It’s been a difficult time for people everywhere, especially those who own a business. The world hasn’t seen a pandemic like this for generations, and there was no way for anyone to foresee the changes that 2020 would bring. This being said, we are all in this together, and it’s time to make the most of the circumstances we’ve been given.
B2B Lead Generation Strategies to Use During COVID-19
A lot of companies have been forced to reconsider the way they do business in these unprecedented times, but one thing has remained a constant: to grow your business during COVID-19, you still need to be able to market and sell your services to prospective clients. Doing nothing only leaves your company at a crossroads of the past and the present, but putting yourself in gear for the future will leave your business with the tools it needs to be successful for the foreseeable future.
B2B Appointment Setting
Outreach is extremely important, and just because we’re in the middle of the pandemic doesn’t make it any less important. There’s never a wrong time to start the conversation with target prospects in your market. And if prospects still find value in what you offer right now, you can take sales meetings virtually. Right now may be the best time to build a sales pipeline, because more key decision-makers are working from home, making it easier for them to take your call.
In a B2B appointment setting program, make sure you are doing the following:
- Identifying your ideal customer and prospecting to find prospects who fit that ideal customer profile
- Cold calling and cleansing prospects to determine if they’re still a fit like you thought they were (ask discovery questions to learn as much you can and qualify the lead)
- Nurturing leads until they are ready to buy; this means building a relationship by following up frequently, sending marketing collateral via email, and moving prospects along in the buyer’s journey)
- Scheduling appointments; there is no reason why you still can’t meet with potential customers during the pandemic—just meet virtually using an online conference software
If you master B2B appointment setting during the pandemic, you’ll come out of it even stronger and with a competitive advantage.
Website Development
Working from home has made everyone best friends with their computers—so how can you ensure your business continues to be seen when everyone is at home? The answer is by having a killer website that drives organic traffic. Internet usage is only becoming more and more commonplace.
In July 2020, 59% of the world population were regular internet users. Your website is your digital identity, the place where people go when they want to learn all about the awesome products or services you have to offer. Having a clean design, placing an emphasis on search engine optimization (SEO), and making sure that all information is clear and updated will keep your business’ website reputable and intriguing to any incoming traffic.
Social Media Marketing
On average, people spend three hours on social media and messaging every day, so how do you cut into that time to market your brand and generate some inbound leads? For the average person globally, 28% of brand leads and 42% of product research come from social media. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter allow your company a non-invasive method of outreach to a customer, and with promotional advertisements woven into personal feeds seamlessly, it’s now easier than ever to catch a new customer’s eye.
During this time, use social media to:
- Increase brand awareness; post as often as possible
- Run paid ads and target your ideal customers
- Interact with customers; respond to comments and reviews
- Write engaging content; create unique posts, write LinkedIn articles, etc.
Working hard on your social media pages right now while you have the time could make social media a vital part of your B2B lead generation strategy in the future.
Email Campaigns
Having an amazing website and great social media pages is a fantastic way to spread awareness about your business, but following up and turning those leads to conversions is a must. Although the world has turned virtual, it is so important to have the means to talk to customers and make it feel as authentic as possible.
While social media sends a broad, general message, email campaigns can make your messaging more personal with a seemingly pinpointed message. In fact, email is almost 40 times better at acquiring new customers than Facebook and Twitter. With services like email trackers, you can monitor who you send things to, if they open it, and track statistics such as click-through rate (CTR) and response rate. A Pardot consultant can help you run an email campaign that is both effective and trackable.
Overall, we’re all just trying to adapt as we figure out what the “new normal” looks like. Make sure your business has a strong virtual presence instead of running scared right now; this forward-thinking methodology that will prevent your company from falling behind.
All of this may sound a bit overwhelming. If you need help from a team of lead generation experts during this time, let’s talk → book an appointment today.
Want to Learn More?
