B2B Demand Generation: Unlock Your Sales Potential With Incept
Your sales team is the driving force behind your company’s growth, and the challenges they face are increasingly complicated. B2B demand generation and sales have become a true balancing act. In addition to employing outstanding inside sales talent, the most successful businesses employ specialists who know the right tactics to drum up high-quality leads, use customer relationship management (CRM) software to manage a growing sales pipeline, and leverage digital campaigns to maximize interactions with potential customers.
Is your team great at closing deals, but they struggle to keep the sales pipeline full? Do you have difficulties converting leads as efficiently as you’d like? Do you feel overwhelmed by the complexity of today’s sales landscape, where the synthesis of technology, timing, and relationship-building is more critical than ever?
Proactively Supporting Your Growth
You may feel like you’re fighting an uphill battle, but what if you didn’t have to do it alone? B2B demand generation partners guide you through some of the most challenging growth obstacles, helping your team unlock your full potential and achieve the success you've been working so hard for.
When you're considering a partnership with a new sales and marketing firm, you likely have many questions. To support your decision-making process, we’ve compiled answers to the most common questions we hear from potential clients. This article will provide a clear understanding of how B2B demand generation supports business growth, what to expect from a lead generation partner, and key factors to consider when choosing a provider.
In this article, we’ll answer the following questions:
What does a B2B demand generation partner do?
How can a B2B demand generation partner help my business?
How much does it cost?
Why is Incept different from other demand generation partners?
How can your help me demonstrate potential ROI?
What do I need to have in place to start a B2B lead generation campaign?
Can I bring my marketing qualified leads with me?
How fast will I see results?
What Does a B2B Demand Generation Partner Do?
B2B demand and lead generation companies provide varying levels of services with significant differences in strategy, contract structure, and culture. Understanding the scope of what a B2B demand generation partner can do is crucial for any sales leader striving to maintain a competitive edge. By aligning your efforts with a partner who understands your unique challenges, you can ensure your B2B sales strategies are both efficient and effective.
Rather than diving into the specifics of each kind of partner you’ll come across, here is a general overview of what demand generation partners may offer:
B2B Lead Generation Strategy Development or Alignment
Effectively generating the right leads for your business requires ensuring you are reaching the right audiences, with the right messaging, at the right time. A B2B lead generation partner will collaborate to confirm your target market and your value proposition are perfectly aligned with your business goals.
Sales Pipeline Management
Successful sales organizations have made significant investments in CRM technology, and the right training or expertise to make the most impactful use of available features. The challenge to match this investment just does not make sense for many businesses, but not doing so leads to inefficiencies in management and missed opportunities. Lead generation partners often offer pipeline management through CRM technology that optimizes your funnel, keeping leads moving through and organized.
Time Management for Top Efficiency
Time for your sales team is at a premium, and you want to free up as much time as possible so they can focus on what you hired them to do—close sales. A B2B demand generation partner understands your priorities. Partners perform management tasks like compiling weekly analytics and updates, running analysis to make recommendations on your next move, following up with your sales team, and more, to keep your projects on track and consistently improving.
Execution
Demand generation and lead generation companies typically offer all or most of the services listed below. This list is not exhaustive, and some companies offer unique services tailored specifically to your needs. So make sure you ask each vendor specific questions about the services you are looking for to ensure their expertise.
Outreach Activities: Cold calls, follow-up calls, and appointment setting to engage prospects.
Relationship Management: Vendor management, customer relationship management (CRM), and customer retention initiatives to maintain and grow client relationships.
Strategy and Analytics: Strategy building, list-building, and analytics to inform and guide your efforts.
Marketing Campaigns: Social media, email, and paid advertising campaigns to reach your target audience effectively.
Actionable Insights: Providing data-driven insights to refine and optimize your sales approach.
Help Your Sales Team Thrive Doing What They Do Best—Closing Sales
By partnering with a B2B demand generation expert, your business gains access to a comprehensive suite of services that not only drive lead generation but also ensure those leads are managed efficiently through your sales pipeline. This holistic approach allows your team to focus on closing deals while your partner takes care of the rest.
Close more business, get your sales team the support they need. Download our brochure to learn how we can help.
H2: How Can a B2B Demand Generation Partner Help My Business?
A B2B demand generation partner can be the catalyst your team needs to achieve its growth targets while stressing less. Here’s how:
1. Develop and Implement Strategies
A demand generation partner collaborates with your sales team to create strategies aligned with your business goals. By identifying your target audience and crafting compelling messaging, they ensure your efforts are both effective and efficient.
2. Increase Your Sales Pipeline
Using advanced resources, a demand generation partner fills your pipeline with high-quality leads. Their rigorous qualification process means your sales team receives leads primed for conversion, saving time and effort.
3. Expand Your Customer Base
To stay competitive, expanding your reach is essential. A demand generation partner helps you break into new markets and target new customer segments, driving long-term growth.
4. Nurture Your Leads
Turning leads into loyal customers requires ongoing nurturing. A demand generation partner provides personalized communication and follow-ups, guiding prospects through the sales funnel until they’re ready to convert.
