Simple Steps to Overcome Lead Generation Obstacles
Lead generation continues to remain the pain point for B2B business leaders. With competition increasing and consumers having seamless access to information, reaching and engaging potential clients has become more difficult than ever.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t generate leads and achieve the desired business growth. Here are some simple steps to overcome common lead generation obstacles.
What Are Major Lead Gen Obstacles and Challenges?
Lead generation can be challenging. Here are some lead generation obstacles most B2B companies face.
Time-Consuming
Lead generation is time-consuming. Finding a potential lead isn’t enough. Marketing teams need to ensure that the lead is marketing and sales-qualified, which could take a lot of time, research, and effort.
Resource-Intensive
Lead generation campaigns are expensive and demand massive budgets. Most companies rely on paid ads, email campaigns, landing pages, etc. for generating leads, all of which cost money and resources. This is in addition to the time your marketing teams will have to spend on qualifying each lead.
Post-COVID Impact
Lead generation has changed significantly in the post-pandemic era, as B2B decision-makers are now independently making purchase decisions. Since digital communications have replaced face-to-face meetings, B2B companies can’t continue to rely on the traditional lead generation approach.
Emotional Burnout
Most of the leads don’t convert – that’s the hard truth of marketing. And while all sales reps know that, it causes emotional burnout when a prospect backs off and doesn’t make a purchase.
What Has Changed for Lead Gen in 2021?
The biggest change in B2B lead gen in 2021 is the digital revolution. Back in the day, in-person meetings between B2B sellers and decision-makers were the norm. Now, virtual selling is a new reality, as digital communications are taking over.
This change has led to a significant paradigm shift in marketing priorities for B2B sellers. Earlier, direct advertisements highlighting the benefits of a product or service were prevalent. Now, providers are focusing on nurturing leads and building meaningful relationships.
Importance of Building Relationships and Lead Nurturing to Overcome Lead Gen Obstacles
As B2B decision-makers are now conducting independent research, B2B providers need to focus on building relationships and nurturing leads. By doing so, providers can not only identify the most engaged prospects but also turn less qualified leads into more qualified prospects that are easier to convert.
That said, here’s how you can leverage lead nurturing to overcome lead generation challenges.
Create and Publish Targeted Content: The rise of independent research has paved the way for targeted content creation opportunities for B2B providers. By publishing content that caters to the needs of your buyer personas, you can nurture your leads and push them further in the buying funnel.
Leverage Multiple Channels: In today’s age, customers are everywhere – web, social media, forums, email, and the list goes on. Hence, sticking to a single channel isn’t sufficient. Marketers need to target multiple channels and take an omnichannel marketing approach to nurture leads.
Send Personalized Emails: Email marketing remains to be one of the most effective lead nurturing strategies, but with a small twist. Sending the same email to all prospects doesn’t work anymore. Be sure to segment your audience based on their interests and send personalized emails as per their needs.
Follow-Up: Persistent follow-up calls and emails can have a positive impact on your lead nurturing efforts. Every follow-up improves your relationship with the prospect and increases the chance of getting a sale.
Conclusion-
Lead generation isn’t easy, and it’s only getting harder. But by focusing on building relationships and implementing the right lead nurturing tactics, B2B companies can overcome lead generation obstacles and drive more conversions.