Generating B2B leads can be a tough nut to crack. Over 37% of business owners find lead generation a vexing challenge! So, if you’ve already employed some lead generation tactics and are looking for lesser-known hacks to attract more B2B leads — you’re at the right place.
In this guide, we’ve assembled 12 expert-proven B2B lead generation ideas to help your next campaign succeed. Let’s dive in!
Looking for ways to increase opportunities inflow? Try our B2B lead generation service to optimize your processes and get regular appointments with highly qualified decision-makers.
12 best lead generation ideas for B2B
1. Use job posting platforms to identify buying signals and instill trust
Job posting platforms offer an effective source of leads for B2B businesses, attracting skilled professionals and potential clients. There are two ways to utilize vacancies for lead gen.
1.1. Pinpoint hot leads who perfectly fit your product or services
Your offer/product can serve as a replacement or enforcement of an open vacancy. For example, you’re a company providing educational services and trainings for leaders. To increase your client base, look for companies that grow their departments and actively hire leading roles, as this can signal they might need substantial assist in talent growth.
Likewise, Belkins offers B2B sales outsourcing services. How do we know if company X is our prospective client? We’d search for SDR/Lead researcher/BDR vacancies in the companies since we could replace/enhance their in-house team. Next, we find decision-makers in the company and send them our offer.
The takeaway: Use job posting platforms to search for open vacancies in OTHER companies that include keywords relevant to your offering. This is a major indicator that the company has the budget and the need right now.
1.2. Make your company more credible in your client’s eyes
Growing headcount and open vacancies are often viewed as key indicators of a thriving company. When a prospect ends up on two similar service provider websites, something should grab their attention and instill a sense of credibility and trustworthiness.
A career page with lots of job openings and quality job descriptions could do the trick.
Belkins tip: Add career highlights like a low attrition rate, annual headcount growth, and employee tenure to build rapport from the get-go.
Tips for using job posting platforms for B2B lead generation purposes:
- Identify relevant job posting platforms (e.g., LinkedIn for B2B companies, Peakfreelance for finding a niche copywriter, etc.)
- Create a compelling job listing that showcases your expertise.
- Work on a highly detailed job description that attracts high-quality candidates.
- Include a call-to-action for interested candidates to submit their contact information.
Belkins tip: Write captivating job descriptions using industry-specific keywords and showcase a company’s expertise.
2. Host webinars and podcasts to showcase your expertise and generate warm leads
Producing podcasts and webinars can help companies connect with potential customers by showcasing their expertise on the topic. They can also help to increase brand recognition, as companies will be exposed to the guest speakers' audiences.
Example 1:
SE Ranking’s webinars are a perfect example of how businesses can use this medium to connect with a global audience. By offering webinars in 7 languages, SE Ranking is able to attract leads from different countries and establish itself as a thought leader.
Moreover, by making their webinars available on-demand, SE Ranking can reach even more potential customers who may have missed the live event. This allows for generating leads and building relationships long after the webinar has ended.
Example 2:
Our Belkins Growth Podcast helps us demonstrate the high level of our client relationships and expertise in B2B sales. In doing so, we invite industry leaders and our customers to be guest speakers for insightful conversations around B2B sales. This ultimately results in increased brand awareness and generates high-quality leads for the company.
Belkins tip: Take an unconventional or provocative stance on any subject matter. Doing so can set you apart from competitors and build more engaged audiences. Just ensure your opinions are supported by data and research to maintain credibility.
3. Reverse engineer outbound cold selling to get the attention of B2B decision-makers
Let’s break down two hacks for cold emails and LinkedIn lead generation alike and the results you can receive.
Hack 1:
Reverse engineer your cold email pitch to get the attention of B2B decision-makers and seal enterprise-level deals. Instead of using hackneyed templates, like “Hey, I saw you’re doing this, and we’re doing that,” try building emotional bonds.
Begin your email with “Hey [Name], I also work as X and I faced with X problems. Cutting to the chase, I've got solution Y. So, if you're anything like me, let's chat. No hard sells 🙂.”
This simple hack gets the desired attention because you stand out from the crowd and show empathy. Cherry on top: few SDRs do it as it takes courage to send out emotional emails.
Hack 2:
Get straight to decision-makers on LinkedIn and get their 100% affirmative answer by offering to collaborate with them on content (i.e., sharing their takes on the issue in an article). This way, you will set the stage for further lead nurturing and a warm dialogue. Next, pass these leads to SDRs and add them for ABM campaigns. But don’t overkill. No hard sells.
Let’s go over several of Belkins’ case studies when we worked both as cold email outreach and LinkedIn marketing company to make you familiar with concrete results and figures these hacks can bring.
Example 1:
A software development company wanted to enter a completely saturated market via cold outreach campaigns and opted for outsourced lead generation, as they had little capacity to develop and launch the strategy on their own. The client’s goal was to reach out to businesses with $200 million in revenue and C-level titles related to the IT sphere. To gain a competitive edge, the Belkins team utilized a tailored value proposition and expansion of the ideal customer profile.