5. Enhance Sales Team Efficiency
By handling lead generation tasks, a demand generation partner allows your sales team to focus on closing deals, enhancing overall productivity and success rates.
6. Measure and Optimize Results
Success isn’t just about setting strategies in motion—it’s about continual optimization. A demand generation partner tracks key metrics, ensuring your campaigns stay effective and aligned with evolving business goals.
7. Provide Critical Market insights
By using an external organization to speak with your potential customers, you will gather unfiltered feedback on competitors, buying trends, and how economic conditions are impacting your customers.
How Much Does B2B Lead Generation Cost?
The cost of B2B lead generation varies depending on the level of service, expertise, resources required, and agency location. The pricing model you choose also impacts overall costs, which can range from $3,000 to $10,000 per month or more. Here is an overview of common pricing structures:
Pay Per Lead
In this model, you only pay for the leads you receive. It’s easy to manage your budget because you’re paying based on volume. However, it's crucial to ensure the leads are high quality to avoid wasting resources on prospects that won’t convert.
Monthly Retainers
A monthly retainer is like a gym membership—you pay a set fee for ongoing access to services. This model offers continuous support, such as campaign optimization and strategic advice. Since this is more of a relationship model that will directly impact your success, make sure you understand the company culture and approach, as well as the length and terms of the proposed contract before signing on.
Commission-Based:
With commission-based pricing, you pay a percentage of the revenue generated from leads provided by the service. It’s like sharing the rewards when you hit a sales home run. This model aligns the provider’s success with yours, making them more invested in your outcomes. While paying for leads on a commission basis ensures you are getting motivated services, it can also cut into your profit margin.
Key Considerations:
Regularly track lead performance to ensure ROI
Clearly define what qualifies as a lead in your agreement
Understand the commission structure thoroughly
Each pricing model has its pros and cons, and the best fit depends on your business’s unique needs. Testing different models can help you find the one that aligns with your growth goals and marketing strategies.
Is your sales team driving your revenue as efficiently as it could be? Get tailored insights for improvement now!
The Cost of Incept’s Demand Generation Services (Base Package)
We offer a flexible pricing model based on your specific needs and the scope of the campaign. The cost of our B2B lead generation services, based in Ohio, is centered around the basic cost of a mid-level full-time sales employee (FTE). We deliver access to expertise, resources, and services provided by an entire team of sales and marketing experts on a fractional basis, without the expense and commitment of hiring someone new.
All Packages Include:
A dedicated employee with a college degree or two years of sales experience
Executive-level management with ample experience in sales and marketing
Weekly feedback and insight into the week's results
Daily activity reporting
Ability to adjust plan monthly
Setup Fee ($3,000) Includes:
Executive consulting
Program setup
AGS training
Market intelligence gathering
List building
Technical setup (CRM, dialer, etc.)
1 FTE = 160 Hours/Mo
$6,650 per month
Everything a ½ FTE includes + competitive summary
½ FTE = 80 Hours/Mo
$3,850 per month
Daily feedback and insight into the day's results
Monthly summary report
Access to all audio recordings
“Incept has helped our sales efforts by providing consistent, professional outbound phone calls. They are truly a part of the team that is invested in what our company does and works with us to ensure we are moving forward in the right direction.”
An Ohio-Based B2B Lead Generation Partner
For over 30 years, we’ve been committed to providing personalized, scalable, and results-driven B2B lead generation services in Ohio. Unlike many firms that love long-term contracts that start with building your strategy from the ground up, we listen to our clients’ needs and align with their goals. We offer flexible engagement models, allowing you to scale services up or down as your business evolves.
What truly sets Incept apart is our focus on measurable success conducive to long-term relationships, while providing flexibility for shorter-term engagements. We don’t just generate leads; we nurture them through the sales pipeline, optimizing every touchpoint to maximize your ROI. With transparent reporting, regular feedback, and the ability to adjust plans monthly, you’re always in control. We’re a vested partner in your growth, ensuring you achieve lasting success.
How Can You Help Me Show Potential ROI?
Your ROI is going to vary depending on a number of factors, including your average customer value, the length of your sales cycle, and your conversion rate. However, there are a couple of viable ways to frame your potential ROI that paint a clear picture of the benefits of working with a demand generation partner.
The Cost of Doing Nothing
Usually, by the time you are feeling the crunch to get more leads, it’s because revenue is already down. You need results now, and you need a partner to jump in right away. The cost of doing nothing at this point is high-stakes, including lack of business growth, and possibly business failure. When you look at it from this perspective, ROI becomes obvious.
The Cost of In-House Expertise
Managing your entire sales operation in-house has its benefits, and there are definitely situations where this is ideal. If you have a set strategy, for a stable offering of products and services, with known results—and the team to execute it—then you’re in good shape to keep your operations as-is.
However, if you are switching up your strategy, entering a new market, adding new products and services, or if your sales team is stretched thin, it’s time to start considering the benefits of hiring a demand generation partner. You’ll eliminate spending on hiring yet another full-time employee, as well as the long-term risk and commitment.
