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Stuart O'Brien

LEAD GENERATION MONTH: How to maximise the lifeblood of B2B marketing
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In B2B marketing, lead generation reigns supreme as a core principle that fuels business growth. Unlike the impulsive purchases common in B2C marketing, B2B transactions follow a longer decision-making cycle, making lead generation a meticulously planned and nurturing process. Let’s break down the key principles of this vital concept…

What is a B2B Lead?

A B2B lead isn’t simply a contact name on a list. It’s a potential customer, an individual within a target organisation who demonstrates interest in your products or services and fits your ideal client profile. These leads likely hold decision-making authority or influence the purchase process.

Why is Lead Generation Crucial?

  • Targeted Growth: Lead generation provides a pipeline of qualified prospects, ensuring a focused sales approach rather than indiscriminate cold outreach. This translates into higher conversion rates and a more efficient use of your sales team’s resources.

  • Building Relationships: Lead generation initiates two-way communication between a business and potential clients. Even if a lead doesn’t immediately convert, nurturing the relationship fosters brand recognition and establishes trust, potentially influencing future buying decisions.

  • Data-Driven Marketing: The information gathered during lead generation offers valuable insights into your target audience. This data illuminates their pain points, preferences, and behaviours, informing your content marketing, messaging, and product development strategies.

The Key to Effective B2B Lead Generation

  • Identifying Your Ideal Customer: Clearly define your ideal customer profile by factors including industry, company size, job titles, and the specific challenges they face. This laser focus will dictate your lead generation strategies and increase the likelihood of attracting highly qualified leads.

  • Understanding the Buyer’s Journey: B2B purchases involve a complex journey with multiple stages. Mapping this journey helps you determine the best types of content and offers to attract and engage leads at appropriate moments.

  • Offering Value: Potential B2B clients are bombarded with information. Capture their attention by providing genuinely valuable content like ebooks, webinars, or whitepapers, addressing their pain points and showcasing your expertise.

  • Omnichannel Approach: Don’t rely solely on one lead generation tactic. Diversify your approach across tactics like content marketing, email campaigns, webinars, social media, and even trade shows to maximize your reach.

  • Measurable Results: Continually track lead generation metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates, and cost per lead. This data-driven analysis allows you to optimise your strategies and identify the most effective tactics.

The Art of Nurturing

Lead generation is only the first step. Nurturing these leads through relevant content and communication is paramount for building trust and moving them through the sales funnel.

B2B lead generation is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. It necessitates patience, strategy, and the willingness to adapt to a constantly changing landscape. By fully embracing lead generation, B2B marketers unlock the path to targeted business growth, establishing long-term relationships with clients who truly value their solutions.

Are you searching for Lead Generation Solutions for your organisation? The Digital Marketing Solutions Summit can help!

Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

If you specialise in Email Marketing we want to hear from you!
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Each month on Digital Marketing Briefing we’re shining the spotlight on different parts of the print and marketing sectors – and in March we’ll be focussing on Email Marketing solutions. It’s all part of our ‘Recommended’ editorial feature, designed to help marketing industry professionals find the best products and services available today. So, if you specialise in Email Marketing and would like to be included as part of this exciting new shop window, we’d love to hear from you – for more info, contact Kerry Naumburger on k.naumburger@forumevents.co.uk. Mar 2024 – Email Marketing April 2024 – Digital Printing May 2024 – Social Media Jun 2024 – Brand Monitoring July 2024 – Web Analytics Aug 2024 – Conversion Rate Optimisation Sept 2024 – Digital Signage Oct 2024 – Brochure Printing Nov 2024 – Creative & Design Dec 2024 – Online Strategy Jan 2025 – Content Management Feb 2025 – Lead Generation & Tracking

LEAD GENERATION MONTH: Sales analytics held back by data privacy, poor data and limited cross-functional collaboration
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Eighty-four percent of sales leaders agreed that sales analytics has had less influence on sales performance than leadership expected, as indicated by new research.

