Inbound vs. Outbound Lead Generation – Which Is Right For Your Business?

If you’re looking to bring in more customers and grow your business, you may not be sure exactly where you should concentrate your efforts. Should you and your sales team focus on outbound lead generation, or should you work on inbound lead generation?

The short answer is that a mixture of both inbound and outbound lead generation is likely right for your business. But to understand why, it’s important to understand the basics of both methods. Here is a little breakdown:

Understanding Outbound Lead Generation

Outbound lead generation involves reaching out to people who may be interested in what you have to offer, but have not taken any action or expressed explicit interest in your products or services. You’re reaching “out” to a potential new customer. This can include:

• Email

• Phone calls

• SMS messages

• InMail

• Paid social ads

• Paid ads on search engines

• Participating in trade shows/conferences

Outbound lead generation is an important part of sales for just about every company, and it has lots of benefits. You can reach the widest possible variety of people in your target audience, generate leads fairly quickly, and build awareness of your products and services. And modern tools and techniques like data collection and market segmentation make it easier to hone in on your target audience and develop a more effective strategy.

Understanding Inbound Lead Generation

So, what’s inbound lead generation? Unlike outbound which reaches “out” to customers, inbound lead generation brings them “in” to your website, social pages, and other resources in a more organic way. This adds value for potential customers and builds the reputation of your business. Some examples of inbound lead generation methods include:

• An SEO-optimized website

• Website content like blogs and case studies

• Organic social media posts

• Email newsletters

• Free whitepapers and eBooks

• Webinars and training sessions

Inbound marketing has lots of benefits. It feels more organic and less “salesy,” helps provide valuable information about your services and products to customers. This helps enhance your reputation and positions your business as an industry leader. 

Also, leads who come to you through inbound channels are more likely to “self-qualify.” If someone visits your website, for example, there’s a pretty good chance that they're interested in what you have to offer!

Want To Grow Your Business? You Need To Use Both Strategies!

So, what’s best for you? We may have already spoiled it in the intro, but we think that a good mixture of both strategies is the ideal choice for most businesses.

Consider a scenario where you call a potential customer. You tell them about what you have to offer, the customer listens to your pitch, and then tells you they’ll let you know if they're interested. up after a quick call. Then, they Google your company and can’t even find your website on the first page of search results – or they find it and it’s basic, bare bones, and lacks valuable resources and content. You might miss out on a sale.

Or, on the other hand, you might have a fantastic website with great resources and tons of helpful content as well as a highly active social media presence. But if you never use any outbound techniques like cold calling, sending out emails, or buying display ads, only a small portion of your ideal customers will find out about what you have to offer.

By investing in both inbound and outbound strategies, you can build up a comprehensive lead generation plan that gives you the best possible chance of bringing in new customers. The right ratio of outbound to inbound investment may vary depending on your industry. But both types of lead generation are important for continued business growth.

Related Post: 7 Common Mistakes in B2B Lead Generation and How to Avoid Them

AI Prompts to Create High-Converting Email Copy

In the rapidly evolving world of digital marketing, email remains a powerful tool for engaging with customers. However, crafting emails that drive conversion can be challenging. This is where artificial intelligence (AI) can make a significant impact. AI prompts offer a way to generate compelling email copy that not only captures attention but also converts. In this blog post, we’ll explore the power of AI prompts to create high-converting email copy, ensuring your messages resonate and drive action.

Understanding AI Prompts for Email Marketing

AI prompts are predefined inputs or instructions given to AI tools to generate specific outputs. These prompts can be incredibly effective in email marketing, helping marketers craft personalized, engaging, and persuasive emails. Understanding how to use these prompts effectively can transform your email marketing strategy.

Personalization at Scale

Personalization is a key factor in email marketing success. Emails with personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened. However, personalizing each email manually is impractical, especially for large lists. AI prompts can automate this process, ensuring each recipient feels uniquely addressed.

Example AI Prompts:

• "Generate an email greeting using the recipient's first name and a friendly tone."

• "Create a personalized product recommendation email based on the recipient’s purchase history."

Using these prompts, AI can produce tailored email content that speaks directly to the individual, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

Crafting Attention-Grabbing Subject Lines

The subject line is the first thing a recipient sees, making it crucial for driving open rates. An effective subject line should be engaging and relevant. AI can assist in creating subject lines that catch the reader’s eye and encourage them to open the email.

Example AI Prompts:

• "Generate five subject lines for a limited-time offer email."

• "Create a subject line that emphasizes a 20% discount and creates urgency."

Experimenting with AI-generated subject lines allows you to find the ones that perform best, optimizing your emails for higher open rates.