The most successful companies are investing significantly in building beefed-up powerhouses of talent technology. You won’t avoid being outspent by the biggest players. But you can stay competitive by hiring fractional sales services through comprehensive demand generation partners. When you do this, it’s like having a full team of experts at your service, without the expense or risk.
“Super-charged lead generation efforts”
Our client, a premier on-site corporate restaurant management and catering company with clientele across the US, was looking to expand its qualified prospects. We got to work quickly learning their best practices, conducting account-based marketing (ABM) research and competitor analysis, and discovering the reasons for their lost business.
We then developed a multi-channel, personalized lead generation strategy that included outbound phone calls, personalized emails, and personal social media outreach through LinkedIn InMail. Our firm grasp on prospect pain points and goals helped us drive in-person appointment-setting for our client.
Throughout our first year together, we refined our strategy, which led to a 5x increase in lead output. As a result, our client closed several deals, with one deal valued at $2 million.
“Working with Incept has supercharged our lead generation efforts! They have been able to use their systematic approach to consistently deliver high-quality leads for our sales people. They have an uncanny ability to get in touch with key decision-makers and discover critical pieces of information. I look forward to seeing how our sales will continue to grow as a result of their efforts.”
What Do I Need to Have in Place For My Demand Generation Campaign To Be Successful?
Ensuring these key elements are in place before starting your demand generation campaign will help set you up for success.
Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)
A well-defined ICP focuses your efforts on the most promising leads.
Ideal annual business revenue
Geographic location
Other relevant traits that align with your target market
Compelling Value Proposition
A compelling value proposition is key to attracting and converting leads. You know the true value of your products and services. A clearly-defined value proposition helps your customers understand the unique features your offerings deliver to help them resolve their biggest challenges.
Strong List of Company Contacts
A solid contact list is crucial for reaching the right people. You’ve got an excellent start with your existing database, trade show lists, inbound leads (people who have filled out web forms, downloaded assets, or reached out to you for help), and other handraisers. If you don’t have a list—or you need to expand it—you can generally find services that can help build a custom list tailored to your campaign’s goals.
Campaign Materials
The final pieces to a successful B2B demand generation campaign are the assets you plan to use.
Email templates
Marketing collateral like brochures and ebooks
A comprehensive call guide (this should include details on target prospects, qualifying questions, strong CTAs, and strategies for effective interaction and follow-up)
With these elements in place, your demand generation campaign will be well-positioned for success.
Can I Bring My Leads with Me?
Your demand generation partner’s primary objective is to enhance your sales and marketing efforts, not just replace viable connections that you've already established. Integrating your existing leads into your B2B lead generation campaign often accelerates the process and yields better, more personalized results.
You may already have warm prospects in your pipeline that just need a nudge to start moving down your sales funnel, and bringing them along for a fledged-out campaign can only contribute to your success. These prospects include contacts from trade show attendee lists, inbound marketing efforts (website form fills and contact requests), newsletter subscribers, and anyone who has previously reached out to you with questions.
How Fast Will I See Results?
The speed at which you'll see results from a demand generation campaign depends on several key factors: your brand recognition, your average sales cycle, and the specific targets you choose.
Brand Recognition
If your brand is already well known in the market, you'll likely see faster results because prospects are more familiar with and receptive to your company. However, if your brand is less established, it may take longer to build trust and generate responses.
Average Sales Cycle
Understanding your average sales cycle is crucial. Many businesses calculate their sales cycle based on all types of leads, including referrals and existing relationships. For demand generation campaigns focused on outbound leads, you should expect a longer cycle. To set realistic expectations, a good rule of thumb is to double your average inbound sales cycle.
Targeting Strategy
Who you target plays a significant role in the results timeline. If speed is a priority, focusing on retention campaigns (keeping current customers) or reactivation campaigns (re-engaging past customers) can deliver quicker results. These approaches often uncover low-hanging fruit, helping to generate revenue faster than targeting entirely new customers. Results from this type of outreach can sometimes even entirely offset the cost of the first campaign.
By carefully considering these factors, you can set realistic expectations and optimize your campaign for quicker results.
Ready to Strengthen Your Sales Team? Here’s How We Can Help.
Your business’s success hinges on your ability to generate quality leads, nurture them effectively, and convert them into loyal customers. The biggest players in the market are investing heavily in expert sales talent and cutting-edge pipeline management technology to make the most of every opportunity. But that kind of investment doesn’t make sense for most budgets.
For over 30 years, we have been partnering with businesses to build the sales powerhouses their teams deserve. As your Ohio-based B2B lead generation partner, we’ll deliver tailored strategies, expert insights, and a dedicated team focused on driving your growth, all for around the cost of one full-time employee.
We serve short-term clients as well as engagements lasting several years, and we are obsessed with seeing our clients succeed. What’s more, we are known for our honesty and our ability to integrate seamlessly into your team without disrupting operations.
“They do not overpromise in the sales process or during the engagement. If they cannot do something, they tell you, and if they are not sure, they tell you. You can just take their word for it – you don’t have to filter their answers or guess the real meaning.
Their operations staff and agents are dedicated and excellent. They will accept your approach if it makes good sense to them, and often make recommendations to improve your approach.
Their client services are the best I have seen, and their IT team is responsive, careful, and knowledgeable. Billing is accurate and pricing is reasonable.”
