Should I Hire A Salesperson Or Outsource My B2B Lead Generation Efforts

If your business is booming, congratulations are in order! You’ve managed to rise above the noise in your industry, differentiate your offerings, and outmaneuver some of your fiercest competitors. Your sales team has a tight strategy, and everything’s clicking.

But scaling a growing business comes with a unique set of challenges. As your sales workload grows, the question becomes: How do you handle the demand without losing momentum or focus? You’re facing a classic growing-pains dilemma: Do you invest in a full-time, internal salesperson, or do you partner with an outsourced B2B lead generation powerhouse like Incept?

It’s a big decision, and both options have their appeal. Hiring in-house could mean someone who lives and breathes your company culture. But that comes with a full-time salary, benefits, training, and direct management. And let’s be honest—high turnover can mean that just when your new hire finally gets your business, they’re off to greener pastures, leaving you to restart the hiring carousel.

On the other hand, outsourcing promises expert-level efficiency and cost savings—but do you lose some control? The stakes are high, and your sales strategy could make or break your growth.

Don’t sweat it. We’re here to guide you through the ins and outs, the pros and cons, and help you decide which path will best supercharge your sales efforts. We’ll also debunk the myth that outsourcing is like hiring from a staffing agency—it’s a whole different level of strategic partnership.

Ready to dive into the details? Let’s untangle this sales conundrum and set you up for success.

Outsourcing B2B Lead Generation: Key Benefits

When it comes to growing your sales pipeline, outsourcing your B2B lead generation isn’t just about delegating busy work—it’s about gaining a strategic advantage. Here’s why partnering with an expert B2B lead generation outsourcing team can transform your sales efforts:

Cost Savings Without Sacrificing Quality

Hiring a full-time salesperson doesn’t just hit your payroll; it can feel like an endless cash drain. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, recruiting a new employee can cost as much as three to four times your new hire’s annual salary. Between recruiting fees, training, salaries, benefits, and potential turnover costs, you’re investing a hefty amount before you even see results.

In contrast, outsourcing provides you with a team of skilled experts at a fraction of the cost. For the price of one mid-level, full-time hire, you get a comprehensive suite of services, from cold calling to digital campaigns, managed by specialists who already know how to generate leads that convert​​.

Expert Efficiency Right Out of the Gate

Think of an outsourced lead generation partner as a well-oiled sales machine. With years of experience, cutting-edge tools, and proven strategies, they don’t need to warm up or get their bearings—they’re ready to go. Imagine having a team that integrates seamlessly into your sales efforts, using data-driven approaches to target and engage the right prospects. For instance, a partner specializing in trade show exhibits and experiences saw their conversion rates soar from 15% to 33% in just a few months after partnering with us.

Scalability That Matches Your Growth

One of the biggest advantages of outsourcing is the ability to scale up or down based on your business needs. Need to ramp up lead generation for a new product launch? No problem. Want to pull back during slower seasons? Easy. Incept’s fractional services are designed to adapt to your changing requirements, providing flexibility that an internal hire simply can’t match. You’re in control without the commitment​​.

Reduced Risk and Simplified Management

Sales hires can be risky. Even the most promising salesperson may not be a perfect fit, and if they leave, you’re back to square one. With outsourcing, the risk is mitigated. Incept’s model ensures you always have a reliable, trained team working on your behalf, and if something isn’t working, we adjust quickly to maximize results. Plus, we handle the day-to-day management, so you can focus on the bigger picture while we keep your lead generation running smoothly​​.

Access to Advanced Tools and Techniques

Outsourcing with a B2B lead gen company means leveraging industry-leading tools and technology—without paying for licenses or building the infrastructure yourself. We use powerful CRMs, sales automation, email tracking, and data analytics platforms to optimize every touchpoint. Our expertise ensures that no lead falls through the cracks, and your sales process is always fine-tuned for maximum impact​​.

Internal Sales Hire: When It Works Best

While outsourcing can be a game-changer, there are times when bringing a full-time salesperson onto your team is the smarter move. Ask yourself:

• Do you have consistent sales volume that requires a full-time employee?

• Is your product or service highly specialized, requiring deep technical expertise?

• Do you need someone to actively collaborate in daily operations and strategy discussions?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, an internal hire might make the most sense for your business.

