In B2B lead generation, B2B leads is a business term given to people identified as potential customers for your business. They can be categorised as likely to find value in using your product or service. There are two types of B2B leads: Marketing-qualified leads, or MQLs, are targeted leads deemed very likely to become paying customers. The qualification is based on the MQL's engagement with your business’s marketing efforts. For example: Sales-qualified leads, or SQLs, are MQLs who have progressed along the sales funnel and are deemed ready for engagement with your sales team. To be designated as an SQL, the lead must have shown intent to buy your company’s product or service. This intent can be expressed in several ways: B2B lead generation is a process managed by sales and marketing professionals. They may work alone or, more typically, in teams.What are B2B leads?
Marketing-qualified leads
Sales-qualified leads
Who conducts B2B lead generation?
For B2B lead generation to work most effectively, it is preferable for sales and marketing teams to be closely aligned.
Sales
A sales team focused on B2B lead generation is often split into two groups. These groups perform separate, clearly defined tasks.
The two groups are:
- Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) - this group is responsible for sourcing and scoring leads, engaging with them and booking meetings.
- Business Development Managers (BDMs) - this group is responsible for conducting demos, closing deals and generating revenue for the business.
There are several benefits to this approach:
- It creates a solid B2B lead generation pipeline - the SDRs create opportunities for the BDMs to action.
- It empowers each employee to focus solely on one responsibility -meaning they quickly become experts in their roles.
It builds a roadmap for career development and progression - if an SDR consistently hits their sales targets, they will become eligible for promotion to a BDM.
Sales resources
10 questions to ask when hiring an SDR | Lead generation specialist job description | B2B lead generation KPIs: what you need to track | Sales lead vs prospect
Marketing
In general, there are two categories of marketers focused on B2B lead generation. While their work may overlap, their marketing approaches are very different.
These two categories are:
- Demand generation marketers - this group is focused on the entire B2B lead generation revenue cycle. Their mission is to nurture leads, guiding them from simply being aware of your brand to becoming a customer and, finally, an advocate.
- Growth hackers - this group is focused on generating quick revenue growth while spending as little as possible. They typically work at early-stage startups and tend to be more experimental in approach. As a general rule, the activities they undertake are often less scalable.
Despite their differences, these two groups have one thing in common - they rely on analysing data and testing to drive their decision-making and are laser-focused on successful B2B lead generation.
Marketing resources
B2B marketing guide | B2B marketing metrics | Content marketing for lead generation | What sales leaders want from marketing | Intent based marketing | Inbound vs outbound marketing