Whether you’re looking to fill your sales pipeline, expand into new markets, or strengthen relationships with existing customers, Incept is committed to helping you achieve your goals. We don’t just offer services; we offer a partnership built on trust, transparency, and a shared commitment to your success.
Contact us today to learn how to drive more revenue and unlock your full potential!
Change Your Workforce Systems and Prepare Your Business for the Future
The business landscape is evolving faster than ever, and it takes an attitude of continuous growth in order to stay competitive as we adopt new technology, new processes, and new workforce systems. Sam Falletta, our CEO, keeps Incept at the forefront of workplace progress in Ohio. In his 2023 talk with The City Club of Cleveland, he highlighted how rapid workforce transformations are influencing businesses and employees alike. He delivered a powerful reminder of the responsibility of business leaders to build a dynamic workplace prepared to respond to future disruptions, and he shared insights about how Incept is adapting.
Watch Sam’s full presentation:
Is Your Business Prepared for the Future?
Are you struggling to manage your remote workers or finding it difficult to hire enough employees to keep your business running smoothly? Does rapidly changing technology leave you scratching your head more often than not? Is your definition of employee engagement still stuck at the water cooler? It’s time to either adapt your workplace systems or get left behind.
Take our Future of Work Readiness Assessment to discover where your business stands and get tailored, actionable feedback on how you can propel sustainable growth.
Why Holiday B2B Marketing and Lead Generation Makes the New Year Sparkle
Worried about sales drying up over the Holidays? You're not alone.
With retail getting all the love between November and the beginning of the year, you may be tempted to kick back and relax throughout the end-of-year holiday season. But that’s what everyone else is doing. So why not take advantage of the slowest time of year for most non-retail businesses?
Here’s why now is the perfect time to keep your B2B marketing and lead generation efforts going strong:
With most non-retail businesses slowing down, you have the unique opportunity to stand out, capture attention, and build momentum for the new year while competitors are hibernating. Don’t let the holidays be an excuse for missed opportunities—let’s turn this quiet time into your secret weapon for future growth.
The Unexpected Gift of Holiday Lead Generation
Ready to unwrap a pipeline full of leads come January 2nd? In this article, we’re going to show you how. We’ll offer up some B2B holiday campaign ideas to keep your brand merry and bright in the eyes of your prospects, and we will share our best tips and tricks to make sure your time spent perfecting your marketing collateral and updating your CRM results in a new year full of opportunities.
Gift yourself with a pipeline full of qualified leads that have been vetted and are ready to talk to you! Download our brochure to learn how we can help your business prosper in the new year!
Why Holiday Lead Generation Gives You an Edge to Sleigh the Competition
While competitors are settling in for a long winter’s nap, you can use this time to position yourself for a profitable Q1. By keeping your marketing and lead generation campaigns active, you'll capture new opportunities and build momentum that others might miss.
Fewer Elves in the Workshop: Reduced Competition
With fewer of your competitors vying for attention over the holidays, decision-makers are more accessible. There’s often reduced pressure to hit major productivity milestones at work, so minds are more relaxed and open to new opportunities. Use this time to reach out with thoughtfully-crafted messaging to capture their attention when others are less likely to be running competitive campaigns.
Pro Tip: Give your audience a break from the usual salesy content by keeping your emails and social media posts light and informative. Boost your message with a festive tone, and make sure you include something helpful as they wrap up their year.
Deck the Halls With New Plans: Business Leaders are in Planning Mode
The holiday season isn’t just about taking a well-deserved break—it’s also a time when many decision-makers, just like you, begin reflecting on the past year. You’re probably evaluating what worked, what didn’t, and how to improve for the year ahead.
As you tidy up business operations, assess your goals, and finalize budgets, you’re not alone. This quieter time is when leaders often step back, strategize, and lay the groundwork for success in the coming year. People are often more relaxed, open to new ideas, and ready to discuss solutions. Connecting with prospects during this planning phase allows you to align your offerings with their projected needs and objectives.
Pro Tip: Frame your outreach around how your product or service can help them hit those last-minute end-of-year targets or get off to a running start in the new year.
Don’t Let Your Feeds Go Frosty: Keep Your Socials Warm Through the Holidays
While professional platforms like LinkedIn may see a dip in activity during the holidays, other social media platforms tend to see an uptick as people have more downtime to scroll and engage. Prospects often turn to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to connect with friends, family, and their favorite brands during this period.
This makes it an excellent time to stay visible, nurture relationships, and plant the seeds for future engagement. Even if LinkedIn traffic slows down, being active on more casual platforms can keep your brand top-of-mind.
Pro tip: Tailor your content for more casual, engaging platforms like Instagram or Facebook, where users are likely spending their holiday downtime.
Wrap Up Those Budgets: Year-End Budget Opportunities
Some companies have “use it or lose it” budget policies, motivating decision-makers to finalize their spending before the year ends. This creates a valuable opportunity for your business to offer solutions that align with their goals and help them allocate leftover funds. Whether it's closing a deal or initiating conversations for the new year, providing timely offers or discounts during this period can lead to quick wins and lay the groundwork for long-term partnerships.