Gartner surveyed 303 sales leaders in July 2023 to understand the current state of sales analytics and the metrics used to drive insight generation and behavior change within sales functions.

“With analytics comes the expectation of transformative decision making, but the reality is that many organizations struggle to produce actionable insights regarding their most important decisions,” said Kelly Fischbein, Senior Principal, Research in the Gartner Sales Practice.

When asked to identify barriers to analytics success, data privacy concerns or regulations (45% of respondents), poor data quality (44%) and limited cross-functional collaboration (44%) were cited as the top three reasons (see Figure 1).

“The net result is compounding complexity: More uncertainty creates more demand for analytics, which creates demand for more data, which in turn presents analytics teams with challenging operational barriers,” said Fischbein.

Source: Gartner (February 2024)

To address the disconnect regarding sales analytics and influence on sales performance, CSOs must mutually define analytics value proposition with their operations leaders. The Gartner survey went on to find that CSO-led analytics are 2.3 times more likely to achieve higher forecast accuracy than non-CSO led analytics. CSO-led analytics are also 1.8 times more likely to exceed customer acquisition goals than non-CSO led analytics.

“To achieve higher strategic influence of analytics, CSOs must lead when it comes to aligning analytics strategies to sales objectives and communicating insights from analytics,” continued Fischbein.

To achieve this change in behavior, Gartner suggests CSOs:

  • Deploy a decision driven analytics approach to prioritize the analytics that can have the most influence on the decisions that have the greatest impact.
  • Build specialization in their analytics organization that aligns with their top priorities.
  • Analyze seller performance metrics comparatively to drive actionability.

Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash

LEAD GENERATION MONTH: Holistic approaches to sustainable business growth
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In B2B marketing the ability to generate high-quality leads is crucial for driving sales and fostering business growth. Effective lead generation is not just about increasing the quantity of leads, but also about enhancing their quality, ensuring they are likely to convert into valuable customers. Here are the key pillars for implementing effective lead generation strategies for B2B marketing professionals…

1. Targeted Content Strategy: At the heart of successful lead generation lies a targeted content strategy. B2B buyers seek information that helps them make informed decisions. By creating and disseminating informative, relevant, and engaging content tailored to the specific needs and pain points of your target audience, you can attract potential leads. This content can take various forms, including blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, and webinars, each designed to move prospects through the sales funnel.

2. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): To ensure your content reaches your target audience, SEO is essential. Optimising your content for search engines increases your visibility online and drives organic traffic to your website. This involves using relevant keywords, creating quality backlinks, and ensuring your website is technically optimised for search engines. A strong SEO strategy puts your content in front of the right people at the right time.

3. Social Media Engagement: Social media platforms are powerful tools for B2B lead generation, offering opportunities to engage directly with potential customers. By sharing valuable content, participating in industry conversations, and leveraging targeted advertising options, B2B marketers can build relationships with prospects and guide them towards conversion.

4. Email Marketing: Email marketing remains a cornerstone of effective B2B lead generation. Personalised, targeted email campaigns can nurture leads by providing them with valuable information and offers that align with their stage in the buying journey. Regular communication via email helps keep your brand top of mind and encourages leads to take the next step.

5. Analytics and Measurement: To continuously improve lead generation efforts, it’s vital to track and analyse key metrics. This includes monitoring website traffic, conversion rates, click-through rates, and the overall ROI of your lead generation activities. Analytics provide insights into what’s working and what’s not, allowing for data-driven adjustments to your strategy.

6. Collaboration Between Sales and Marketing: Finally, a close collaboration between sales and marketing teams is fundamental to lead generation success. Marketing efforts should be aligned with sales goals, ensuring that leads are properly qualified and nurtured until they are ready to be handed off to sales. Regular communication and shared KPIs between these teams can ensure a seamless transition and increase the chances of conversion.

Effective B2B lead generation in the UK requires a multifaceted approach, combining a targeted content strategy, SEO, social media engagement, personalised email marketing, rigorous analytics, and strong sales-marketing alignment. By focusing on these key pillars, B2B marketing professionals can attract, nurture, and convert high-quality leads, driving sustainable business growth.

