White papers are often far more attractively produced than they used to be, but their information-packed purpose remains the same. This was the resource that helped break down complex concepts long before the term “explainers” existed, and in a sense they remain the unsung heroes of B2B marketing.

Until recently, the audience for white papers might have been limited to those in highly technical roles. Even if they were purportedly aimed at chief information officers (CIOs), for example, they were more likely to be read by IT managers, developers or other tech department staff who needed to assess whether a particular solution met their needs.

White papers would often walk their readers through the kinds of details that made little sense to those without a background in computer science, but that’s changed. Today, the term describes a broader category of content marketing assets that help drive decision-making within companies — namely, purchases.

Compared with other kinds of assets, including case studies, white papers might not be produced as often. They also might be tied more directly to major milestones in a company, like the launch of new products or services.

In some cases, though, white papers zoom in on changes within a particular role or industry, helping illustrate the foundations of a strategy companies should adopt to be successful.

Perhaps because of their name, white papers can also have a bad rap. There’s an assumption they will be dense, boring and less likely to drive engagement in an age where shorter content is favoured.

Before you jump the gun and avoid investing in them, however, it’s worth taking the time to learn more about what makes white papers an important asset, and how to turn them into a competitive advantage:

What makes a white paper

Blog posts are great, but in some cases their life span can be surprisingly short.

That’s because one of the benefits of blogging is immediacy — you can capitalize on recent news, talk about the latest industry trends or talk directly about announcements involving your company and its ecosystem.

White papers have a longer shelf life. They tend to be anchored around topics that require not only an audience’s attention, but a commitment of time. They break down subjects that become difficult to grasp, or which represent opportunities or threats that a company needs to consider and act upon.

Many years ago, for instance, there were many white papers about the rise of e-commerce, with guidance on how firms across industries could (or should) adopt it in order to remain competitive.

More recently, you’ll likely have seen white papers helping provide a 101 on the various flavours of cloud computing, the promise of business-oriented mobile apps or what artificial intelligence means for the way people work in many kinds of jobs.

Today, there could be just as many white papers delving into the way technology contributes to the process of selling, providing customer service or even (you guessed it) marketing through digital channels.

The ‘why’ of white papers

A blog post might drive traffic. A social post could garner “likes” and shares. A good white paper, on the other hand, can become a lead generation machine.

Due to the level of research involved and the value they provide, many organizations put white papers behind on online gate or form and require some kind of information — name, job title and organization are the most common — in order to download them for free.

If you need to get a better handle on particular issues facing your firm or sector, you’ll gladly provide this, because by downloading the white paper you’re signalling you may be in the market for a product that solves a problem it addresses.

These can be the best kinds of leads for sales reps, because downloading a white paper can be a good signal of purchase intent, or at least research. Calling or emailing someone who downloaded such this resource isn’t seen as intrusive so much as natural.

How the best white papers read

Since this is a blog post and not a white paper, we’ll keep it succinct: a white paper should be authoritative, accessible and actionable.

No one will download a white paper from an organization that doesn’t have an obvious connection to the topic it talks about. A white paper should reflect your firm’s subject matter expertise and its track record in leading an industry through similar opportunities or challenges.

As we mentioned earlier, though, the audience for white papers is no longer limited to IT professionals. They need to be written with the thought that they might be shared and discussed by cross-functional members of a buying team, or even passed on to the CEO of a small or medium-sized business.

White papers aren’t just theoretical, either. They should outline a plan of attack that an audience can apply, even if it’s just the starting point for a broader discussion within their company.

This doesn’t mean white papers should always advocate investing in a product or service. The takeaways could be more about new ways of thinking, making sense of survey data or suggesting metrics to benchmark a firm against its peer group.

While they might take more time and effort up front, white papers can also be broken up into pieces and repurposed. A standalone chapter might become a blog post, for example, or fashion the data into an infographic, turned into a video or even a sales deck.

One good way to approach white papers is to think of them as the most “citable” content you create. In other words, when those at the far reaches of your community look for effective reference materials, your white papers should be at the top of their list. And if you can do that, you’ll be at the top of their list of potential vendors, too.

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Just two letters. Just one syllable.

And still, it sometimes feels like a door is being closed in your face, or a phone call is being brought to an abrupt end.

Even a novice sales rep will expect a certain volume of “Nos” before they get their first “Yes,” of course. Selling is notoriously filled with rejection. But it’s how reps handle those “Nos” that can really make the difference in whether they meet quota or not.

The rookie mistake — and it’s easy to make it — is to respond to a firm “No” with brief thanks for having your pitch heard, and then moving on.

A rep might then look at the next lead in their CRM, whether it’s come through their own efforts or has been passed on by the marketing team, and tries the same pitch all over again.

By treating every rejection at face value and accepting it, the rep then plays what is essentially a volume game, hoping their win ratio (perhaps based on the size of each deal) will be worth the number of “Nos” they have had to hear.

That’s not an effective strategy, for a couple of reasons.

