The 7 factors below are in order chronologically. Approaching them in this order (starting with the data, moving through the development of a reputation, building access at the right level and then a concentration on timing) has the greatest cumulative effect.
Factor 1: The best campaigns have a deep understanding of the data set to be campaigned on. Typically, the data set and a joint go-to-market strategy around it have been developed with the sales team at the outset. Marketers who use the sales teams' knowledge to help segment and tier target organisations and develop specific programmes for each will have best success.
Factor 2: The internet is rapidly becoming a fantastic source of information. Both to get your data (sources such as LinkedIn and ZoomInfo) and to work out who should be in it (searching Monster for job descriptions similar to those of the people you are targeting, reading end-user blogs (ie Waitrose's MD kept a blog for the whole of last year). Real-time information helps targeted campaigns strike at the most opportune moment.
Factor 3: It's not just the data you have - you need to ensure you are positioning to attract the right kind of customers. If you occupy the right position in people's minds, they will come to you, or at least meet you halfway. In building a compelling set of content using to communicate intelligently with it, you'll find you are attracting people, and your data set will grow organically as contacts and colleagues add themselves to your database.
Factor 4: In the lead generation space there's a lot of debate about spend on brand awareness versus lead generation. The best campaigns acknowledge that it's never about one or the other. Continuous campaigning builds brand through the very process of a longer term communication strategy that adds value, changes opinion, positions… and in doing so, generates leads.
Factor 5: In designing the content of a campaign, first consider the prospect's next step. In enterprise B2B marketing, the next step is very rarely to click and buy. Think through the journey you want the prospect to go on, and sell the next step more than selling the product or service.
Factor 6: The quality of the content you're providing is critical. In the spirit of reciprocity, people receiving your campaign will only give once they've taken - it's all about a value exchange. It doesn't have to be big on spend, but rather big on thought. What do they really need to help them do their jobs better? Become a resource for your target audience - crack this and you're streets ahead of a traditional campaign.
Factor 7: Work hard to know when it's right. Industry statistics suggest that only ¼ of leads generated are ever sales ready at the point of generation. Monitor news and accounts and keep good records of purchasing cycles. Work a mixture of useful information and harder sales messages through your ongoing communications, pushing harder when your intel suggests you should, and taking a softly-softly approach at other times. Factor 2 can help you here as well, intelligence from the research (the web, your sales team etc) can tell you when you approach a company or industry.
The Marketing Practice specialises in lead generation programmes for complex B2B propositons and won this year's B2B Agency of the Year award from B2B Marketing Magazine. Get in touch with us for more details. +44 (0)1235 8332333