Pro tip #1: Craft your messaging around how your product or service can help prospects maximize their year-end budget and seamlessly transition into the new year with enhanced value.
Pro tip #2: If prospects are in a hurry to finalize their year-end spending, an increased ad spend will capitalize on additional social media activity.
‘Tis the Season for Spending: Capitalize on the Buying Mindset
During the holidays, people are already in a spending mindset—whether for gifts, travel, or year-end investments. This heightened focus on spending makes prospects more receptive to a well-crafted B2B sales pitch. Business decision-makers are not only finalizing personal purchases, but also thinking about how to allocate resources for the new year. A timely, compelling offer that highlights value and return on investment is more likely to resonate when your audience is already in a purchasing frame of mind.
Pro tip: Use festive language in your outreach, positioning your product or service as the perfect "gift" to help your prospects achieve their goals in the new year.
Streamline Your Sales Team to Kick the New Year Off Right
Uncover your sales team’s most valuable strengths and the inefficiencies holding back your growth, then explore tailored insights in our simple efficiency assessment.
B2B Marketing and Lead Generation Ideas that Jingle All the Way to the Bank
Ready to put that third glass of eggnog down and give yourself the gift of a profitable new year? Here are some ideas to give your holiday B2B marketing and lead generation campaigns a lasting impact:
Optimize Your Inbound Strategy
Are your landing pages converting as well as they could? Is your content up to date? This is a great time to make sure that everything is running smoothly so you can capture leads over the break. Use the slower pace of the holidays to review and optimize your inbound lead generation efforts.
Revise your content library to answer the questions your prospects have most often, and give your sales team assets that can help reduce the time they spend educating potential customers.
Bonus Assignment: An infographic is 30 times more likely to be read than a text article. Unleash your inner Bob Ross with a free Canva account, and spend some time turning your educational content into an easy-to-digest visual work of educational art.
Stay Active on Social Media
During the holidays, your audience is spending more time scrolling through social media, and you don’t want to miss the opportunity to connect with them. Instead of just adding to the noise, use this time to stand out with content that speaks directly to their needs and interests.
Create posts that are not only festive but also provide value—whether it’s through helpful tips, lighthearted holiday messages, or behind-the-scenes glimpses of your business. To make the most of your efforts, schedule posts in advance to keep a consistent presence without burning yourself out during the busiest time of year.
Bonus Assignment: Make sure your content isn’t just adding to the holiday noise. As an assignment, use holiday-themed hashtags like #HolidayMarketing or #NewYearNewGoals to target an audience actively searching for seasonal solutions.
Then, create a branded hashtag (e.g., #YourBrandHolidayTips) to keep your posts recognizable and easily searchable. Report back on the increase in visibility and how it impacted your engagement metrics
Create Educational and Festive Content
Want to add some extra sparkle to your holiday content? Use the festive season to create content that not only educates but also entertains. Don your Santa hat or reindeer antlers and host a holiday-themed webinar or virtual event to deliver valuable insights and connections to your B2B audience. This approach keeps your brand front and center, showcasing your expertise in a way that feels helpful rather than promotional.
Bonus Assignment: Craft a downloadable holiday resource, like a guide or checklist, that offers both festive fun and practical tips. This gives your audience something useful and helps strengthen your brand’s relationship with them.
Don’t Forget About Your Existing Clients
Do you have some of the best clients anyone could ask for? The holidays are the perfect time to express your gratitude. A simple thank you email, a digital postcard, or even a personalized gift or handwritten card can strengthen your relationship with existing clients, setting the stage for more business in the new year. You could also ask for feedback or invite them to be a part of your future plans, like testing a new service or product offering.
Bonus Assignment: Include a year-in-review in your email newsletter, highlighting achievements, milestones, and how you helped clients meet their goals. Add lots of emotive imagery to keep your audience engaged.
Showing Gratitude Has Never Been Easier
SayThanx turns best intentions into powerful action, making it easy and effective to let customers know how much you appreciate them. Create personalized video postcards, and get in-depth engagement insights for the holidays.
Use Your Holiday Marketing Campaign to Expand Your Database
Don’t miss out on great opportunities for future business! Not everyone is ready to buy during the holidays, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be valuable leads next year or the year after. Boost your inbound marketing assets and offer valuable content, like a downloadable guide or an ebook, in exchange for email addresses.
Bonus Assignment: Create a festive landing page that offers a festive promotional giveaway in exchange for email sign-ups. Ensure the design and messaging feel seasonal to make it irresistible and set the stage for nurturing those leads in the new year.
Creative B2B Lead Gen & Awareness Ideas for Extra Holiday Cheer
Just plain tired of pushing the sales angle of your business for the year? Sometimes, giving back and showing your company’s human side can do wonders for lead generation. Here are a few more creative ways to make the most of the holiday season:
Partner with a Charity or Host a Holiday Fundraiser
Aligning your business with a cause during the holiday season is more than just a good deed—it’s an opportunity to showcase your company’s values in action. Whether you partner with a local charity or organize a holiday fundraiser, you’re building goodwill with your community and demonstrating your commitment to social responsibility.