Perfect Candidate Availability

Sometimes, the stars align, and the perfect candidate appears on your radar. Maybe they have years of experience in your industry, a proven sales track record, or a network of contacts that could instantly boost your business. In these cases, it’s hard to pass up the opportunity to bring this talent in-house. A candidate who’s a perfect cultural fit and understands your market inside and out can become a valuable long-term asset.

Full-Time Need

If your business has reached a point where lead generation and sales responsibilities are constant and overwhelming, hiring a dedicated full-time salesperson might be the right call. For companies with enough sales volume to keep someone busy 40 hours a week—or more—it’s a worthwhile investment. This internal role is perfect for when you need someone who can handle every stage of the sales process, from initial outreach to closing deals, without splitting focus​.

Industry Complexity

Highly specialized or technical industries can pose unique challenges. If your business operates in a niche market or deals with complex products, an internal salesperson with deep industry knowledge may be indispensable. They’ll not only understand the nuances of your product but also know how to communicate its value effectively to potential clients. In these cases, an internal expert can leverage their familiarity with industry-specific language, trends, and networks to close deals that an outsourced partner might find difficult to navigate​​.

Collaboration Benefits

Even the best outsourcing partners can’t replace the benefits of having a salesperson right in the room with you. An internal hire allows for immediate, face-to-face collaboration with your team, enabling quick adjustments and strategy shifts. They can join brainstorming sessions, participate in spontaneous discussions, and truly embed themselves in your company’s culture. This level of proximity can be crucial for businesses where rapid, ongoing communication between departments is key to success​​.

Differentiation from a Staffing Agency

When businesses consider outsourcing, it’s easy to conjure up images of overseas staffing challenges or draw comparisons to the short-term fixes offered by traditional staffing agencies. With Incept, you get a strategic partner—not just temporary support.

Fractional Model vs. Temporary Staffing

Incept’s fractional sales model is built to provide maximum value and flexibility. For the cost of one mid-level full-time hire, you gain access to a comprehensive sales solution that combines strategy, management, and execution. Instead of getting a single temporary worker, you receive the collective expertise of a full team dedicated to driving your lead generation goals. We cover everything from creating data-driven strategies to managing your sales pipeline and executing campaigns​​.

Contrast that with a staffing agency, which may fill a seat with temporary labor but typically lacks a cohesive, strategic approach. Staffing agencies often provide workers who require significant oversight, may not have the depth of experience needed for specialized sales tasks, and are rarely focused on aligning with your long-term business objectives. In short, you get bodies—not a fully integrated sales partner​.

Embedded Partnership

At Incept, we don’t just work for you; we work with you. Our team becomes an extension of your own, investing time to understand your company culture, processes, and sales goals. We’re committed to building authentic relationships and aligning our strategies with your vision. This level of integration means our success is tied directly to yours, fostering a sense of shared purpose and collaboration that you simply won’t find with a temporary staffing arrangement​​.

Outcome-Oriented and Flexible Engagements

Our approach is built around flexibility and results. Unlike staffing agencies that lock you into rigid contracts with little room for adjustment, Incept’s engagements are designed to be agile. We can scale services up or down based on your business needs, whether you’re launching a new product, entering a new market, or experiencing seasonal demand. Our short-term, results-focused projects ensure you’re only paying for what you need, when you need it​​.

Your Next Sales Win Starts Here: Let’s Talk Growth

Deciding whether to hire an internal salesperson or outsource your B2B lead generation efforts is no small feat. On one hand, an in-house hire could offer deep industry knowledge and seamless collaboration—but at a high cost, with the added risk of turnover. On the other, outsourcing gives you a flexible, expert-driven approach that scales with your needs, but you might wonder about maintaining control.

Here’s the thing: the right choice is the one that best supports your growth goals—and Incept is here to make that decision easier. Our fractional model integrates seamlessly with your team, offering strategy, management, and execution to drive real results. No long-term contracts. No hassle. Just a dedicated partner focused on propelling your business forward.

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

Why Your B2B Emails Are Getting Ignored—And How to Fix It

Your prospects are buried under a daily flood of emails—pitches that blur together, subject lines that scream “delete,” and cookie-cutter templates that feel like spam. B2B buyers don’t have time to sift through clutter. They skim, they delete, they move on. If your email doesn’t hit within seconds, you’re out.