First, it means you’re going to be dependent on generating (or having your marketing team generate) an enormous number of leads. That’s sometimes possible, but not very effective or efficient.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it means you’re not really trying to cultivate a relationship with your customer.

In our personal relationships, for instance, we hear the word “No” a lot. It doesn’t mean we walk away from our family and friends. We work through differences of opinion, treating them as points in an ongoing discussion. It should be the same with customers.

Sometimes “No” can be a sort of shorthand for a whole range of responses that experienced reps have learned to assess, investigate and overcome.

These are some of the things your lead might really mean — and which you can act upon:

“Not yet.”

Some products and services might be really interesting or helpful, but a lead’s particular budget cycle isn’t at a point where they can commit to a purchase.

As a sales rep, your job is to learn more about that budget cycle, and any other conditions that need to be met in order for a purchase to go ahead.

Ask about when they typically look at replacing old products like the one you’re selling, or introducing new ones if you’re offering a product they’ve never used before.

“I’m not sure.”

Uncertainty can be the death knell for the most persuasive sales pitches.

While you want to close as many deals as possible, remember there can be a lot at stake for your lead.

If they’re considering a purchase on behalf of their company, it could represent a sizable investment.

Your product could change the way people in their business work. It could bring benefits, but it also might pose risks.

If the product doesn’t help address their pain point (or address it enough), will they be reprimanded or overlooked in the future?

Use your active listening skills to get at all the questions that may be circling around your lead’s head. See if there’s more information you can provide to give them the confidence they need.

“I’d have to ask XYZ.”

In B2B environments, few purchases are made by a single individual. Often there are formal buying committees who have to meet multiple times, research several different vendors and iron out specific terms and conditions before the final sign-off.

Your lead may see the merits in the products or services you’re pitching, but they dread having to bring it up with a coworker who might use it as an opportunity to debate a problem at the company.

They might already be in hot water with their boss, and don’t want to suggest they open their wallet for a major purchase.

Make sure you talk to each lead about who they need to get buy-in from, and help them build the business case.

Give them information that will speed up the process, or data that will drive a greater sense of urgency among their peers or manager.

“We’ll be okay.”

Without necessarily giving a full explanation, some leads will hear a rep’s pitch and assume that the product or service being described is too sophisticated or complex for a business of their size.

This is where you may need to explain that, even if they work for a small and medium-sized business, the digital nature of the current business environment is levelling the competitive landscape. Small firms are often competing with larger entities, whether they realize it or not.

Complacency is another hidden factor behind many rejections. It’s always easy (or at least it seems easy) to maintain the status quo. That’s where a good rep will help show where a company or an entire industry might face disruption if they don’t respond to emerging customer needs or higher expectations.

“Maybe.”

As you’ve realized by now, a “No” isn’t always really a “No.”

There will be some leads who make it a principle never to accept the first version of a pitch they hear.

They might be looking for a better price, an additional proof point, or to see if the rep might throw something else in as part of the package.

What seems like a rejection, in other words, is really just the start of a negotiation.

One of the best things about using a CRM is that you can begin to see trends and patterns in these kinds of rejections. You can begin to develop your own cheat sheet of how best to respond to common objections in a way that moves a deal along.

Working in sales means that, occasionally, you will have to take “No” for an answer. Just don’t take it without considering all the hidden meanings behind it first.

The post All The Hidden Meanings Behind A Lead’s ‘No’ appeared first on Salesforce.

Lead generation has been around since the barter system. If there’s something to sell, you need to find the customer to make it happen. However, the methods used to make your B2B lead generation ideas yield fruit have changed dramatically, even over just the last few years.

B2B strategies are quickly evolving to resemble their B2C counterparts. That’s largely because the target demographic in charge of purchasing at brands is more in tune with making their professional decisions in the same way they make their personal buying choices. There are still specific marketing differences, of course, because the purchasing power for a business is often weighted more seriously. A B2B purchase may impact profits and other expenditures in the office.

When Using Lead Generation, You Need to Know the 5 Types of Leads

• New
  • Any potential customer you know something about
• Working
  • A lead with whom you’re having an active conversation
• Nurturing
  • A potential customer who’s not interested in buying right now.
  • However, they do anticipate a future need.
• Unqualified
  • A lead who decided they’re not interested in what you have to offer.
• Qualified
  • Someone who has shown interest in your offerings and wants to do business.
  • Also known as sales leads

The first step to building your lead generation strategy is to find your qualified leads. Your team should also understand that this buyer actively researches your offerings and your competitors.

Your work here doesn’t stop with a great strategy. Every time you launch a new lead generation idea, you should monitor its progress. Your campaigns yield valuable data that will help you determine whether the strategy takes hold and offers significant ROI. When you find that a campaign doesn’t reach your predetermined benchmarks, your follow-up questions must determine why it missed the mark. It might be that the lead wasn’t qualified, and perhaps your metrics need to be rethought. The beautiful thing about a campaign that doesn’t deliver the desired result is that it will still produce valuable data to help you improve future efforts and decision-making.