Are you searching for Lead Generation Solutions for your organisation? The Digital Marketing Solutions Summit can help!

Photo by Campaign Creators on Unsplash

Five reasons to attend the Digital Marketing Solutions Summit
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There’s a complimentary place for you to attend the Digital Marketing Solutions Summit this May – and we’ve got five very good reason why your should claim it today!

Wednesday 8th May

Hilton London Canary Wharf

Your complimentary pass includes;

🤝 An itinerary of pre-arranged meetings

💰 1-2-1 access to innovative, budget-saving solution providers

💭 Insightful seminars led by industry thought leaders

👋 Informal networking opportunities with peers

☕ Plus our networking lunch and refreshments

Request the current networking list here.

Places are filling up fast! – Confirm your reservation here!

Is email-only outreach a thing of the past?
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Lead rates from email-only outreach fell drastically last year, while those from multi-channel continued to climb.

That’s according to new research from Sopro, which noted a 22% drop in success rates for email-only outreach occurred in 2023 vs 2022.

This corresponded to an increase in the number of marketing emails by 49% as businesses battled for attention from prospects.

Three quarters of B2B companies surveyed believe that marketing results are better when email prospecting is combined with other outbound marketing channels, while 68% agree that email prospecting complements inbound marketing channels.

Email still holds a vital role in outreach strategy, however. 67% of buyers said they prefer to be contacted by email than any other channel, while 88% want to hear from suppliers when researching a purchasing decision.

The landscape remains challenging. An average of four stakeholders are now involved in the decision-making process, up from 3.6 in 2023. 11% of companies have between six and nine people involved. When asked to list their main marketing concerns in 2023, respondents cited lead generation (46%), lead quality (38%) and generating quality content (36%).

Sopro analysed data from more than 75.2 million emails and combined them with insights from over 350 sales and marketing professionals, outlined in the State of Prospecting 2024 whitepaper.

The study comes as businesses prepare for new regulations by Google and Yahoo, which are due to be enforced from February 2024. These will apply to anyone who sends more than 5,000 emails per day, in a bid to clamp down on spam.

Ryan Welmans, CEO and co-founder at Sopro said: “It is clearly a tough environment for businesses and marketing professionals, with increased competition and stricter regulations on the way, against a constantly evolving economic backdrop. But this also presents an opportunity for those who have the knowledge and tools to follow best practice and stand out from the crowd.

“The new regulations echo a belief that we have always held at Sopro – that emails should be personalised, relevant and value-driven. When combining expertise with new tools – in particular AI – businesses can offer recipients real personalisation that goes beyond email and that can be maximised across all relevant channels. We hope that the information in this new whitepaper will act as a practical guide for sales and marketing professionals, prompting them to set strong multi-channel strategies for 2024 and beyond.”

Another new development is that 18% of people are happy to be contacted by post, which is more than double the number in the previous year. This suggests that personalised direct mail could be highly valuable for intelligent prospecting.

The research indicated that gifting can increase lead quality by 36.1%. Branded merchandise was reported to be the next most successful gift (49%), with beers, wine, or spirits at 44%. Disappointingly for the planet, tree planting was the least used gift option, with 45% of survey respondents failing to redeem the gift.

CONTENT MANAGEMENT MONTH: Establishing and maintaining an effective framework
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Efficient content management is an essential elements of the best marketing departments. It’s not just about producing high-quality content; it’s about managing it in a way that maximises its impact and reach. For marketing professionals looking to establish and maintain effective content management systems, here are some top tips…