That’s why top-performing teams are embracing AI—not as a shortcut, but as a tool to craft emails that work. They’re using it to research prospects faster, tailor messaging to pain points, and generate high-converting copy without spending hours over every draft.

The result? More opens, more replies, more conversations with decision-makers.

This guide breaks down exactly how to use generative AI to write B2B sales emails that cut through the noise—turning your outreach from useless inbox clutter to a sales-generating machine.

What’s Holding Your Emails Back (And How AI Can Help)

If you’re struggling to get responses, chances are you’re running into one (or more) of these common issues.

Before we get into how AI can transform your email outreach, it’s important to understand why most B2B sales emails fail.

1. Subject Lines That Get Overlooked

Your subject line is your first—and often only—shot to grab attention. If it’s vague, cliché, or irrelevant, it’s getting ignored.

The AI Advantage:

AI tools can quickly generate a range of data-backed, attention-grabbing subject lines tailored to your audience.

2. Openings That Feel Generic

Starting with “Hope you’re well” or “Wanted to introduce myself” tells the reader this is just another sales email. Buyers are skimming—your opening needs to earn their attention in seconds.

The AI Advantage:

AI can help personalize your opening lines by pulling in company news, LinkedIn updates, or common pain points based on industry trends.

3. Messages That Sound Like Mass Blasts

Buyers can spot a copy-paste email from a mile away. If your outreach reads like it could apply to any business, it won’t resonate with anyone.

The AI Advantage:

With AI, you can quickly tailor emails to individual prospects or segments, adding personal details without sacrificing speed.

4. Pitching Too Soon

Launching into your product or service before addressing your prospect’s challenges is a common misstep. If your email is all about you, it’s getting deleted.

The AI Advantage:

AI can help shift your messaging to focus on solving problems—generating copy that highlights pain points and offers quick wins.

5. Weak or Missing Calls to Action

Even a well-crafted email falls flat if it leaves the reader wondering, What now? If you’re not guiding prospects toward a next step, you’re relying on them to figure it out. Make it easy for them to say “yes”.

The AI Advantage:

AI can suggest clear, low-friction CTAs that align with your outreach goals, whether that’s scheduling a call, requesting more info, or simply getting a reply.

How to Use Generative AI to Write B2B Emails That Convert

Generative AI is not a replacement for strategy, insight, or human connection—it’s a tool. A powerful one. Used correctly, it can help sales and marketing teams create clearer, more personalized emails faster. The result? Less time drafting, more time selling.

That’s why it’s no surprise that 78% of companies are already integrating generative AI into their content creation processes—from drafting emails to building entire marketing campaigns. Forward-thinking teams are using AI not to replace human creativity, but to enhance it—speeding up ideation, improving message precision, and scaling outreach without sacrificing quality.

But here’s the key: AI is most effective when it’s applied intentionally—at each stage of your email development process, from the subject line to the call to action.

Let’s break it down.

1. Craft Subject Lines That Get Opened

Your email is competing against dozens, sometimes hundreds, of others for your prospect’s attention. If your subject line doesn’t cut through in under two seconds, your message will never be read.

AI can help here by generating dozens of variations in seconds, allowing you to test different styles and zero in on what works.

What Works in B2B Subject Lines:

• Personalization: Using the recipient’s name, company, or referencing a recent event.

• Curiosity: Creating a gap in knowledge that encourages them to open.

• Problem-Solution Pairing: Addressing a pain point or hinting at a quick solution.

• Social Proof: Suggesting that others like them are already benefiting.

AI Prompt Example:

“Generate 10 subject lines under 50 characters for a cold B2B sales email targeting manufacturing operations managers, addressing supply chain efficiency issues.”

Sample AI Output:

• “Cut costs like [Competitor Name] did”

• “Fix your supply chain bottlenecks fast”

• “How [Industry Leader] sped up fulfillment”

Testing: Don’t Just Choose—Test It

Once you’ve generated several subject lines, the real work starts—figuring out which one actually drives opens. This is where A/B testing comes in.

Here’s How to Test Subject Lines (Without Overcomplicating It):

1. Segment Your List:

If you’re reaching out to 500 contacts, split the list into two or three equal parts (e.g., 250, 250). Each group gets a different subject line.

2. Choose a Testing Platform:

Most email platforms have built-in A/B testing tools:

• HubSpot: Automates A/B testing for subject lines and tracks open rates.

