“You don’t close a sale; You open a relationship if you want to build a long-term, successful enterprise.” – Patricia Fripp.
Sales lead generation is crucial for any B2B business looking to build brand awareness and stay competitive. Unfortunately, not all businesses generate qualified leads with lead-generation techniques.
We’ve all made mistakes when generating new leads, which is normal!
To save you from making any further blunders, we’ve compiled a list of the top B2B lead generation mistakes that everyone should avoid at all costs if you want to convert prospects into buyers consistently!
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So sit back, relax, and follow along as we dig into how not to make those same errors ourselves.
- Not generating leads organically
Generating B2B leads organically is the proper way to build a strong and valuable client base. Although purchasing contact lists may seem easy and tempting, it can severely damage your business in the long run.
Wasting time on random cold calls, low conversion rates, and email deliverability issues are just a few of the detrimental outcomes of using such contact lists.
To get quality leads that wish to hear from you, you must focus on generating them organically rather than taking shortcuts. Organic leads take more effort upfront but will ultimately yield much better results in the long run.
- Inadequate or slow follow-up
As the market evolves, more mature B2B companies find their lead generation efforts hampered by inadequate or slow follow-up. In the past, a few days to respond and a week for quotes was an acceptable timeline.
However, with the ever-increasing competition speed, these standards won’t cut it any longer. 74% of buyers prioritize working with the first representative to provide value [source], and the impact of the strategy of a 5-minute response time in an organization has seen an increase in 6 times revenue growth in a year, nine times shorter sales cycles, and 500% team growth. [source]
So, there is no doubt that early, timely engagement can make all the difference.
- Neglecting lead segmentation
Marketers who neglect to apply lead segmentation are committing an enormous mistake. Basing all lead nurturing on the same type of content inevitably leads to a high unsubscribe rate.
The evolution of marketing has seen the necessity for ultra-targeted marketing campaigns and communications that require personalization. Businesses must sort leads into distinct groups based on demographics, needs, priorities, common interests, and pain points to generate effective messages that potential buyers will consume.
Lead segmentation is crucial for successful B2B lead generation. However, this process should start by enriching your list first, as it allows you to extract useful information that can then be used to segment your leads accordingly.
- Not displaying the value of the product
Generating quality leads for business begins with a thorough understanding of the product, who you’re targeting, and their needs. Unfortunately, one of the most common mistakes when it comes to B2B lead generation is not properly conveying the value of the product to prospects.
Prospective clients won’t be persuaded by the features the product provides. They need to see how it solves their problem. Maintaining a professional yet empathetic voice that shows you understand their pain points and demonstrates how you provide them with an effective solution is essential.
Remember that each prospect is looking for a solution, not just another great deal. So frame the conversation around solving it rather than simply selling the product.
- Inadequate brand credibility
Lead generation and brand activities should go hand in hand for any B2B company to be successful. Buyers may hesitate to evaluate potential business relationships without proper brand credibility.
If a company is too aggressive in its lead generation efforts and does not have enough backing from a recognizable, established brand presence, it could quickly turn away potential leads.
By striking a balance between lead generation and cultivating brand awareness, potential buyers feel more secure about taking the next step with your business. With this approach, you provide the necessary trust and credibility that are essential in today’s competitive B2B market.
Now that we’ve gone over some common lead-generation mistakes, you should know what to avoid as you generate leads for your business. Keep these tips in mind as you develop your lead generation strategy, and you’ll be on your way to generating qualified leads that will help grow your business.