  1. Develop a Clear Content Strategy: Before diving into content creation, it’s crucial to have a clear strategy in place. This should outline your goals, target audience, content themes, and key messages. A well-defined strategy ensures that all content is aligned with your organisation’s overall objectives and brand voice.
  2. Implement a Robust Content Management System (CMS): A good CMS is the backbone of efficient content management. Choose a CMS that is user-friendly, flexible, and scalable. It should allow for easy collaboration, scheduling, and publishing of content across various platforms.
  3. Create a Content Calendar: Planning is key. Develop a content calendar that outlines what to publish, when, and on which channels. This not only helps in maintaining a consistent posting schedule but also ensures that your content is timely and relevant.
  4. Understand and Segment Your Audience: Different segments of your audience may respond to different types of content. Understanding your audience’s preferences and behaviours will allow you to tailor your content accordingly. Segmentation can lead to more targeted and effective content strategies.
  5. Prioritise Quality and Relevance: In the rush to produce more content, don’t compromise on quality and relevance. High-quality, relevant content will engage your audience more effectively and strengthen your brand’s reputation.
  6. Optimise Content for Search Engines: SEO should be a key consideration in your content strategy. Use relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and tags to ensure your content ranks well in search engine results, thereby reaching a wider audience.
  7. Leverage Analytics: Use analytics tools to track the performance of your content. Metrics such as engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates can provide insights into what works and what doesn’t, helping you refine your content strategy over time.
  8. Encourage Collaboration Across Teams: Content creation shouldn’t be siloed within the marketing team alone. Encourage collaboration across different departments – such as sales, customer service, and product development – for diverse and more insightful content.
  9. Regularly Update and Repurpose Content: The digital world is ever-changing, and so is the relevance of your content. Regularly review and update your content to ensure it remains accurate and relevant. Also, look for opportunities to repurpose content into different formats to maximise its utility.
  10. Stay Adaptable and Agile: The content landscape is constantly evolving with new trends and technologies. Stay adaptable and be willing to tweak your content strategy in response to new developments and audience insights.

Efficient content management requires a strategic approach, robust systems and processes, audience understanding, a focus on quality and SEO, use of analytics, cross-departmental collaboration, regular updates, and adaptability. By adhering to these principles, marketing professionals can establish and maintain a content management system that drives engagement and achieves organisational goals.

Are you searching for Content Management solutions for your organisation? The Digital Marketing Solutions Summit can help!

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

If you specialise in Lead Generation & Tracking we want to hear from you!
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Each month on Digital Marketing Briefing we’re shining the spotlight on different parts of the print and marketing sectors – and in February we’ll be focussing on Lead Generation & Tracking solutions.

It’s all part of our ‘Recommended’ editorial feature, designed to help marketing industry professionals find the best products and services available today.

So, if you specialise in Lead Generation & Tracking and would like to be included as part of this exciting new shop window, we’d love to hear from you – for more info, contact Kerry Naumburger on k.naumburger@forumevents.co.uk.

Feb 2024 – Lead Generation & Tracking
Mar 2024 – Email Marketing
April 2024 – Digital Printing
May 2024 – Social Media
Jun 2024 – Brand Monitoring
July 2024 – Web Analytics
Aug 2024 – Conversion Rate Optimisation
Sept 2024 – Digital Signage
Oct 2024 – Brochure Printing
Nov 2024 – Creative & Design
Dec 2024 – Online Strategy
Jan 2025 – Content Management

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

UK Global Screen Fund awards £3.3m to support global marketing efforts
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The BFI has made a further 30 awards through its UK Global Screen Fund, backing seven new international co-productions and supporting 23 UK screen content businesses to boost their international marketing activities and enhance the success of their content globally.

Financed through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the latest batch of awards sees over £1.3 million being allocated through the fund’s International Co-production strand and over £2 million being allocated through the fund’s International Business Development strand.

This latest round of International Co-production awards sees the UK co-producing with 12 territories and will be the first time the fund has supported collaborations with Hungary, Norway and Spain. The funding will also support partnerships with Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, New Zealand, Poland and Sweden.

The awards, in the form of non-recoupable grants, support UK independent companies as minority co-producers for feature films of all genres, and as majority and minority co-producers for TV projects in animation and documentary genres. This latest funding round supports seven feature films, including one documentary.