Not only does this help those in need, but it also fosters deeper connections with your audience by showing that your business cares about more than just profit. When people see your values in action, they’re more likely to trust and engage with your brand. And as a bonus, this genuine display of purpose can boost brand awareness, creating long-term loyalty with potential leads who share similar values.
Bonus Assignment: Identify a cause or charity that aligns with your company’s values and organize a holiday fundraiser or volunteer event. Create a campaign around your efforts—share your story on social media, highlighting why this cause matters to your team.
Encourage your audience to get involved, either by donating or participating. After the event, share the results and reflect on the impact it made, both for the charity and your company. Track engagement to measure how the initiative strengthened your relationship with existing and potential clients.
Offer End-of-Year Discounts
If it aligns with your business model, consider offering a year-end discount or special promotion. This can help push prospects who are on the fence about purchasing, especially those looking to make final use of their 2023 budget.
Bonus Assignment: Create a limited-time holiday offer page showcasing your year-end discounts with festive design elements like countdown timers to create urgency. Include a promotional code and make it easy for prospects to share the offer on social media, encouraging further reach and engagement. Track clicks and redemptions to measure how well the discount drives last-minute purchases.
General Tips and Tricks for a Holly Jolly Campaign
Holiday B2B marketing and lead generation campaigns can be tricky to navigate, but they are highly rewarding when done right. As you launch your holiday lead generation efforts, keep these tips in mind to ensure success:
Prioritize Your Best Leads
The holidays are a great time to get in contact with business leaders who are available, but keep in mind that it’s a hectic time of year. Without a strategy, vacations, PTO, and the general holiday rush can have you running in circles. If your goal is to close deals, make sure you’re focusing your efforts on the leads most likely to convert. Use your CRM to segment and prioritize the prospects who have shown the most interest or who are most aligned with your offerings.
Focus on Filling Your Pipeline
The holidays offer a golden opportunity to focus on filling your pipeline, setting your business up for success in the new year. While some prospects may not be ready to buy immediately, keeping your lead generation efforts active ensures you're nurturing relationships that could convert early in Q1.
Don’t Perform Outreach on Actual Holidays
While it’s a good idea to stay active throughout the holiday season, it’s important to respect the key cultural and religious holidays observed by your audience. Schedule automated outreach for the days leading up to and after major holidays, but avoid sending marketing emails on days like Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Day, and other significant celebrations such as Winter Solstice and Three Kings' Day.
Being mindful of these holidays shows respect for your audience’s diverse traditions and helps foster stronger, more positive relationships.
Reach Out on Fridays
Fridays during the holiday season are a great time for outreach. People are often in a more relaxed, positive mood and may be more open to conversation, especially with a friendly, festive tone.
Focus on Next Year’s Goals
When reaching out to leads, emphasize how your products or services can help them hit the ground running in 2025. Show empathy by acknowledging the busy season and position your offering as a solution for their future plans.
Keep the Sparkle Going
Want a little extra holiday cheer this year? Imagine being greeted with an inbox full of qualified leads when you return to the office in the new year. You’ve worked hard through 2024. You found the perfect gifts for everyone on your list. You gave to charity, and you even survived Whamageddon. You deserve to hit the ground running for Q1!
Holiday lead generation isn’t just about making sales during the slowest time of the year. It’s about setting your business up for success in 2025. By staying active, maintaining a presence, and offering value, you can build relationships, fill your pipeline, and make the new year sparkle with opportunity.
It’s Not Too Late for a Last-Minute Holiday Boost!
More Qualified Leads for B2B, More Productive Sales Teams: What We Do
Is your sales team struggling to find quality leads for B2B that convert? Have you thrown out the idea of making long-term growth plans in exchange for maintaining an active sales pipeline? Are you losing sleep (and maybe a little hair) trying to master complicated CRM software or squeezing in one more social media post?
Consistently generating qualified leads for B2B sales teams while maintaining productivity is a delicate balancing act that requires mastery in three key areas:
Strategy
Management
Execution
Lose sight of one, and the others are left on shaky ground. If you lack a clear strategy, you’re pouring your efforts into the void, leaving your sales team’s wheels spinning. Without solid management, prospects get forgotten–and valuable opportunities vanish. And no execution means an empty bank account in no time.
How We Can Help
For 30 years, Incept has provided essential resources, augmented time, and delivered the expertise needed to expand for some of the most successful businesses in the world. With our lead generation services, there is no need to have a perfect handle on everything all at once. We give you room to build your team’s strengths, no matter where you are in your growth cycle.
“Incept has helped our sales efforts by providing consistent, professional outbound phone calls. They are truly a part of the team that is invested in what our company does and works with us to ensure we are moving forward in the right direction.”
We customize action-oriented strategies, drive qualified leads to your sales funnel, and enhance customer retention and satisfaction, so your team can focus on closing more deals.
Build a Better Strategy and a Better Team With B2B Lead Generation Services
Collaborate with us to develop a winning sales strategy you can implement right away. We’ll get you set to enter new markets in new locations, help you prepare go-to-market (GTM) plans for new products, or provide the support you need to execute on your existing blueprint to generate more leads for your B2B sales pipeline. Our results team integrates seamlessly into your existing team to provide flexible expertise based on what you need, when you need it.
