRs, and list builders. Based on real experience, not theory, here’s what worked for us in 2025.

Top-voted idea from our team

Fairly easy to execute and highly beneficial in multiple ways, this approach promotes lead generation, authority building, and partnership nurturing. 

1. Launch a partner-powered lead magnet bundle

Collaborate with 2–3 noncompeting businesses serving the same target audience to create a valuable resource bundle. Each partner contributes a high-quality resource (e.g., template, checklist, recording). Then you jointly promote this bundle, sharing the audience and distribution channels. Leads shared amongst the partners triple each one’s reach.

This approach is especially beneficial in industries where, historically, multiple businesses serve overlapping customer bases (e.g., SaaS marketing tools, fintech, healthcare).

✅ Example: We’ve based this webinar on a lead magnet made with Orum, Expandi.io, and Reply.io. Both the lead magnet and the webinar featured our partners as speakers and got promoted by all the companies involved. As a result, Belkins has gained 1,000+ leads in a year from the website submissions.

Best practices in lead generation for B2B

Here are the top-voted tactics by Belkins’ executives and experts. 

2. Send a useful content pack triggered by the prospect’s job change

Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to identify prospects who’ve just started a new role. Send a congratulatory message with a “Welcome to your new role!” Add valuable resources they can benefit from in the first days or weeks in the new place. For example, it can be a fresh industry-related benchmark report or a roundup of the best practices reinforced by your case studies. 

This approach doesn’t work at scale but is suitable for targeted engagement of key decision-makers. It is more effective in sectors where professional networking is common and welcomed: marketing, sales, finance, and technology.

3. Run “If you liked X tool, you’ll love our Y feature” ads on G2 and Capterra

Target ads on software review sites to users viewing competitor profiles or complementary tools, highlighting your feature that addresses a known limitation of the other tool.

Pro tip: Combine G2/Capterra data with intent data from other sources (Bombora, for example) to identify companies actively researching problems your “Y feature” solves. It allows you to hypertarget your ads to companies with the strongest purchase intent.

Find out more about generating leads from platforms like Clutch in Belkins’ video here: 

4. Give early access to a micro-feature or tool

Announce a small, upcoming new feature or a standalone micro-tool and offer early access sign-ups in niche communities. This will gauge interest and collect leads for that specific value proposition.

Your chosen feature should solve an important yet self-contained problem for your target audience to demonstrate quick value and hint at even bigger value with your full-fledged product. To further enhance its desirability, offer early-access users additional perks beyond the feature. It can be exclusive access to updates, invitations to webinars, or one-on-one support sessions. 

✅ Example: Slack offers a freemium to onboard users and then switch them to a paid plan. They gave key customers early access, worked with industry influencers, and built demand before the public launch. 

5. Set “If this, then that” (IFTTT) CRM conditional alerts for BDRs

Set up internal alerts (e.g., via Slack integration) for SDRs when a prospect from a target account list takes a specific high-intent action on the website (e.g., visits the pricing page 3 or more times).

This is a great best practice that produces fast results. To make the most of it, implement a predictive scoring system. Combine the behavioral triggers and intent data to assign each prospect a probability-of-conversion score. Then SDRs can prioritize their efforts based on the score.

But you can still take it up a notch. Analyze which alerts lead to successful engagements and which fall flat. Test different trigger thresholds (e.g., number of page visits, time spent on the page). Applied consistently, it will give you a surefire way to turn a maximum of prospects into leads. 

6. Solve 1 problem with a free 1-feature product

Think of a simple, single-page product idea your audience wishes existed today, something that would solve a problem and make their day a little easier. 

It could be a random quote generator, a single-page task maker, a business idea evaluator, etc. With AI’s help, you can now vibe-code these tools on the fly. Create something catchy and give it away to your prospects via social media or nurturing follow-up, no strings attached. 

Your goal here is to build relationships, show that you’re ready to be helpful beyond transactions, and evoke emotion. Show you care and make them smile — as the saying goes, people don’t remember what you said, but they remember how you made them feel. 

✅ Example: 

Lead generation ideas recommended by our experts

Ready to unleash creativity? Here are several promising ideas to experiment with.  

7. Do dynamic content personalization based on LinkedIn profile data

For website visitors arriving from LinkedIn ads or outreach, use tools to dynamically change website headlines or CTAs based on their industry, job title, or company size. You can pull the data from the prospect’s LinkedIn profile if logged in or via reverse IP combined with enrichment tools.

Say you have someone from American Airlines visiting. The first thing they read on your landing page will be “Hi, John! Here’s how American Airlines can become the market leader with our solution.” 

Impressive. 

8. Start your niche community on LinkedIn, Reddit, or Slack

Start putting out valuable stuff to attract your potential users to hang out.