Below are eight B2B lead generation ideas that every marketing and sales team should collaboratively try.

1. Use an opt-in lead hook

A lead hook is something you offer in exchange for contact information. This might be a giveaway tool or tip audiences can access in exchange for their email address. This lead generation idea works on two levels.

1. First, you get their contact information, and you can add them to your mailing list.

2. Second, they receive something of value that helps build loyalty.

Be thoughtful when you craft your free offer. It should be something that is useful to your buyer persona and it should deliver on whatever it promises. For instance, if you title an ebook, “10 Never-Before-Used Marketing Tactics for Real Estate Agents,” make sure to only include information that is genuinely unique, valuable, actionable, and unlikely to be found elsewhere.

2. Create a webinar

Webinars give you a chance to offer in-depth advice for your audience and market yourself as an expert. This lead generation tool creates value three different ways.

1. The audience gives you their email addresses in order to attend the webinar.
2. When the webinar delivers on its promised value, prospects learn skills and view you and your company as experts in the field.
3. Through cross-promotion, you can establish partnerships with other webinar hosts and businesses in your industry to leverage their brand credibility and audience.

8 Effective B2B Lead Generation Ideas

• Use an opt-in lead hook
• Create a webinar
• Offer a free consultation
• Automate email campaigns at the beginning of the funnel
• Revamp your newsletter
• Develop case studies
• Produce free, well-designed, educational content
• Employ social media

3. Offer a free consultation

A free consultation is an excellent way to assess leads.

Through the consultation process, you gather insight into a prospect’s business and pain points. This puts you in a position to offer action-oriented solutions, which builds rapport with the potential customer, too. Even when this lead generation tool doesn’t reap immediate conversion, it still offers insightful data that will help you continue the conversation with the prospect.

4. Automate email campaigns at the beginning of the funnel

Consider automating all email campaigns targeting unqualified leads. While you can and should automate even more touchpoints throughout the customer journey, starting with the top of the funnel will save you time and energy as you filter more qualified leads through your pipeline. This enables you to focus more resources on crafting personalized communication for leads further down your sales funnel.

5. Revamp your newsletter

For some businesses, their current newsletter is ineffective at engaging prospects. For others, their newsletter is nonexistent. In any case, whether you have to tweak it, overhaul it, or create your first newsletter, remember that an effective one accomplishes the following:

1. Earns a consistently high open rate

2. Reinforces brand loyalty

3. Delivers unique and timely information to the customer

4. Encourages them to take a favorable action

For instance, you may offer your audience tips monthly or quarterly that may help them minimize some aspect of loss in their business. As long as the information is something they weren’t already aware of, your leads will continue to open your newsletter and think favorably of your company. Also, remember to include a call to action that prompts them to reach out for help.

6. Develop case studies

In most industries, case studies can facilitate effective B2B lead generation. They showcase the tangible impact and ROI you’ve delivered to other clients with your services. That way, prospects can imagine what the possibilities are when they enlist your help. A case study also acts as an endorsement from your current and past clients.

Once You Have an Idea, Execute Your Lead Generation Campaign

• It’s not enough to decide how you’re going to generate leads — you also have to plan the campaign.
• Your plan should include the following steps:
  • Set your campaign objective.
  • Evaluate and select your campaign target.
  • Determine your media outlet.
  • Develop an offer.
  • Create a communications strategy process

7. Produce free, well-designed, educational content

In B2B lead generation today, prospects are increasingly likely to find you, rather than respond to your targeted ads and campaigns. When they search for the solutions your business offers, the first places they’ll turn to are search engines and then your website. Blogging, page layouts, and educational content are all important aspects of your content marketing strategy that drive effective lead generation.

There are several ways to enhance your website to generate more leads, such as opt-in pages and exit-intent pop-ups as the visitor moves to leave the site. Unlike opt-in lead hooks, you can provide free and ungated content that serves as a valuable reference point for your audience. While there may not be an immediate incentive for them to subscribe to your mailing list, such as with an ebook offer, they may still want updates on any new articles you release based on the value they’ve received already from your blog posts.

8. Employ social media

Social media isn’t high up on the list of B2B lead generation tools in most studies because it hasn’t traditionally performed well. However, with the changes in demographics for individuals at companies with high purchasing power, it may be time to redevelop a solid strategy for your social media content.

Another reason that social media marketing may not have performed well for companies in the past is because it was poorly done. Memes, witty content, and eye-catching visuals might be strong facilitators of likes and comments among general audiences; yet, they might not resonate well with your B2B customer who expects a more sophisticated brand voice.

Closing thoughts

These are only eight B2B lead generation ideas, but you can come up with hundreds of new strategies when you apply a bit of creativity and innovation. The key to making any of your lead generation campaigns pay off is in your ability to assess progress and change directions as needed. By taking an agile and data-driven approach to your B2B lead generation initiatives, you will inbound higher quality prospects that are more likely to convert through each stage of the sales funnel.

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