Companies invest many resources to identify other businesses as their potential clients. A typical example is promoting your services during conferences and exchanging contact details for further communication. However, companies focusing on business-to-business (B2B) transactions must improve their strategies for effectively recognizing and motivating potential customers. Data is a driving force behind a multitude of optimizations. In this case, let’s explore how data can improve your B2B lead generation and engagement.
Reshaping lead generation
Any attempt to generate B2B leads is somewhat visionless without being backed up by information. Companies should prepare multiple buyer personas, predicting the ideal or potential clients.
It relates to performing numerous studies and tests, such as examining competitors, market leaders, startups, third-party reports, etc. Such data is valuable as it helps determine the potentially interested companies’ size, pain points, behavior, and purchase preferences. Based on this data, businesses can base many decisions, such as crafting more effective ad targeting.
Build content strategies targeting these clients
Social media outreach (be it LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok) should be valuable, informative, and attractive to potential clients. With this reference point, businesses can determine what posts to add and what information might help them move from simple observers to buyers. A lead can be a new follower: a company’s social media account. This information can motivate businesses to take the next step: contact them via email or calls to sales representatives.
Customize communication
Every company has dealt with inquiries from potential clients. These questions get repetitive, and this information can become an asset. If sales representatives gather and answer these questions in a PDF document, an exchange can be made. Say a company is interested in another business but is unwilling to book a call or a demo. Let’s assume the provider can let the potential customer complete a brief survey (name, company, and email address). Then, the interested buyer receives a short guide on the services offered. Of course, the information shared should not involve any details requiring an NDA.
The service provider then receives a new lead, which can be used for their email marketing campaigns. Of course, remember to comply with regulations: inform potential clients of this correspondence and give them an opt-out option.
Test and test again
No business analyst knows the correct answer to promoting and representing products. Thus, businesses must test different approaches to determine the most profitable strategies.
For this purpose, A/B tests can generate valuable data about how a company should be conducted. An example could be trying different practices of social media and email marketing. You can send/publish two versions to see which generates more leads and interest.
Retarget visitors
Retargeting people who have previously showed interest in your product can convince them to return. Say you sell a collaboration tool that enables teams to improve their internal communication and task tracking. Since many providers offer similar services, try to retarged interested buyers with ads and addressing their main pain points. You can discover the latter by studying the market and reviewing feedback from users.
Starting lead prioritization
You must treat each potential client as equally important. However, it’s likely that some businesses will stand out, either promising higher chances of conversion or a more profitable collaboration. By analyzing your current leads and interested clients, you can prioritize them and divert your resources to those you deem on top.
Typically, your initial assumptions can depend on different company details, such as as staff count and interest level. Later, you can sort leads based on their current stage (like the first communication and waiting for feedback after delivering a sales offer).
Increasing engagement
Engagement can be a complex metric to drive. However, data can also assist in streamlining this goal.
Review metrics
Many tools businesses use have impressive features for tracking open rates, heat maps, bounce rates, conversion rates, and much more. All companies must pay attention to these metrics to recognize potential issues. For instance, if a landing page intended to drive sales has a high bounce rate, something might be wrong with its content or overall user experience. Examine the potential red flags and consult with specialists on viable solutions.
Boost your image
How a business presents its services and overall operation can make a difference. For example, some clients appreciate eco-friendly approaches. You can mention your part in sustainability on your official website. After all, the product businesses sell is only a piece of the puzzle. Your brand image and reputation will drive further engagement and sales.
In other cases, you can boost engagement by offering bonuses or rewards. Of course, this might be more complex than for B2C companies. The latter can make users feel appreciated by providing lotteries to earn free money or by partnering with other brands that help people earn cash online. For B2B companies, discounts, unique industry reports, personalized consultations, and attentive customer support can be highly appreciated.
Following and listening to your clients
You can increase engagement and overall satisfaction from your current clients through annual or otherwise regular performance reviews. Maybe not reviews per se, but general feedback on your product or services. Be sure to include plenty of opportunities for constructive criticism, such as potential gaps for you to address with updates.
By being attentive to your customers, you brew trust and loyalty, motivating them to keep engaging and using with your product.
Businesses likely already appreciate the exposure and attention they can receive through platforms like LinkedIn. Their atmosphere stands out among other social media, focusing on professional posts and facilitating communication between companies. However, while you can obtain leads and partners via LinkedIn, other social media platforms can be equally effective in increasing engagement.
For example, YouTube is a platform that could let you address various client needs through educational videos or recordings of your knowledge-sharing sessions. On X (Twitter), businesses can announce changes or updates, capturing the attention of others. Even TikTok can have a place in your promotion strategies if your potential clients curate content through this network specializing in short-form videos.
Lastly, businesses can generate some buzz through more casual and promotion-oriented content on Instagram. It’s one way to humanize your company, showcasing your people, motivations, and values.
Host knowledge sharing
Webinars or workshops can help B2B businesses interact and increase engagement from their current or potential clients. Besides sharing their expertise, it is also a way to represent a business, showcase its strengths, and establish a strong position in the industry.
Every company has skilled professionals that can share their insights into the businesses or analyze particular workflows. However, try to collaborate with other businesses on these talks, boosting your credibility and also receiving engagement from people who might be unfamiliar with your product. Besides the aforementioned benefits, it also puts you on the map on potential new hires, further strengthening your position.
Conclusion
Without data, all businesses would struggle to find, attract, and retain customers. First, you must discover your main selling points and determine which companies are most interested in your product. Then, after finding your potential clients, nurture the connection and give them time before attempting to land a sale. Lastly, retaining clients requires gathering much information, such as staying up-to-date with the latest trends and keeping up with your competitors.