Getting The Best In Lead Generation

by Anika Davis Marketing Executive

In today's world, it's not enough for businesses to simply wait for would-be customers to land on their doorstep and buy their products. In order to sell something, companies must rise above their competition. Most of the time, this means actively looking to increase their consumer base, instead of waiting for people to want to purchase what they are selling. This is where b2b lead generation comes in.

Lead generation is that phase in marketing where businesses are profiled and their potential needs, in terms of possible purchase, are identified. It is the first phase in the sales and marketing process, but not necessarily the easiest or the least important. There are a lot of companies out there that offer leads, free or otherwise. But how would someone know if the lead generation company is the right one? Here are some steps that can help identify the right lead generation company to buy qualified leads from.

Look for a company that does telemarketing as well. Most of the time, you’ll find that lead generation companies are just that, lead generation companies. While it pays to be specialists in a certain field, it is not so in lead generation. Telemarketing companies usually have their own lists, profiled by their own in-house profiling team. If the company uses the lists in calling prospects for their client companies, then the entries in those lists are good and properly qualified. Even if they were used and the telemarketing company has already attempted to sell their client’s products, it doesn’t mean that they won’t buy anything. Indeed, there is a company for every consumer need and if they won’t buy from one, maybe they’ll buy from another. That’s really the point of marketing and what companies should take advantage of when getting leads.
Buy only from trusted companies. Sometimes, leads are just that, leads. They aren’t properly classified and qualified according to possible needs or the type of businesses that they are. This is a very important factor to consider, especially for specialized businesses, like IT and networking service providers or software companies. Not every prospect can use their products or can afford to purchase their packages, which might cost too much for them. If you buy from trusted lead generation companies, then you can be sure that the entries in their list for IT can potentially buy IT products or services. There’s no wasted entry, hence no wasted opportunity for lead buyers to make a sale.
Look for companies that offer free leads as well as paid ones. Free leads might not always work for a particular company but that’s the point of buying leads. Leads might not be qualified for a company or it might. This is a long shot but long shots sometimes pay off big time. And besides, it’s not like you paid for it so might as well use it. Just be careful. Don’t use leads that haven’t been profiled in more than three months.

Using and purchasing business leads are two different things. When it comes to buying leads, it really pays to know what you buy and where you buy it from. You paid for it, so it makes sense to make sure that you get your money’s worth.