Getting Started: Comprehensive Strategy Validation and Alignment
If you are looking for leads for your B2B sales team, you need more sales right now, not in nine months from now. Traditional strategy firms will take you through a long, drawn-out consultation while time ticks away – and you still aren’t getting leads.
When you work with us, we focus on quickly validating and aligning your current strategy to ensure it’s optimized. Our nimble processes fill your sales funnel as quickly as possible while we keep an eye on your long-term goals.
The Two Most Important Factors for Sales Success
Presenting a clear picture of what you sell only gets you so far. In order to close deals, you need to communicate the value of your products or services to the right people. We work with your sales team to provide action-oriented strategies that define what makes your business unique and pinpoint who is most likely to buy.
1. Understand Your Value Proposition
Our onboarding process is designed to quickly identify the problems your products or services solve, what makes your company the best candidate for the job, and how to best present these ideas to your prospects. Our pipeline management expertise provides actionable insights as we refine messaging to create effective, compelling pitches.
2. Reach Your Target Market
If your sales team is getting leads without closing deals, they are talking to the wrong people. We’ll get to the bottom of who you need to reach and take the first steps toward narrowing down your best-fit prospects.
Retention Campaigns: Generating Revenue Right Now
1. Retention Campaigns
Ignored customers are lost customers. Our relationship experts work with you to create outreach programs that ensure your existing customers are satisfied and know you are there for them.
2. Reactivate Existing Customers
Do you have new products or services your customers may not have heard about? Do you have unengaged customers who could benefit from more interaction? We know how to get your customers reengaged and keep them engaged to make the most of the relationship you have already worked hard to establish.
Empower Your Team’s Full Potential
Discover how making small adjustments makes a big difference in your revenue with our simple efficiency assessment.
Management: An Overlooked Essential for Productive Sales Operations
Project management tasks often fall into an ambiguous bucket that never gets accounted for until it begins to overwhelm. Especially if you don’t have a full-time sales manager. Let us take the pressure off and give your sales time to do what it does best–close deals.
1. Organize Vendors
Stop stressing over your sales pipeline. Managing your tech stack requires considerable amounts of time and expertise that most businesses can’t afford. We’ll keep your customer relationship management (CRM) platform data clean and up-to-date, maintain your marketing platforms, and manage your list providers, all within our flexible B2B lead generation pricing model.
2. Create Project Plans
Planning, and organizing your launch and execution seems like a piece of cake … until you’re in the weeds. We leverage our 30 years of experience to organize your launch and execution, ensuring you are never surprised. You’ll always know what you are going to get and when you are going to get it.
“They do not overpromise in the sales process or during the engagement. If they cannot do something, they tell you, and if they are not sure, they tell you. You can just take their word for it – you don’t have to filter their answers or guess the real meaning.
Their operations staff and agents are dedicated and excellent. They will accept your approach if it makes good sense to them, and often make recommendations to improve your approach.
Their client services are the best I have seen, and their IT team is responsive, careful, and knowledgeable. Billing is accurate and pricing is reasonable.”
3. Build Actionable Insights and Analysis
Every sales activity performed creates valuable insights for an agile, successful strategy. Don’t build your sales strategy on inaccurate data and faulty analysis. With our expertise in the most popular CRMs like Hubspot, Salesforce, ZoHo, and others, we’ll make sure your data is clean and your insights apply to your unique needs.
Augmenting Your Sales and Marketing Team: Excellence in Execution
You’ve no doubt experienced a push and pull between needing more staff in order to grow, and needing more revenue to hire more staff. Hiring a full-time employee is a significant investment that delivers minimal immediate benefits. And if you waited until you could feel the need, you waited too long.
If you are not ready to hire additional staff, you’ve lost staff, or you just don’t want another operational arm to invest in and manage, we can help you execute on your strategies without the long-term commitment and expense. We combine all the skills you need into one package, offering everything from B2B lead generation services to social media management, all for the price of one mid-level, full-time employee.
We Meet Your Business Where You Are
Our flexible, scalable service model provides essential, multi-channel services, generating leads for B2B sales teams here and now. We tailor your plan to your specific sales and marketing goals, and we can scale up or scale back as your business or your internal team grows and with seasonal demand. The average length of an engagement with us is about 11 months, but we support engagements lasting from 2 months to several years.
1. Lead Generation and Nurturing
Outbound calling
Email campaigns
Digital campaigns
Follow-up cadences
2. List Creation and Market Research
Competitive analysis
CRM data cleanup
Prospect qualification
Eliminate the need for purchased lists
3. Appointment Setting
Customized lists
Customized scripting
Numerous touchpoints through multi-channel approach
Lead nurturing to preferred funnel point
4. Lapsed Customer Reactivation
Focus on lapsed customers’ past behaviors to remind them why they partnered with you before
5. Custom Projects
Event recruitment
Survey calling
Curated projects to fit your needs
Client Success Stories
“Working with Incept has supercharged our lead generation efforts! They have been able to use their systematic approach to consistently deliver high quality leads for our sales people. They have an uncanny ability to get in touch with key decision makers and discover critical pieces of information. I look forward to seeing how our sales will continue to grow as a result of their efforts.”