Through our efforts, the client booked 48 appointments and closed 5 deals in just 4 months, resulting in $900K in new project revenue.
Key takeaway: Focus on the right audience and use effective outreach strategies to achieve significant results in a short amount of time.
Example 2:
For Grafi.io, the world’s first AI-powered copywriting platform for health care, our B2B lead generation agency was able to generate 80 confirmed appointments in just 7 months. This was achieved through a combination of cold email and LinkedIn outreach, resulting in a 50% reply rate from decision-makers.
On top of that, we explored a new market, defined the right ideal customer profile, and rescheduled appointments with past opportunities.
4. Boost conference lead generation with QR codes
Are you tired of watching potential leads slip away at conferences? Place QR codes for registration or other purposes on your presentation materials so that attendees can easily scan and access your source. This allows for a seamless way to collect prospects’ contact information.
Example:
In September 2022, Michael Maximoff presented Folderly at the Founder500 conference and used QR codes to generate leads. Specifically, Folderly’s team inserted QR codes with links to the Folderly website at the end of the presentation. This simple tactic proved effective, as roughly 20% of the attendees scanned the code during the speech.
The last slide of Folderly presentation on Founder500 conference. The visitors could scan the QR code during the speech
Tips for generating leads with QR codes:
- Have a clear call to action.
- Make it visually appealing.
- Place the QR code in the most visible place.
- Provide value to attendees.
- Test the QR code beforehand.
Belkins tip: Use dynamic QR codes to make changes even after printing and distribution. This provides flexibility in offering different incentives and tracking performance over time.
5. Gather testimonials and write customer stories for the social proof
Use testimonials and customer stories to demonstrate the efficacy of your offerings while building trust among potential clients. Basically, this is social proof that your business can deliver results.
One effective way to collect testimonials and customer stories is by interviewing satisfied clients. Use email, phone calls, or video calls, depending on your client’s preferences. Once they provide feedback, use it on your website, social media channels, and other marketing initiatives.
Example:
HubSpot does a great job of using customer stories to demonstrate the quality of its services. The website features a dedicated section for customer success stories. You can also find detailed case studies and quotes from happy clients.
By highlighting the tangible results that clients have achieved, HubSpot effectively conveys the value of its offer and easily attracts new customers.
In turn, we at Belkins not only feature successful outcomes but also openly show the challenges we encountered while working on the project. This allows for full transparency and sets realistic expectations when working with us. The project may veer off course, but we go above and beyond to deliver sound results.
Being open about possible challenges also helps prospective clients nip their fears in the bud.
6. Offer free tools and browser extensions to create a steady flow of warm leads
Offering free tools and browser extensions is another smart way to attract potential customers and convert them into loyal ones. Free tools and extensions work like a teaser. You’re inevitably hooked and want to explore more features or services.
Example 1:
Grammarly’s free browser extension for improving English grammar and overall writing quality has attracted over 10 million downloads for Chrome alone and reportedly has reached over 30 million daily active users.
Why is it working? As soon as you install the extension, you instantly experience its value. This piques your interest and prompts you to become a paid user.
Likewise, Belkins has developed the free Outlook extension Charge to send thousands of personalized emails with custom variables from Outlook in one click. This helps us spot super-active users who can become our potential customers. It also comes with a paid plan, so it works as an additional revenue stream.
Example 2:
Belkins has developed an ROI calculator to find out the approximate revenue and ROI you can achieve with B2B lead generation services. The interactive calculator is placed on the pricing page, so leads can taste the benefits of working with us and are more willing to request a custom quote.
Belkins tip: Integrate CTA and social sharing buttons and opt-in forms within your free tool or browser extension to generate leads and boost its visibility.
7. Offer freebies and demos to win over B2B customers
Freebies and demos — just the mention of these words is enough to grab anyone’s attention. In this way, your potential clients can be convinced of your quality before deciding to use your products or services.
But what type of lead magnet should you create for your business? Free trials, demos, freemium, or just gated content?
It depends. For example, if your business is in the early stages of building awareness, an educational lead magnet like a gated e-book co-written by leading industry experts may be most effective. Also, you can create a fully free e-book with CTAs inside, offering personal demos and trials.
Example 1:
Here’s how Plug and Play utilizes niche-specific e-books to capture leads in the renewable energy industry. To download the copy, you need to fill out the form and share your contact information.
Example 2:
The Semrush free trial is another excellent example of a lead magnet. With 7 days of free access to their toolkit, potential customers can try out their products and services before committing to a paid subscription.
8. Harness the power of data-driven content to get exposure and new leads
Utilize data-driven content as part of digital PR, account-based marketing, and lead nurturing campaigns to build brand authority, generate leads, and drive traffic to your website.
Example:
Semrush’s original ranking factors study has become a powerful tool for attracting backlinks and media mentions with 3,500+ domains referring to a single study. Think for a moment: one e-book was exposed at least 3,500+ times to unique audiences.
7 steps to create data-driven content:
- Identify your audience and their pain points.
- Research your topic and gather reliable data.
- Analyze the data and draw insights.