Financial support for International Business Development will provide the 23 companies from all over the UKwith funding via one of two tracks:

  • Film Transformation, for internationally-focused transformational business strategies related to independent UK films, with strategies spanning three to five years
  • General, for business strategies to create, acquire and/or exploit intellectual property (IP) across film, TV, animation, documentary and interactive narrative video games, with strategies spanning three years

The funding, awarded in the form of non-recoupable grants and ranging between £50,000 and £150,000 in total over a three year period, is focused on helping companies achieve new international business partnerships, enhance their profile and reach in the global marketplace, and increase revenue generation through export and international expansion.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: “The UK’s film, TV and video game firms are global trailblazers and we are determined to maximise their potential to drive economic growth and showcase their creative excellence across the world. Thanks to our investment through the UK Global Screen Fund, independent films – like the BAFTA-nominated Scrapper – are getting the support they need to develop international partnerships, attract investment and reach new audiences on a global stage.”

Denitsa Yordanova, BFI Head of the UK Global Screen Fund and International Funds, said: “This latest round of awards demonstrates the inspiring global ambitions of our unique independent screen sector, supporting companies across the UK to forge new international collaborations and implement exciting growth strategies. It is fantastic to also see such a strong slate of co-production projects, working with a diverse range of international territories, many for the first time. The UK Global Screen Fund is proud to back such a wide variety of ambitious plans for creating new content with international resonance and for developing business strategies to reach international audiences and I look forward to following these ambitious projects and companies as they reach their full potential in the global marketplace.”

Photo by Gordon Cowie on Unsplash

Immersive technologies set for ‘transformative impact’ across sectors
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The growing demand for immersive experiences is transforming how people engage with content and their environment, offering captivating virtual worlds and enhancing education, training, and various sectors like healthcare, consumer, retail, automotive, travel & tourism and games.

That’s according to Saurabh Daga, Associate Project Manager of Disruptive Tech at GlobalData, who summarised the firm’s latest report by saying: “The demand for platforms infused with technologies like AR, VR, and mixed reality has been growing across sectors due to their ability to enhance training, consumer experiences, and operational efficiency. In healthcare, they enable realistic medical simulations, boosting skills and safety. E-commerce benefits from interactive product visuals, enhancing decision-making. The automotive sector uses them for design, manufacturing, and customer engagement. In travel & tourism, they enrich tourist experiences. Moreover, immersive platforms are finding greater use in industrial sectors bridging the divide between physical and digital for enterprises.”

GlobalData’s “Immersive enterprise: the sector impact of alternative reality technologies” report delves into over 60 real-life implementations of immersive technologies. The report categorizes these implementations based on the end-use sectors and use cases.

GE Healthcare partnered with medtech company MediView XR to create the OmnifyXRTM Interventional Suite System, which will integrate mixed reality solutions into medical imaging. The resultant platform combines augmented reality visualization, remote collaboration, and clinical insights with medical imaging using spatial computing and mixed reality. This collaboration aims to advance the use of augmented reality in clinical settings for improved patient care and medical interventions.

Nestle uses VR for product development, creating and testing virtual prototypes in the metaverse. This streamlines the process, tracks key metrics, and gauges consumer reactions. The consumer goods company has also applied VR to optimize Purina’s pet food division’s shelving and merchandising.

Mercedes-Benz has integrated AR glasses into its Vision One-Eleven concept car. These AR glasses enhance the driving experience by overlaying real-time information, navigation, and contextual data onto the driver’s field of view, creating an immersive heads-up display. This technology aims to improve situational awareness, offer dynamic navigation guidance, and introduce greater interactivity in the vehicle.

Daga concluded: “Advanced immersive platforms are poised to revolutionize various sectors. While these technologies offer substantial benefits in training, consumer engagement, and operation streamlining, challenges like high costs, hardware limitations, and data security need to be addressed. Nonetheless, by combining with emerging technologies like AI, enterprises can overcome these challenges, leading to a more engaging and efficient future.”