Select the platform (LinkedIn, Reddit, Slack, Discord, etc.) based on where your audience is, according to the customer journey and the type of engagement you want to reach. Look at the other communities on the same subject. What are they missing? Identify unmet needs or missed topics and accordingly niche down on the painful yet underserved problem that will resonate with members.

Your community will be your perfect extra channel to distribute posts, videos, polls, Q&As, and case studies from your content calendar. Put an additional spin on it by promoting discussions and responding to questions. Promote influential members or moderators into the community’s trusted voices.

✅ Example: Atlassian, for one, has a huge subreddit where users and admins are quick to help each other on issues and discuss everything from updates to pricing to custom build-ups — a perfect breeding ground for new product ideas and hot customer insights.

9. Propose virtual coworking or a 1-on-1 session with an expert

Host a 1-hour “virtual coworking” session on Zoom or Discord where attendees work on a specific task (e.g., “Draft your Q3 content plan”) while your expert is available for live Q&A and spot-coaching.

Use these sessions as part of a broader omnichannel lead generation strategy. Specifically, apply this high-touch engagement point in the later stages of the funnel to deepen relationships with the few chosen and move prospects further down the sales funnel. 

Don’t just invite anyone; cherry-pick participants based on their level of engagement. Prioritize previously identified high-intent leads and offer them 1-on-1 sessions at a premium. 

10. Curate a “best software and AI tools for [niche]” microsite

Create a simple, valuable directory of software and/or AI tools relevant to your target audience. Include your tool if applicable. Offer exclusive updates or new tool additions for those who submit their emails.

Link the tool directory to other marketing assets, such as blog posts, case studies, or webinars, to provide a comprehensive resource hub and move users through the marketing funnel.

✅ Example: ColdIQ does lead magnets in the best-tools-list format very well. In 2025, they doubled down on this tactic, adding a comprehensive and trending directory of AI tools on top of their “all sales tools you ever need” lead magnet page. 

✅ Example: We created Belkins’ BDR playbook as a lead magnet and shared a downloadable version both on the website and LinkedIn.

11. Leverage intent data spikes for competitor switch campaigns

Use intent data tools (like Bombora, G2, TrustRadius) to identify companies showing increased research activity around your competitors, especially if that competitor had recent bad PR or a price hike. Target them with “Thinking of a switch?” messaging.

To take it to the next level, don’t just react to intent spikes. Develop a proactive campaign calendar based on potential shifts in market dynamics. If you know a competitor is about to merge, upscale, or increase prices, target their customer base before they even realize they need an alternative.

✅ Example: This kind of insight, tracked via social listening, is the perfect signal to prepare a proactive competitor switch campaign.

12. Collaborate on content snippets in niche communities

Instead of just dropping links, actively participate in niche Slack/Discord/Reddit communities. When a relevant question arises, answer it thoughtfully and offer to “co-create a quick summary with anyone interested” to share with the group. Collect emails of collaborators.

To ensure it’s worthwhile, identify communities with high engagement and a relevant audience. Tools like SparkToro can help with this. Next, identify influencers within communities and build relationships before proposing collaborations. 

Outside influencers are often happy to do this, as they get free publicity and exposure in exchange for content.

When you have the content ready, share it within the community and promote it across your other channels (website, email, social media) for broader reach. Give appropriate credit to your collaborators and encourage them to do the same in their channels.

📚 Relevant reading: Check out this great joint article about collaborative content — the proof in itself

13. Embed lead forms into your videos

Already leveraging video content? Boost conversions (and your ROI) by embedding lead capture forms directly within your videos, allowing sign-ups without leaving the player. 

As we at Belkins A/B test everything from lead generation strategies to follow-up messages, we recommend A/B testing different form placements and designs. Try placing forms at the beginning (for highly engaged viewers), middle (for “aha!” insights), or end (for a summary call to action). Analyze where viewers are most likely to convert and adjust placement accordingly.

Wistia research shows that conversions are highest for the mid-video inserts, but you can run your experiment and see what will work best for your audience. 

14. Post “micro-challenge” LinkedIn engagement bait

Post a particular small challenge or puzzle related to your industry on LinkedIn (e.g., “the 3 conversion blockers on this landing page mock-up” or “which cost-per-lead numbers belong to which industry.” Offer the solution or a related tip via DM to those who engage correctly.

This is something that came to B2B from B2C. You might remember the micro-contests that brands launched on social media to drive engagement. Since B2B is becoming increasingly human oriented, aka human to human (H2H), we will see more of these tactics in the coming years. 

