For most business development professionals, today’s business environment is unlike what they have ever witnessed. Macroeconomic shifts and buyer evolution amplified by technological (AI and digital) disruption are resulting in longer sales cycles, more discerning buyers, and extensive competition.
Every company is competing with the other for the same set of TAM and similar buyer personas while delivering more or less similar messaging resulting in misfiring customer outreach campaigns, dropped deals, and declining ROI.
To top it off, most business development initiatives fail due to the lack of accurate account information and wrong contact information on the prospects. Consequently, various B2B demand generation efforts like cold calling, cold emailing, etc., yield no tangible results, thereby draining the company's precious dollars. But it is nothing that we haven't seen before, and there is a sure-shot way to get ahead of these challenges and build a customer outreach strategy that generates more qualified leads. Keep reading this blog to learn more!
B2B database: the cornerstone of an effective B2B sales outreach
Today, almost all sales and marketing channels have attained their saturation point, with multiple businesses eyeing the same set of audiences for similar products and on the same set of channels. It is very difficult to stand out amidst the clutter and make your audience notice your communication. In such a tightly wound space, data becomes the biggest differentiator that can help you succeed in your outreach efforts.
A comprehensive B2B database with advanced technographic, firmographic, and demographic, along with DND/DNC-verified direct dials and email addresses, enables businesses to precisely target their ideal customers, deliver personalized messaging, and increase the chances of engagement and conversion. It empowers businesses to make informed decisions, identify new opportunities, and ultimately build a sales pipeline that drives growth and success.
Furthermore, data maintenance practices like data enrichment and Whitespace discovery help companies identify hidden sales opportunities in their existing target markets. By appending their B2B databases with new insights, businesses can get hold of latent market demand and open new doors of revenue acceleration.
7 steps to build sales-ready pipeline
Now, let's look at 7 steps to build a sales-ready pipeline that can help accelerate deal closures and win more revenue for your business.
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1
Tele-led customer outreach
A tele-led customer outreach campaign offers multifaceted benefits, namely lead generation, customer experience management, and cross-selling/upselling efforts. Firstly, these services enable direct and personalized interactions with ideal buyers, build rapport with potential clients, and drive efficient MRL to SRL conversions. Additionally, telesales fosters customer satisfaction through real-time issue resolution and technical support, thus strengthening brand loyalty. Moreover, it serves as a dynamic platform for cross-selling and upselling, capitalizing on established relationships to introduce new offerings, thus boosting revenue streams.
A precise and updated B2B corporate database is paramount for a successful B2B telesales program. An accurate database ensures that calls are directed to relevant prospects, enhancing efficiency and minimizing wasted efforts. It empowers sales representatives with valuable insights, enabling tailored conversations that resonate with clients' needs.
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2
Virtual Events and Webinars: Foster Engagement and Networking
Virtual events and webinars are a very proactive way to connect with your target audience, foster engagement, and nurture relationships by establishing a meaningful two-way dialogue. Create informative and engaging sessions that address industry trends, challenges, and solutions. Encourage audience participation through live Q&A sessions and networking opportunities.
Virtual events and webinars enable organizations to resolve their customers' pain points, launch a new product, provide demos, and build thought leadership by involving top influencers in the industry to speak on the most pressing issues of the niche market. Later, through post-event marketing and on-demand webinar services, organizations can distribute high-value content to nurture and warm up their audience for conversions.
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3
Collaborate with Influencers: Tap into Established Networks
Influencer marketing isn't just for B2C businesses. Collaborating with industry influencers and leaders can amplify your demand generation efforts while expanding your brand reach amongst new audiences. Identify influencers and industry leaders who align with your brand values and have a significant following within your niche. Partner with them to co-create content, host webinars, or participate in thought leadership discussions. Leveraging influencers' networks can help you access new prospects and build a sales-ready pipeline.
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4
Implement Customer Referral Programs: Tap into Advocacy
There is no greater brand advocate for your business than a happy customer. Satisfied customers can be your best brand promoters across channels allowing you to tap into their network and build a new customer base. Implement a customer referral program to incentivize your existing customers to refer your products or services to their networks. Referrals from happy customers carry a higher level of trust and credibility, making them more likely to convert into sales-ready leads. Offer rewards, exclusive benefits, or discounts for successful referrals to encourage participation.
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5
Gated content marketing
While it is a very common tactic, gated content marketing is still a very effective means to solicit prospect information by aiding them in their buying process with informative content. The gated content serves as a lead magnet that creates an incentive for prospects to share their contact data in order to access it.
Gated content is particularly beneficial in the B2B demand generation process, where the sales cycle is usually longer, and buyers are required to do an in-depth analysis of various value propositions. Creating high-value content also helps businesses build thought leadership in the market and acts as a filter that allows only high-intent leads to permeate into your sales funnel.
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6
Digital Advertising
A must-have arsenal that every B2B demand generation team wants to shoot with is digital advertising, whether it is search engine advertising or social media advertising, particularly LinkedIn. These channels possess a huge mine of untapped business opportunities that can help you not just fill your pipeline quota but also take a bite out of your competitor's share.
Digital advertising can also be deployed to crank up relevant traffic on your gated content by displaying ads on Google or other search engines as well as social media platforms. A well-designed ad with the right targeting can easily penetrate your TAM, meaning you only pay for impressions and click from the right buyer profiles.
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7
Email marketing
Utilize email marketing campaigns to nurture leads over time. Send personalized, relevant content to your leads based on their interests and behaviours. Gradually guide them through the buying journey and build trust by providing value. A well-structured email marketing strategy involves several key elements:
- Prospect identification and segmentation: Leverage DND/DNC-verified B2B email lists with spam checks and email reachability verification. Partner with a reliable B2B database provider to procure your email marketing database and then segregate your email list into segments based on factors like demographics, behaviour, purchase history, and interests. This allows you to send targeted and relevant content to specific groups, increasing engagement and conversions.
- Personalization: Personalize your emails with recipients' names, relevant content, and recommendations based on their past interaction with your brand and other buying preferences.
- Content Planning: Plan a variety of email content types, such as educational articles, product updates, case studies, promotions, and event invitations. Develop a content calendar to ensure a consistent flow of valuable information.
- Automation: Implement marketing automation platforms to create automated workflows. These workflows trigger emails based on user actions, such as signing up for a newsletter, downloading a resource, or filling out a lead generation form.
- Prospect identification and segmentation: Leverage DND/DNC-verified B2B email lists with spam checks and email reachability verification. Partner with a reliable B2B database provider to procure your email marketing database and then segregate your email list into segments based on factors like demographics, behaviour, purchase history, and interests. This allows you to send targeted and relevant content to specific groups, increasing engagement and conversions.
Conclusion
As businesses try to navigate a host of market pressures, the focus is on differentiating their brand value propositions to capture cooked leads that are ready for conversions. However, one of the biggest fuels that they need to drive their sales charter is data. Active buyer insights help them personify their targeted personas and build a more personalized campaign that resonates with the targeted audience. By deploying a few or all of the above-mentioned strategies, enterprises can accelerate their sales conversion and grow unhindered in any geography.
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