Writing Engaging Body Content

The body of your email must be engaging and drive the reader towards a clear call-to-action (CTA). AI prompts can help generate body content that is concise, persuasive, and aligned with the recipient's interests.

Example AI Prompts:

• "Write a brief and engaging introduction for an email announcing a new product launch."

• "Create a persuasive paragraph explaining the benefits of attending an upcoming webinar."

AI can generate multiple versions of email content, enabling you to choose the most effective one or perform A/B testing to determine which version converts better.

Maximizing Conversion with AI-Generated Emails

While AI can significantly enhance your email marketing efforts, human oversight remains essential. Use AI prompts to generate content ideas and drafts, but always review and refine the final copy to ensure it aligns with your brand voice and message.

Tips for Effective AI Utilization

1. Define Clear Objectives: Clearly outline what you want to achieve with your email campaign. This will help you create more focused AI prompts.

2. Combine AI with Human Creativity: Use AI-generated content as a foundation, then add your unique touch to make the content stand out.

3. Test and Optimize: Regularly test different versions of AI-generated emails to see which ones perform best. Use these insights to continuously optimize your campaigns.

Related Post: 5 Ways To Utilize AI Tools Like ChatGPT In B2B Lead Generation

Conclusion

AI prompts can revolutionize your email marketing strategy, helping you create high-converting email copy with ease. By leveraging AI, you can achieve a higher level of personalization, craft compelling subject lines, and create engaging email content that drives conversions. Remember, the combination of AI efficiency and human creativity is key to maximizing your results.

7 Common Mistakes in B2B Lead Generation and How to Avoid Them

Looking to bring in more clients and keep your company growing? B2B lead generation can be tough, especially for small-to-midsize businesses. If you’re having trouble bringing in more qualified leads, you may recognize one or more of the following common mistakes in B2B lead generation. Read on to learn more about each one – and how to avoid them!

1. Not Identifying Your Target Audience Properly

If you don’t properly identify your target audience from the beginning of the B2B lead generation, you’ll be wasting your time and money by pursuing customers who may not even be interested in your products or services.

Before you begin your lead generation strategy, the first step should be to establish your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile). What companies are interested in your services? What problems do they have? How much do they have to spend? Taking the time to build an ICP ensures that you’ll get more qualified leads who will actually be interested in what you have to offer.

2. Abandoning A Strategy Too Quickly

It takes time to build your B2B lead generation strategy and get into the swing of things. At Incept Grows, we’ve seen some companies abandon their new strategy far too quickly – before it even has the chance to get off of the ground.

Strategies like outbound lead generation take time and commitment to get to the desired outcomes. Don’t just try a new strategy and call it quits if you don’t see a sale within 30 days. If interest from potential leads is there and the underlying metrics look good,  it’s just a matter of time until your strategy starts working.

3. Being Unwilling To Pivot If Your Strategy Isn’t Working

In the same way, it’s not a good idea to commit to a strategy and refuse to pivot if it’s not working. If you’ve been trying a new strategy for a few months and you’re just not getting results, you should be willing to learn as you go and pivot to something new.

Not all strategies work for all companies, and that’s okay. So if something isn’t working, don’t succumb to the sunk cost fallacy and keep going – you need to be willing to get a fresh perspective and try something new.

4. Failing To Collect Data And KPIs About Lead Generation Efforts

This relates to the above two points. When you’re starting a B2B lead generation campaign, you need to use modern tools to collect data about your efforts and see how well you’re actually doing. These may include KPIs like:

• Open rate/response rate

• Conversion rates

• Cost per lead

• Total number of leads

• Acquisition channels

Using this data, you can track the success of your B2B lead generation efforts – in the past, present, and future. This can give you some valuable insights, streamline your campaign, and help you choose the most effective channels for B2B lead generation.

5. Aiming For Quantity Over Quality

You may be tempted to do things like purchase contact lists from third-party brokers, then send out tons of mass emails or make a lot of cold calls. The more people you contact, the better your odds of success, right?

Not quite. Would you rather reach out to 100 potential leads and make no sales, or reach out to 10 leads and make one sale? By using a more focused, “quality-first” approach, you’ll spend less time on lead generation and be more likely to actually make a sale, too.

6. Not Emphasizing Personal And Authentic Connections

This goes along with the previous point. The people you’re trying to contact aren’t just robots or names on a spreadsheet. They're real people! If you don’t recognize this, you’ll have a hard time connecting on a personal level and making a sale.

So don’t use spammy templates or make fully scripted phone calls. Instead, take the time to do some research about each contact, learn more about their company and what they do, and make a personal and authentic connection. Interested in more on this topic? Take a look at our blog post about the importance of personalization in B2B prospecting.