“Super-charged lead generation efforts”
Our client, a premier on-site corporate restaurant management and catering company with clientele across the US, was looking to expand their qualified prospects. We got to work quickly learning their best practices, conducting account-based marketing (ABM) research and competitor analysis, and discovering the reasons for their lost business.
We then developed a multi-channel, personalized lead generation strategy that included outbound phone calls, personalized emails, and personal social media outreach through LinkedIn InMail. Our firm grasp on prospect pain points and goals helped us drive in-person appointment-setting for our client.
Throughout our first year together, we refined our strategy, which led to a 5x increase in lead output. As a result, our client closed several deals, with one deal valued at $2 million.
An Integrated Approach as Unique as Your Business
We integrate sales and marketing strategy, management, and execution to ensure you meet your lead generation goals, no matter where your business is in its growth. You pay for what you need, when you need it, without being locked into rigid contracts.
End-to-End Coverage
We integrate and expand on your existing strategy while augmenting your staff with end-to-end coverage. Our services are adaptable, and our partnership model is responsive to changing market conditions and sales strategies. We designed our multi-channel, comprehensive approach to ensure you get quick results without compromising your long-term goals.
Results-Driven Philosophy
We make your timeline our timeline, delivering the results you need, when you need them. Our experts build your strategy around retention and reactivation campaigns as well as new customer acquisition to ensure quick initial results as well as long-term growth.
“Incept has assisted in increasing awareness and attendance for our events since 2016 and we couldn’t be happier with their services! It’s evident that communication is important to them as we receive updates and feedback from the team daily.”
Get More Sales, Increase Revenue, Keep Your Sales Team Busy
Lead generation requires a complex balance of strategy, management, and execution. When all the elements are there, your business can grow. But when even one element is off-kilter, it will wreak havoc on your growth and profitability.
You’re here because your business needs support to succeed. We tailor our fractional B2B lead generation services to where you are right now, keeping your sales operations agile and responsive to changes in market conditions and business strategy. Trust us to get you quick results while working toward your long-term goals.
Schedule a demo today to discover increased revenue without the risk.
What Should I Do with Marketing Qualified Leads?
In the B2B landscape, handling marketing qualified leads (MQLs) efficiently can significantly impact your business growth. Converting MQLs into loyal customers requires a strategic approach. Here are key steps to ensure you maximize the potential of your MQLs.
In the B2B landscape, handling marketing qualified leads (MQLs) efficiently can significantly impact your business growth. Converting MQLs into loyal customers requires a strategic approach. Here are key steps to ensure you maximize the potential of your MQLs.
1. Understand Your MQLs
First, recognize what makes a lead "marketing qualified." MQLs are individuals who have engaged with your marketing efforts, showing interest in your products or services. They’ve downloaded resources, filled out forms, or interacted with your website. This engagement indicates a higher likelihood of becoming a customer, making them prime targets for your sales team.
2. Nurture the Leads
MQLs aren’t always ready to buy immediately. Implementing an effective lead nurturing strategy is crucial. Utilize email marketing campaigns to provide valuable content, such as industry insights, case studies, and product updates. Personalized content tailored to their interests can build trust and keep your brand top-of-mind.
3. Segment Your Leads
Not all MQLs are created equal. Segment your leads based on their behaviors, interests, and demographics. This segmentation allows for more personalized and targeted communication. By understanding their specific needs and pain points, you can tailor your messaging to resonate better and move them through the sales funnel.
4. Score and Prioritize
Lead scoring is a technique to rank your MQLs based on their engagement level and potential value. Assign scores based on actions such as email opens, content downloads, and website visits. High-scoring leads should be prioritized for immediate follow-up, while lower-scoring leads may require further nurturing.
5. Align Sales and Marketing Teams
Collaboration between your sales and marketing teams is essential. Ensure both teams have a clear understanding of what constitutes an MQL and the process for handing them off to sales. Regular meetings and shared KPIs can foster better alignment and smoother transitions.
6. Utilize CRM Tools
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools are invaluable for managing MQLs. CRMs allow you to track interactions, monitor lead status, and analyze data to refine your strategies. Integrate your CRM with marketing automation platforms to streamline the process and maintain consistency in communication.
7. Provide Sales with Insights
Equip your sales team with detailed insights about each MQL. Information such as the lead's behavior, preferences, and previous interactions with your brand can help sales reps tailor their approach and address specific needs, increasing the chances of conversion.
8. Measure and Optimize
Continuously measure the effectiveness of your MQL strategies. Track metrics such as conversion rates, lead velocity, and customer acquisition costs. Use this data to identify areas for improvement and optimize your approach for better results.
Conclusion
In conclusion, transforming MQLs into customers requires a blend of personalized nurturing, strategic segmentation, and seamless collaboration between marketing and sales. By implementing these best practices, you can enhance your lead management process and drive sustained business growth. For more insights and personalized guidance, give us a call at (330) 994-1349 or contact us online to get started and see how we can support your growth journey.