• Mailchimp: Simple A/B testing functionality; great for marketing teams.

• Salesloft: Built specifically for sales outreach, tracks email performance.

• Outreach.io: Allows testing in multi-step sales sequences.

• Apollo.io: Combines prospecting and email testing with AI-powered analytics.

3. Run the Test:

• Select two or three subject lines.

• Send each version to a portion of your audience.

• Track open rates (your key metric here).

4. Analyze and Refine:

• After 24-48 hours, evaluate the open rates:

• Which subject line got the most opens?

• Did one version lead to more replies or positive responses?

5. Double Down on What Works:

Take the winning subject line and use it in a broader campaign, or use AI to generate similar variations.

Pro Tip:

When testing, only change one element at a time. If you’re testing subject lines, keep the email body the same. If you’re testing the email body, use the same subject line across all versions. This ensures you know exactly what’s driving better performance. Depending on your sales cycle and industry, consider retesting every quarter of half to catch shifts early.

2. Write Openers That Earn Attention

The first line of your email often appears as a preview in your recipient’s inbox. If it’s weak, your email might as well be deleted.

The common mistake? Starting with a generic pleasantry (“I hope you’re doing well”) or focusing on your company (“We’re a leading provider of…”).

Prospects are thinking, What’s in this for me? Why should I care? You need to hook them—immediately.

Strong Email Openers Focus On:

• Observations about their business: “Noticed your recent expansion into the Midwest.”

• Industry pain points: “Most manufacturers we work with are battling supply delays.”

• Competitor activity: “Saw that [Competitor] just implemented X—curious how you’re approaching it.”

AI Prompt Example:

“Generate 5 first-line openers for a B2B sales email targeting CFOs in manufacturing, focusing on reducing operational costs.”

Sample AI Output:

• “Noticed [Company Name] expanded production last quarter—how’s that impacting costs?”

• “With raw material prices rising, I’m hearing CFOs in manufacturing are under pressure—seeing the same?”

• “Most CFOs I work with are cutting expenses without sacrificing output—interested?”

Best Practice:

Let AI give you a starting point, but refine it based on real research. Layer in specifics—recent news, funding announcements, or personal details from LinkedIn.

3. Structure the Body for Clarity and Impact

Most B2B buyers won’t read a long email. They’re scanning—looking for relevance and value in seconds. If you’re writing paragraphs about your company history, you’re losing them.

A high-performing sales email is often under 150 words, structured like this:

• Identify a problem they care about

• Show you understand their industry or business

• Position your solution briefly (no deep pitch)

• End with a low-friction next step

AI Prompt Example:

“Write a concise cold B2B email targeting manufacturing directors, focused on streamlining production workflows.”

Sample AI Output:

Subject: “[First Name], reducing production delays?”

Hi [First Name],

I’ve been hearing from operations teams that production bottlenecks are driving up costs and slowing orders. We recently helped [Similar Company] reduce downtime by 23% using workflow automation tools designed specifically for manufacturers.

Open to a quick chat next week to see if this could work for you?

Best,

[Your Name]

Best Practice:

Use AI as a first draft generator, then tighten it up. Remove filler. Replace vague phrases with specifics from your industry knowledge. Make it sound like you—not a machine.

4. Build Strong, Clear Calls to Action

Even the best-crafted email will fail if your prospect is left wondering what to do next. A single, clear call to action (CTA) can be the difference between a reply and radio silence. In fact, an email with just one focused CTA can increase your conversions by 1,617%. Your CTA should guide the reader toward one simple, low-friction next step: a quick call, a reply, or permission to send more details.

Strong CTAs work because they are:

• Simple: “Open to a quick call?” works better than “Let’s set up a 45-minute discovery session.”

• Low-Commitment: Asking for a reply or quick chat is easier than requesting a detailed proposal.

• Time-Based: Adding a time frame prevents back-and-forth (“Free Thursday at 2?”).

AI Prompt Example:

“Generate 5 call-to-action lines for a B2B email encouraging a quick, low-commitment response.”

Sample AI Output:

• “Open to a 10-minute call next week?”

• “Would a quick chat on Thursday work?”

• “Should I send over a few details?”

• “Interested in a brief intro call to explore this?”

• “I can pop over for 15 minutes Friday morning if you're free.”