7. Using An Inconsistent Follow-Up Schedule 

If you’re using an inconsistent follow-up schedule – or no schedule at all – your B2B lead generation strategy won’t live up to its full potential. Whether you’re operating on your own or leading a sales team, you want to make sure that your team follows up on leads consistently.

Schedules can vary depending on your needs. For example, you could send an email one day, follow up with a phone call the next day, and send an InMail message on the third day if you haven’t yet gotten a response. The most important thing is to set a certain schedule and stick to it – this will help you and your team stay on the same page and get more consistent results.

Need Help With B2B Lead Generation?

If your B2B lead generation needs are outgrowing your sales team, we are here to help. We focus on both inbound and outbound B2B lead generation services. No matter your line of work, our inside sales experts work hand-in-glove with your team to deliver the best possible results. Contact us online or give us a call at 330-994-1349 to schedule a 100% free consultation and learn more.

Our Top 5 Sales Books – What You And Your Team Should Be Reading

Whether you’re a sales professional or you’re a small business owner working to close sales on your own, there’s always room to grow your sales skills and knowledge. And while blog posts and other online resources are great, old-fashioned books are still a fantastic resource if you want to sell more effectively.

But where should you start? There are literally tens of thousands of sales books out there that promise to help you gain more prospects, convert them into leads, and close on sales. You can’t read them all, so which ones are the best? Here’s a short overview of five of our favorite sales books:

1. The Challenger Sale

• Who wrote it? Brent Adamson and Matthew Dixon. They both are frequent contributors to Harvard Business Review. Matt is also the founder of DCM Insights, a boutique sales consultancy, and Brent has spent more than 20 years as an executive at CEB (now Gartner), where he now works as their Global Head of Research and Communities at Ecosystems.

• What’s it about? The Challenger Sale is based on one of the most exhaustive, in-depth studies of the sales field ever performed. The study found that there are five primary “archetypes” of salespeople – and while all can deliver results, only one, “The Challenger” delivers the very best results. Rather than being apologetic or relying primarily on “canned” sales pitches, Challengers are assertive, focused on solving client problems, and always stay in control while making a sale. 

• Why should I read it? The Challenger Sale has tons of great, B2B-focused sales insights – as well as strategies, tools, and principles that you can use to adopt the namesake “Challenger” style of selling at your own business. Adamson and Dixon back up their insights with tons of data and research, and the writing style is straightforward, simple, and easy to understand.

2. Purple Cow

• Who wrote it? Seth Godin, an author and entrepreneur best known for founding Yoyodyne, an interactive marketing agency, during the “Dot Com” boom era, as well as the revenue-sharing blogging site Squidoo in 2006. He’s written more than 20 best-selling books and eBooks, which have been translated into 38+ languages.

• What’s it about? As the name implies, Purple Cow is all about how you can make your company, your products, and your services stand out from your competitors – just like a purple cow would be unique, unexpected, and eye-catching in a field of normal cows.

• Why should I read it? Purple Cow focuses on actionable steps that help you iterate and innovate to create a truly remarkable and memorable product. If you feel like your products or services are being overlooked in a crowded B2B environment, this book is a powerful resource that can help you come up with an innovative sales strategy to set your business apart.

3. A Closing Culture

• Who wrote it? Josh Harcus. Among other ventures, he’s the founder and CEO of Hüify, which focuses on inbound marketing and sales. He also serves as the Chief Revenue Officer of Trackable and on the board of advisors for Dmanna.

• What’s it about? A Closing Culture focuses on bringing your marketing and sales teams together to deliver better results. In the book, Harcus argues that these teams which are often “siloed” need to integrate with each other to provide the best possible results.

• Why should I read it? If you’re having trouble keeping your sales and marketing efforts aligned, A Closing Culture is an invaluable resource. It includes actionable steps and strategies that help you overcome the “sales and marketing wall,” synergize your sales and marketing strategies, and close more deals.

4. The Art Of Work

• Who wrote it? Jeff Goins, who is a blogger, speaker, and writer known for founding Tribe Writers, an online writing community and educational platform. He’s contributed to major publications including Business Insider, the New York Observer, and Fast Company, among others.

• What’s it about? The Art of Work is about finding your “calling” – your life’s work, vocation, or “dream job.” It gets deep into discussions about what this may look like, while also identifying steps that can help you unlock your passion, gain motivation, and work toward your dream career or “calling.” 

• Why should I read it? Because life is hard, work can be tough, and you may feel stuck in your career or your position. The Art of Work offers motivation and insights that can help you take the next steps to reach your full potential. It also offers plenty of practical and actionable advice that you can easily implement into your work life.

