B2B lead-gen isn't simply 'You're a dog; I'm a dog. Let's play!'

While these marketing promises are very effective at lining the pockets of these agencies and helping them leverage your name to get their next short-lived client, they don't help you achieve your short- and long-term goals. You know from experience that generating quality leads is much more nuanced, and the game changes as soon as you have the formula locked in.

Managing expectations

Thirty years of experience in B2B marketing, working with many of the world's largest and most recognisable brands has taught us three important lessons we apply to marketing for mid-sized B2B Australian businesses. 

Lesson 1. Reputations matter

Reputations can take decades to build and minutes to destroy. In the digital environment, reputation matters more than ever before. Mid-sized businesses can outsmart even larger competitors if they understand how to build and maintain digital profiles. It starts with authenticity and generosity of the knowledge and experiences your share.

Lesson 2. Visibility and consistency

Many years ago, we were asked to work on a project that would help a brand in Australia get on the tender list. This brand's issue was that they were perceived to be a 'backyard' engineering company. That company was ABB, the world's largest engineering company that employs over 110 000 people across 100 countries. Our strategy focused on creating a consistent profile with specific groups of potential clients, allowing them to win a tender for a significant turnkey paper mill contract in Tasmania within months. We have had similar experiences with mid-sized Australian businesses and helped build a consistent, highly visible profile with particular customers.

Lesson 3. Pre-qualification

If someone promises to deliver you 'x' number of leads per month without knowing the specific challenges of your business, can you believe them? Even if they are successful, will the leads be the right ones or time wasters that your sales team need to try to qualify? You don't want more leads; you want more highly qualified leads that convert to long-term clients. That's more of a science and, like all scientific endeavours, depends on a deeper understanding and focus on a specific subject matter. 

In B2B marketing, that specific subject matter is how existing and potential new clients perceive and how your products and services align with their needs. Our experience is that there is no 'off the shelf, 'one size fits all B2B marketing strategy that will work for every business. Like every aspect of your business, you need a qualified team to achieve your business aims. The most efficient way in the B2B marketing space is by building enduring relationships with external B2B marketers committed long-term to attaining and maintaining your business goals.

Aligning your expectations with reality

There is no such thing as a 'quick fix' B2B marketing solution. Nor is there a 'solid-state solution. You need a team of experienced B2B marketing professionals who will deliver straight answers on what you can achieve, what you need to invest and how long it takes to implement the paradigm-changing strategies that will help your sales team achieve sustainable growth.

The principles of B2B Marketing

The most crucial component of B2B marketing is risk mitigation. Risk mitigation relies on reputation building and management, and discoverability. It also depends on authenticity and honesty. Your next clients will only engage in your sales process once they have completed their own individual pre-qualify process, evaluating your reputation and determining the credibility and value of your offer. Every B2B goes through this process. Without a clearly defined digital strategy to help guide them through every stage of this process, you will fail to achieve the quality leads that become cornerstones of your business. Rather than view your B2B marketing as simple as 'You're a dog, I'm a dog. Let's play!', develop a more nuanced methodology that reduces the space between you and your new clients.