There’s little doubt that B2B organisations are facing lead generation challenges. The B2B Lead Generation Report found that 68% of B2B professionals are concerned with increasing the quality of leads, while 55% are looking to increase lead volume. One way they can achieve this is by bringing in a B2B lead generation partner.
In this blog post, we’ll explore key characteristics a company should look for in a B2B lead generation agency.
What services do they actually offer?
Lead generation is not just one service – it’s a combination of services including:
- Content Marketing
- Email Marketing
- SEO
- Social Media
- Telemarketing
- Third-party Sources/Lists
How are leads sourced?
To ensure you’re getting the best leads possible, dig a bit deeper and confirm how your lead generation partner is using these channels. Are they implementing a social media strategy, but failing to include LinkedIn? Who are they sourcing their third-party lists from? This will help you get a better idea of the kind of leads they will offer your organisation, and where they might be dropping the ball.
How are leads qualified?
A lead generation partner needs to be able to integrate with your organisation and understand what it is that makes a lead ideal for your business. For example, do they account for your buyer personas and how you define MQLs and SQLs? Or do they operate their lead generation campaigns based solely on their experience with their own systems?
What MarTech do they use?
Imagine hiring a lead generation company that looks great on paper, only to find that none of their digital tools integrate with yours. This can spell disaster if you’re already locked into a business agreement. Whether you’re talking about CRM, email automation or any other software solutions, you need to ensure their tools integrate with your systems so that you can implement and track their campaigns.
What is the cost of these services relative to the value they are offering?
If a potential partner is asking for a slightly higher rate for their service but they are able to demonstrate their value with relevant metrics, it may be worth choosing them over a lower cost — but potentially less reliable — partner.
What experience do they have?
Who are their current clients and why are they sticking around? Who are their former clients and why did they leave? Remember that current clients don’t always stay because a lead generation partner is doing a good job, and former clients don’t always leave because a lead generation partner performed badly.
An existing client may be locked into an agreement and a former client may have left because of a change in management. It’s important to gather as much information as possible when identifying if they have the relevant experience to handle your lead generation.
Do they have experience with international clients?
Many businesses are finding that they need to extend their reach overseas to grow in highly competitive markets. While a lead generation partner may understand how to appeal to a specific region or culture, you need to make sure they can help you reach new markets. Especially considering the disasters that can take place when a marketing company fails to understand the culture or language of a region.
If you’re looking for more information on expanding into foreign markets and implementing a global business strategy, read our Guide To Global Business Strategy.
Almost three decades of experience
These questions will help guide your search for a B2B lead generation partner who can grow your business’s leads and revenue. If you are looking for a reliable lead generation partner, GCL Direct has over 29 years of experience in unscripted and multilingual telemarketing and lead generation services. This combination helps us deliver highly effective and hassle-free campaigns for all our clients. To find out more about what we offer and how we can help improve your lead generation, contact us today.