Best Practice:

Always end with one clear ask. Avoid giving multiple options—it creates decision fatigue. Make it easy for them to say “yes.”

Putting It All Together: A Complete AI-Powered B2B Email Example

Now that we’ve broken down each part of a high-converting B2B sales email, let’s walk through how you can bring it all together using AI as your assistant—not your replacement.

Step 1: Generate Your Email Draft With AI

Let’s say you’re reaching out to operations directors in the manufacturing sector. Your goal is to introduce your workflow automation software that reduces production delays.

Example AI Prompt:

"Draft a concise cold email targeting operations directors in manufacturing. The goal is to introduce a workflow automation software that reduces production delays. Focus on addressing production bottlenecks and suggest a quick 10-minute call."

AI-Generated Draft Output:

Subject: Reduce Production Delays by 23%

Hi [First Name],

Most manufacturing teams we’ve supported are battling production bottlenecks that lead to costly delays. You probably heard [Similar Company] was struggling with delays as well, and we helped cut their downtime by 23% with workflow automation designed specifically for production lines like yours.

Free for a quick 10-minute call next week?

Best,

[Your Name]

Why This Works:

• Clear subject line that hints at a result.

• Pain point up front—bottlenecks and delays.

• Social proof—referencing a similar company.

• Simple CTA—low-friction, time-bound ask.

Step 2: Human Refinement (Don’t Skip This)

AI-generated drafts get you 70% of the way there, but the final 30% makes all the difference. This is where your human insight—the nuances of your industry, how your prospects actually feel, and your brand voice—comes into play.

Here’s how you’d polish the draft above:

Before:

“Most manufacturing teams we talk to are battling production bottlenecks…”

After (Refined):

“I noticed [Company Name] is expanding its Midwest operations—congrats. Many teams we work with run into production slowdowns during growth phases. We recently helped [Similar Company] reduce downtime by 23% using workflow automation built for fast-scaling manufacturers.”

Key Refinements:

• Added a personal touch—a company-specific observation.

• Made the pain point more situational—linked to expansion.

• Kept the result (23% downtime reduction) front and center.

• Kept it under 100 words.

Step 3: Test Subject Lines (AI + A/B Testing)

Before you hit send, circle back to subject lines. Using the same AI tools and testing practices we discussed earlier, you’d generate and test variations like:

• “Cut Downtime 23% During Expansion”

• “[Company Name] – Speed Up Production?”

• “How [Similar Company] Eliminated Bottlenecks”

Run a simple A/B test with a small segment of your list to see which subject line earns the highest open rate.

Step 4: Final Version (Ready to Send)

Combining AI speed with human refinement, your final email might look like this:

Subject: Cut Downtime by 23% During Expansion

Hi [First Name],

Congrats on [recent milestone] at [Company Name]! I know production slowdowns can creep in during growth phases. We recently helped [Similar Company] reduce downtime by 23% with workflow automation built specifically for manufacturers scaling operations.

Open to a quick 10-minute call to see if this could help your team?

Best,

[Your Name]

AI Gets You There Faster—But You Close the Deal

This process works because it pairs AI efficiency with human judgment. You’re using AI to draft, brainstorm, and scale your outreach—but every message still has your fingerprint.

AI can:

• Save you hours on first drafts.

• Suggest subject lines and CTAs proven to work.

• Personalize faster with data.

But you:

• Validate the insights.

• Add emotional intelligence and nuance.

• Ensure every email aligns with your brand and your prospect’s reality.

The teams getting ahead aren’t replacing their salespeople with AI—they’re arming their teams with it. They’re writing faster, personalizing smarter, and getting more replies.

Start small. Test it on your next outreach sequence. Refine as you go. The teams embracing this approach are the ones filling their pipelines—while everyone else is still staring at a blank screen.

Stop Guessing—Start Winning With AI-Powered Email Outreach

Embracing AI in your B2B email marketing strategy has become vital to the future sustainability of your business.. By leveraging AI-driven tools, you can craft personalized, impactful emails that resonate with your audience and drive conversions. Don't let your business fall behind in the digital transformation. Take the first step towards revolutionizing your email campaigns today.

Ready to propel your email marketing strategy into the modern age of Artificial Intelligence? Don’t let your business fall behind. Let’s talk about how AI-powered outreach can start driving results for your team today.

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.