LeadGen: context and challenges for B2B salespeople

Companies do not seem to fully appreciate the generational shift that has occurred in the purchasing function. This is the conclusion of a Forrester study published in March 2023[i].

Indeed, 64% of B2B buyers worldwide belong to the Millennial generation (born between 1981 and 1996) or Gen Z (born from 1996 onwards). Another study estimates this proportion to be over 75%.

The arrival of this generation, raised on digital technology, significantly impacts the purchase journey and, consequently, the approach needed to generate quality leads, engage them, and convert them.

Because these buyers have the reflexes for “secondary” research on the web, beyond Google (review platforms, Twitter, Reddit), they complete between 50% and 70% of their purchase journey independently. This reality complicates the salesperson’s task for two reasons:

• The buyer forms their own opinion about the product, with biases and sometimes a reductive perception, especially if the marketing content is generic ;
• The relative absence of the salesperson in the initial part of the purchase journey prevents them from addressing friction points and advancing the prospect in their journey. The prospect comes to the discussion table with near-certainties, which complicates the salesperson’s task

Inevitably, this situation creates disruptions in the purchase journey, to the point where more than one in two B2B buyers (55%) believe that salespeople “are not trustworthy partners” and that they are unable to answer 40% of their questions during meetings[i].

Salespeople and Poor Leads: A Rebellious Challenge

Lead generation is a demanding discipline, in that, it brings together all the different aspects of marketing: creating quality content, emailing, webinars, social networking, SEO, SEA, telemarketing, etc.

LeadGen combines technical skills, a detailed understanding of the audience and a certain artistic flair. More recently, it has also required an ability to adapt in a dynamic environment: RGPD, e-Privacy II, Google’s gradual disconnection of third-party cookies, etc.
That’s why 53% of companies allocate at least half of their marketing budget to lead generation. According to the Content Marketing Institute (CMI), it is even the number 1 priority for 85% of organisations. Decision-makers are therefore well aware of its importance, and resources are being injected to keep the machine running.

But that doesn’t stop 63% of B2B salespeople complaining about the poor quality they receive from marketing[i], citing the time wasted and frustration that comes with the challenge of effectively engaging the “B2B super-buyer”.

Paradoxically, and despite the adage that salespeople are never satisfied with the quality of leads, 63% of salespeople say that the concept of the ‘lead’ is not dead, and 62% believe that LeadGen will never be obsolete. So it’s more a question of quality and alignment.

How do you generate good leads to feed your sales force?

The answer is obvious: there is no miracle solution, no one-size-fits-all. There are, however, tried and tested best practices :

• Lead generation cannot be based on the logic of isolated campaigns. It’s a 360° tactic that requires the right combination of channels, the right content and the right timing;
• Adopt a factual approach and rely on figures rather than instinct and preconceived ideas. Rather than sending emails on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as is traditional, carry out tests and identify the best timing for your target;
• Don’t just target C-level leads. They indeed make the final decision, but they rarely have the time to fill in a form and are difficult to contact. Several more accessible influencers can promote your offer;
• Not all leads can be called by a BDR. Calling an Internet user because they’ve read a blog article or downloaded a white paper is a waste of time;
• The 95 – 5 rule is quite simply decisive in achieving the right balance between branding and lead generation. Nous y avons consacré un dossier complet.

[i] Étude réalisée par Crowd Research Partners

[i] https://www.btob-leaders.com/etude-les-commerciaux-ne-savent-pas-repondre-a-pres-de-la-moitie-des-questions-des-acheteurs/

[i] https://www.btob-leaders.com/forrester-les-acheteurs-milleniaux-et-de-la-gen-z-sont-desormais-majoritaires/