Lead generation is one of the most effective and result-driven methods to keep a business’s sales pipeline full of qualified prospects. But it has never been easy. If you’re relatively new to B2B lead generation, you will notice that it is getting harder to attract, nurture, and close leads because more competition is targeting the same audience. As B2B lead generation matures, you cannot stick to age-old techniques that once generated incredible results.
Most leading B2B lead generation experts are now adapting to changing tides in this industry, especially after all the momentous changes that took place in 2023. From recession forecasts to changes in Google policies, the sudden surplus of AI to layoffs- a lot happened in 2023, compelling B2B lead generation professionals to adapt or get left behind. If you want 2024 to become your best year in B2B lead generation, be informed of the changing rules taking shape in this industry.
To make things easier, this blog covers some notable changes that will become the key rules of B2B lead generation in 2024 and beyond. So, let’s quickly explore all the rules discussed below.
- A Shift to Account-Based Marketing
There are many lead generation ways that have been working well for companies in different industries. PPC and traditional marketing, like social media, email, etc., were the go-to options for many B2B lead generation professionals. But as much is changing, many made a pivot to account-based marketing in 2023, and the rest will follow suit in 2024.
A reason for this pivot is to align marketers and sales departments so they can focus on handpicked accounts. There are numerous aspects to account-based marketing, but leveraging marketing qualified accounts over marketing qualified leads, hyper-focusing on creativity, and adding a human touch to the entire process are important.
You can also ace this rule by leveraging intent data to improve your overall account-based marketing strategy. Since it is a big trend that will gain greater prominence in 2024, it is recommended to start focusing on it early.
- De-Fluffed Messaging is Here to Stay
People relying on fluff, soulless, and regurgitated messaging will fail in 2024 and beyond. While fancy, complex, and seemingly high-end messaging used to grab peoples’ attention earlier, it won’t work going forward. The introduction of generative AI tools, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has further cemented this rule. Today, anyone can create messaging content for lead generation using these tools, so you must stand out.
Instead of using formal writing to nurture prospects, you will now need more natural, conversational (but not overly casual) messaging that focuses on the prospect. You must also de-fluff your lead generation messaging by removing any corporate jargon. You will naturally attract better results if your messaging is clear, personalized, and value-driven.
All B2B lead generation professionals must now create messaging that instantly resonates with their audience. Another key to making this rule work in your favor is infusing your messaging with motivation so it nudges the reader to talk more about their needs and wants.
- Align Your Efforts with Google’s New Policies
Google updated various policies and launched new ones. So, if you rely significantly on content marketing, SEO, or referrals for B2B lead generation, ensure your efforts align with the search engine’s updated policies, especially their helpful content and reviews policy. Start by weeding unhelpful content from your website and making existing ones more interesting and authoritative. A quick content-wise traffic assessment can help you proceed in the right direction.
According to Google, your website content must now highlight your expertise, back-up claims with relevant proofs, quantify your insights, and mention alternatives to any solution. You can make better decisions if you think like a reader while analyzing brand content. Those relying on AI writers must get the content double-checked and edited by good human editors. Consistently sticking to this tip can accelerate your B2B lead generation efforts and results in 2024 and the following years.
- Focus on Intent-Based Lead Generation
It is one of the biggest rules every B2B lead generation professional must pay attention to. For the uninitiated, an intent in lead generation talks about certain identifiable signs and behaviors indicating a high probability that the target company is in an active buying cycle and is considering buying your product/service. The signals can be many, like multiple people from within the organization visiting your website, newsletter subscriber behavior, engagement on social media advertisement, increased time spent on your website, etc.
Once you collect and analyze prospects’ behaviors and analyze them, you’ll have all the data to target each lead with hyper-laser messaging at the right time. You can start by precisely identifying your target audience, personalizing your pitch, optimizing outreach spending, and collecting insights. It will be time-consuming but well worth the ROI.
- Establish Deep Engagement with Prospects
If the forecasts around future economic slowdowns, recessions, and budget cuts come true, all businesses will slow down their spending, leading to more justification and deliberation for every investment. In such a scenario, you can only thrive if you establish and maintain deeper relationships with prospects.
Instead of focusing entirely on acquiring new clients, explore the possibility of boosting revenue by upselling to your existing clients. You can also tap into your established business network to boost your B2B lead generation results. Customer loyalty will play a massive role in the coming years, so ensure you start putting efforts into collaborative growth, amp your sales training, and let your best sales representatives close.
Embrace the New B2B Lead Generation Rules to Amplify Your Results
The business landscape has always been volatile, but things are starting to shake up more now. With so many changes, it was bound to affect the B2B lead generation industry. If anyone wants to thrive in this competitive market, embracing innovation is mandatory. This blog covered some major rules that are set to influence the entire B2B lead generation process, so ensure you pay attention to them and incorporate them for better results. For more information and professional help, contact us now!