What is Lead Generation?

Lead Generation is a known terminology in the B2B world among Sales and Marketing Teams.
Any client who shows interest to the offering of a Product or Service is called a Qualified Lead.

So how do you generate a Qualified Lead?

Generally there are three type of clients or buyers.
1) Ready Buyers
2) Potential Buyers
3) Unaware Buyers

READY BUYERS

These are clients who are on the verge of making a purchase as owing to the need of the offering which is high in demand for their utilization.

POTENTIAL BUYERS

These are buyers who requires to be followed up and upon rigorous communication they might extend to purchase on a later stage. These Potential buyers take time to purchase however they are never to be ignored.

UNAWARE BUYERS

These are people who are not all aware about your product or solutions. They might not even know such an product or service existed. They required to be introduced and educated with tutorials to give awareness of the product and solutions. Though these are hard to be converted but never can be ignored. They are easily found in the market and required great deed of patience. Through various campaign programs they required to be made brand conscious frequently through various digital platforms. Brand Identity is always recommended as humans tends to recognize brands rather to the product or offering. For eg. Maggi, Coke, Vicks, Bandaid, Boost, Dairy Milk, Amul etc.

Different Lead Generation Strategies

Lead generation is a key concept in the B2B marketing world, where businesses focus on a defined target audience. Marketers identify their niche segment, filter potential buyers and decision-makers, and nurture them until they show interest. Once prospects are engaged and ready for conversion, they are classified as “leads.”

1. Identifying the Target Audience

The foundation of any lead generation strategy is accurately identifying the target audience. This involves:

• Determining industries that require the product or service.
• Categorizing potential companies based on size (SME or Enterprise).
• Assessing revenue, offerings, and service needs to ensure suitability.

Not all businesses within the same industry may be ideal clients due to differences in budget and operational needs. For instance, high-ticket products may not be suitable for startups or small businesses, while certain services may be relevant only to organizations of a particular scale.

2. Defining the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

Creating an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is crucial for efficient lead generation. Key factors to consider include:

• Revenue & Budget: Ensuring the company can afford the product/service.
• Employee Count: Some industries are more reliant on workforce size.
  • Example: A uniform manufacturing company would target businesses with large employee bases.
  • Conversely, HR firms, accounting services, and logistics partners may focus on companies with as few as 10 employees, such as startups or small businesses.

3. Strategic Audience Segmentation

Marketers with deep industry insights play a vital role in refining the lead generation strategy. By carefully segmenting the audience based on industry relevance, financial capability, and operational needs, businesses can improve engagement rates and maximize conversion success.

Would you like to include specific lead generation techniques, such as inbound/outbound marketing or digital strategies?