15. Create recaps of important things in the industry 

Curate and post summaries or breakdowns with the most critical insights from the industry media. It can be the top 10 ideas of the month from the top 10 podcasts in this industry, the top 10 upcoming market mergers and buyouts, or any other list of essential facts, ideas, or trends that can move the needle when put in front of the right people.

It always works well in B2B for this simple reason: In B2B lead generation, you target CEOs, CMOs, and other busy C-level executives. Their time is very valuable, and your recaps help them get essential data while saving time — you’re doing them a favor by being their curator of important insights. 

A significant benefit of this format is that it has many possible applications, from social selling posts on your founder’s page to the perfect value-bringing filler for nurturing follow-up. 

✅ Example: Annie-Mai Hodge does a weekly roundup of “Social media updates you need to know,” harvesting a hefty engagement from her 100+K followers:

Ideas that can work under some conditions

Some ideas work, but only for certain businesses or with major investments. 

16. Monitor alternatives on Reddit/Quora threads

Search for threads where people are asking for alternatives to your competitors. Step in with genuine, helpful advice, and mention your solution if it’s a proper fit (disclose that you’re behind the product so your advice doesn’t look like sneaky spam).

⚠️ The condition: The person performing this task must know the industry, its problems, and the nuances of the different solutions inside and out. This task is not for a general social media manager without domain expertise.

17. Host “ask me anything” (AMA) on LinkedIn Live 

If you’re an expert, you can run a free AMA on a particular topic in a relevant, active community. Work on an in-depth, engaging presentation that provides value, and interested parties might reach out. 

⚠️ The condition: It only works when you’re a thought leader with a strong brand.

18. Build problem-focused microsites with dynamic case studies

Create a one-page microsite focused on solving one specific, high-value problem. Dynamically populate it with short case study snippets that best match the visitor’s industry (if detectable via IP or UTM).

⚠️ The condition: It is very resource-demanding, but it might work great for your ABM efforts. 

19. Outreach with AI-powered “first draft” based on podcasts

Use AI tools (like Otter.ai for transcripts, then ChatGPT) to transcribe and summarize a prospect’s podcast appearance. Extract a key pain point they mentioned and have AI draft an email intro: “Heard you on [Podcast Name] discussing [Pain Point]. We help with exactly that by…”

⚠️ The condition: It can work nicely if a knowledgeable human proofreads the AI-written content. A skilled copywriter or SDR with domain knowledge is essential to making the message sound authentic and compelling. 

Ideas that are not working anymore

The tactics below were on top of the list once, but trends have evolved. 

20. Create an interactive cost savings calculator 

This is a simple, interactive calculator, embedded into web pages and relevant blog posts, that helps prospects see how your product or service can save them money.

🚫 Why it doesn’t work anymore: Calculators have been overused, and people now have AI for this. 

21. Add review-powered pop-ups

Increase trust and conversions by directly featuring customer reviews (text or video snippets) in your website pop-ups.

🚫 Why it doesn’t work anymore: For a B2B audience, pop-ups lack the authoritativeness and detail that impact decision-making. 

Ideas that do not work for B2B lead generation

Some ideas look OK, but when you compare the cost and potential outcomes, they just don’t add up. 

22. Send personalized thank-you videos for high-intent actions

When someone downloads a key resource, requests a demo, or engages deeply, send a quick, personalized thank-you video from the assigned SDR or account manager.

🚫 Why it’s not a great idea: It is only doable on a one-off basis. It might not look up to par if you scale and use an AI video creation tool for cold outreach. 

23. Run a “comment to win” contest for a high-value consultation

This uses a free 30-minute consultation or strategy session as a prize for a social media contest or post where users have to comment with their biggest challenge. 

🚫 Why it’s not a great idea: Unless you have a mighty brand, it is unlikely to yield tangible results.

24. Automate value snippet delivery via chatbot based on page scroll depth

Trigger a chatbot on key website pages with a specific, valuable insight or question related to the content the user has scrolled to. 

🚫 Why it’s not a great idea: It works in B2C, not B2B.

25. Collaborate on dynamic “best of” resource listicles

Find “Best X for Y” listicles and offer the blogger an embeddable, dynamically updated version of a relevant section from your curated “Best tools and resources” microsite. 

🚫 Why it’s not a great idea: It is super difficult to implement and has unclear benefits (i.e., overkill). 

TL;DR 

Effective B2B lead generation for expert audiences relies on your business’s unique, proprietary insights. Package them into problem-solving content and experiences, partner with relevant and reliable peers, and make the most of the new AI-powered systems without overdoing them. 

Amplified but not replaced by AI, the lead generation ideas above are your best bet for outbound lead generation. Use them as part of a cohesive omnichannel lead generation strategy to build authority, get noticed, and convert qualified prospects in batches.