5. To Sell Is Human

• Who wrote it? Daniel Pink, the author of five New York Times best-sellers including this book, as well as The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward, When, A Whole New Mind, and Drive.

• What’s it about? To Sell Is Human argues that alongside the 15 million people working in sales in the United States, the rest of us are also “selling” every day. From teachers encouraging kids to study to parents making children eat their vegetables or workers pitching colleagues and coworkers on new projects, convincing others to do what we want is an everyday occurrence for just about everyone – and we often don’t realize it.

• Why should I read it? Along with an interesting perspective on selling, To Sell Is Human offers plenty of resources and insights that help you develop your own strategies and sales skills. Rather than questionable sales tactics, this book helps you sell more effectively by understanding principles of empathy and understanding the perspectives of others.

Get A Fresh Perspective By Reading These Top Sales Books

Whether you’re struggling to sell effectively or you just want to build your skills and gain valuable insights into the modern world of sales, these five books are all great options. Grab one (or all of them) from your favorite bookstore today, start reading, and see how you can change your perspective on sales.

8 Influencers to Follow for Great Sales Content

In the fast-paced world of sales, staying updated with the latest trends, techniques, and insights is crucial. One of the best ways to stay ahead of the curve is by following influential voices in the sales and marketing space. These influencers offer a wealth of knowledge, practical tips, and inspiration to help you elevate your sales game. Here are the top influencers you should follow for great sales content:

1. Jill Konrath

Jill Konrath is a sales strategist, speaker, and author known for her expertise in complex sales and selling to big companies. Her insights are particularly valuable for those looking to streamline their sales processes and close more deals. Konrath's content often focuses on practical strategies that can be implemented immediately.

• LinkedIn: Jill Konrath

• Twitter: @jillkonrath

2. Gary Vaynerchuk

Gary Vaynerchuk, or GaryVee, is a household name in the world of marketing and sales. He is a master of digital marketing and personal branding, and his no-nonsense advice has helped countless sales professionals and entrepreneurs. GaryVee’s content is motivational and packed with actionable tips on using social media and other digital platforms to boost sales.

• LinkedIn: Gary Vaynerchuk

• Twitter: @garyvee

• Instagram: @garyvee

3. Grant Cardone

Grant Cardone is a sales trainer, speaker, and author with a focus on real estate and sales strategies. He is known for his aggressive sales tactics and 10X rule, which encourages salespeople to aim ten times higher than their original goals. Cardone’s content is ideal for those looking to push beyond their limits and achieve exceptional sales results.

• LinkedIn: Grant Cardone

• Twitter: @GrantCardone

• Instagram: @grantcardone

4. Anthony Iannarino

Anthony Iannarino is a sales leader, speaker, and author known for his expertise in B2B sales and complex sales processes. His content often revolves around building strong relationships with clients and mastering the consultative selling approach. Iannarino provides deep insights into the mindset and skills required to succeed in today’s competitive sales landscape.

• LinkedIn: Anthony Iannarino

• Twitter: @iannarino

5. Jeb Blount

Jeb Blount is a sales acceleration specialist, speaker, and author. He focuses on a variety of sales topics, including prospecting, sales management, and customer experience. Blount’s insights are practical and cover a wide range of sales challenges, making his content highly valuable for sales professionals at all levels.

• LinkedIn: Jeb Blount

• Twitter: @SalesGravy

6. Trish Bertuzzi

Trish Bertuzzi is the founder of The Bridge Group, Inc. and a thought leader in inside sales, sales development, and account-based sales. Her content is particularly useful for sales leaders looking to build and manage high-performing sales teams. Bertuzzi’s data-driven approach and industry expertise make her a must-follow for sales managers.

• LinkedIn: Trish Bertuzzi

• Twitter: @bridgegroupinc

7. John Barrows

John Barrows is a sales trainer and consultant who provides sales training to some of the world’s leading companies. His content focuses on practical sales techniques, prospecting, and closing deals. Barrows’ straightforward approach and real-world examples make his advice easy to understand and apply.

• LinkedIn: John Barrows

• Twitter: @JohnMBarrows

8. Tiffani Bova

Tiffani Bova is a sales evangelist at Salesforce and a former Gartner analyst. She is known for her insights on sales innovation and customer experience. Bova’s content is invaluable for sales professionals looking to leverage technology and data to improve their sales strategies.

• LinkedIn: Tiffani Bova

• Twitter: @Tiffani_Bova

Conclusion

Following these influencers can provide you with the inspiration, knowledge, and practical advice needed to excel in sales. Their diverse expertise and innovative approaches can help you stay ahead in the ever-evolving sales landscape. Make sure to follow them on social media, subscribe to their newsletters, and engage with their content to continuously improve your sales skills and strategies.