- Create your content with the data as the backbone.
- Use eye-catching visuals and storytelling techniques to present the data.
- Promote your content across different marketing channels.
- Track and measure the success of your content using analytics and metrics.
Belkins tip: Use a mix of industry reports, surveys, and internal data to gather info for your data-driven content.
9. Deploy brand and employee advocacy programs for B2B social selling
Implementing an employee brand advocacy program is a cost-effective way to take advantage of your most enthusiastic employees and build a powerful sales force. Based on the Kredible Employee Advocacy Study findings, employee advocacy initiatives with over 1,000 active participants can generate up to $1.9 million worth of advertising value.
Guillaume Moubeche, the founder of Lemlist, shared some excellent examples of how his company generated leads via LinkedIn by using this approach.
Let’s take a look.
Example 1:
Nadja Komnencic, ex-Head of Business Development at Lemlist, posted actionable sales tips for sales prospecting on LinkedIn.
Nadja’s post exemplifies the effectiveness of starting with a question, being concise and actionable, and mentioning a sales leader to boost credibility. Such valuable posts helped her build relationships with Lemlist’s target audience and close deals. Check this out:
Example 2:
Ilya Azovtsev, ex-Growth Marketer at Lemlist, shared unique “growth hacks” that generated over 1,500 comments!
Ilya’s post had a clear structure that piqued curiosity and encouraged people to comment to get the guide. He also asked people to get in touch with their own hacks for a mention. This was a smart step to build credibility and keep the guide updated with new tips.
At this point, you must be curious to see the results of this approach. So, let’s have a look at the numbers:
The Lemlist team followed a 7-step strategy for exponential growth, including adapting quickly, focusing on users, prospecting, using LinkedIn for content distribution, and leveraging sales automation communities.
10. Collaborate with prominent experts to gain more leads and boost your reputation
Teaming up with well-known experts can benefit your business in two key ways:
- Boost its reputation.
- Give you access to the influencers’ audiences of potential customers who may be interested in your offer.
Example:
Bernard Huang, Co-founder of Clearscope, shared an introspective post on LinkedIn regarding the future of SEO content creation. To add more value to his post, Bernard collaborated with Eli Schwartz and offered 10 signed copies of his book to the most upvoted comments.
Collaborating with Eli not only positioned Bernard as an authority in the industry but also helped him attract potential customers.
Furthermore, Bernard also gave a special shoutout to other industry experts who checked his presentation. In doing so, Huang was able to foster stronger connections with his audience, ultimately increasing the likelihood of generating high-quality leads.
Check it out:
Belkins tip: Always offer value in return. It can be a promotion of experts’ products or services or exclusive access to your resources.
11. Study buyer intent data to unlock B2B lead generation opportunities
Buyer intent data can be an invaluable asset to B2B lead generation. Through advanced tools like Cognism, Marketo, LeedFeader, etc., businesses can gain insight into which companies are visiting their website. Additionally, buying intent data can provide insight into those businesses’ specific needs and interests in real time.
Example:
Leadfeeder’s customer success story with Programmatic B2B explicitly demonstrates the value of buying intent data. By utilizing Leadfeeder’s tracking capabilities, Programmatic B2B was able to measure the success of their campaigns and track companies that visited their client’s websites. Next, they utilized this information to create hyper-relevant ad campaigns.
The results were impressive, with Programmatic B2B delivering over 100 new prospects for a client that sells PPE to health care and educational institutions and generating 114 new health care leads and 155 insurance leads in just 30 days.
When buying intent data, keep in mind the following:
- Your target audience
- Vendor reputation
- Data relevance and sources
12. Utilize chatbots for 24/7 lead qualification and follow-up
Chatbots can engage website visitors, collect valuable lead data, and provide personalized recommendations based on user behavior and interests. By handling multiple conversations at the same time, chatbots can significantly enhance team efficiency, leading to increased sales and revenue growth.
Grand View Research recently published a new report projecting that the global chatbot market will reach $27,297.2 million by 2030 at an expected CAGR of 23.3% between 2023–2030.
North America is expected to lead the market, and artificial intelligence and audio speech-based chatbots will likely have the largest market share.
Example:
MongoDB, a cloud-based hosting company, has implemented chatbots to improve customer engagement and boost sales. The chatbot appears on the landing page and provides users with guidance and information on the industry and MongoDB’s services.
Additionally, MongoDB’s chatbot features a "Your Conversations" option that allows users to access their previous chat history and offers the ability to get help from a specialist.
Belkins tip: Use chatbots to conduct surveys and gather insights about your leads’ preferences and pain points. Then use this information to tailor your marketing efforts and increase the chances of conversion.
No single approach: Successful lead generation requires a mix of ideas
The companies we’ve highlighted in this article excel when it comes to lead generation. They’ve got a great combo of strategies, including webinars, infographics, tools, content, and chatbots that help them build strong relationships and drive more conversions.
Summing it all up, successful lead generation needs more than a cookie-cutter approach. You need to stay current with trends and technologies and try out different B2B lead generation ideas for maximum growth potential.
