It’s not exactly breaking news to suggest that a prospect who has shown some level of interest in your product or service is a more attractive lead than one who hasn’t. Statistically, these types of warm leads convert to sales at nearly a 10 times greater rate than completely cold leads.
But in 2024, it’s become more important than ever for B2B sales and marketing teams to quickly identify this genuine interest and respond in a way that maximizes opportunities for engagement.
Scan any list of the biggest B2B lead generation trends and strategies for 2024, and you’re almost guaranteed to find intent-based lead generation near the top. This of course means paying attention to activities such as keywords searched, content downloaded, pages viewed, emails opened, and more, but intent-based lead generation goes beyond simply analyzing the data. The ability to quickly identify and prioritize interested prospects and properly target them with the right messaging at the right time can make all the difference in the highly competitive world of B2B sales.
VSA has multiple clients who rely heavily on intent-based lead generation to engage with prospects and, ultimately, close deals. Here are five of the ways we help our clients in that regard:
1. Immediate outreach
Staying aware of prospects’ activity doesn’t do much good if you don’t strike when their interest is hottest. VSA clients often count on us to call prospects immediately after they show intent, and with good reason. According to recent statistics compiled by Zippia, over 80% of buyers take meetings with sales reps who reach out to them first. And waiting more than 30 minutes to contact a prospect who shows interest reduces the chance of a conversion by 62%.
Why such a drop-off? Maybe it’s because one of your competitors got to the prospect in the meantime. Or maybe it’s because whatever concern prompted them to fill out an inquiry form on your website was replaced by a more pressing issue, and learning about your services is no longer a top priority.
Unfortunately, most companies wait far too long to reach out to curious prospects (the average response time on web leads is 17 hours, according to one statistic), likely because their sales reps are busy with other tasks. Having a partner to engage with those leads immediately can make all the difference in scheduling sales appointments or demos and driving pipeline.
2. Prioritizing interest
Obviously, not all prospects who show intent have the same level of interest. Merely opening an email, for example, doesn’t require the same effort and commitment as filling out a survey or inquiry form. And simply visiting a website isn’t the same thing as downloading content or watching a webinar.
It’s impossible to know for sure how strong a prospect’s initial interest is, but certain activities can give you a pretty good idea, and prioritizing those activities is key to generating quality leads. In many cases, VSA’s clients provide us with separate prospect lists based on the different types of engagement, and we prioritize those lists accordingly. VSA is also capable of working directly out of our clients’ platforms, which allows us to identify legitimate interest and focus our attention and resources on the most-engaged prospects.
3. Customized messaging
Once you know how a prospect chose to engage, it becomes easier to gear the message toward their area of interest during a phone call and develop an immediate rapport. If they downloaded a white paper, you can mention the title of the document during the call. If they watched a webinar, you can ask what they found most compelling about it to help get the conversation flowing.
VSA often prepares multiple scripts per client program, which differ based on factors such as the title of the decision-makers we’re calling and the pain points each title commonly experiences. With intent-based leads, the scripts can vary further, to acknowledge the specific content the prospect has engaged with.
4. Scalability
With intent-based lead generation, there are always going to be times of the year that are busier than others. Sometimes, those upswings in engagement are easy to predict—the launch of a new product, for example. Other times, though, a company might be caught off guard by a sudden increase in interested prospects and not have the internal resources to adequately engage with them.
VSA offers our clients the scheduling flexibility to provide as many—or as few—Business Development Representatives as needed at a particular time. We schedule our calling hours on a weekly basis and can quickly adapt the size of our BDR teams to meet each client’s needs, no matter how often those needs fluctuate.
5. Accumulated knowledge
Just because somebody shows an interest in a product or service doesn’t mean they’re directly involved in the purchasing process. A big part of our job is identifying the members of a company’s buying team, and then narrowing the pursuit even further to the actual decision-makers.
It is not uncommon for clients to provide VSA with a list of prospects, only for us to learn through calling that we should be targeting an entirely different title, regardless of the previous level of engagement. Every conversation with a prospect is an opportunity to gather knowledge that can benefit our clients moving forward and lead to increased conversions.
Here are some other popular questions we receive around this topic that we’d like to share:
Q: What is intent-based lead generation?
A: Intent-based lead generation is a strategy that focuses on identifying and targeting potential customers who are showing specific intent signals indicating they are in-market and ready to buy. This approach uses intent data to tailor marketing campaigns and sales efforts toward these high-potential leads.
Q: How can intent data be used for lead generation?
A: Intent data can be used for lead generation by analyzing the digital footprints and online behaviors of potential customers to identify their purchase intent. This information allows marketers to tailor their messaging and engage with prospects who are more likely to convert into customers.
Q: What role does intent data play in B2B marketing?
A: Intent data plays a crucial role in B2B marketing by providing valuable insights into the intent signals and behaviors of potential buyers. This allows B2B marketers to focus their efforts on engaging with decision-makers who are actively researching or considering relevant products or services.
Q: How can B2B marketers leverage intent data for lead generation?
A: B2B marketers can leverage intent data for lead generation by using it to identify and prioritize in-market leads, tailoring their marketing campaigns and sales strategies to engage with these potential customers who are actively showing purchase intent.
Q: What are the benefits of using intent data for lead generation?
A: Using intent data for lead generation offers several benefits, including the ability to generate higher quality leads, identify in-market buyers, and align marketing and sales efforts more effectively to focus on potential customers who are closer to making a purchase decision.
Q: How does intent-based lead generation differ from traditional lead generation methods?
A: Intent-based lead generation differs from traditional methods by focusing on engaging with potential customers showing specific intent signals, such as actively researching or seeking solutions related to the products or services offered. This approach emphasizes targeting in-market leads with a higher likelihood of conversion.
Q: What are some common sources of intent data for lead generation?
A: Common sources of intent data for lead generation include third-party intent data providers, as well as platforms like LinkedIn and marketing automation tools that provide insights into the online behaviors and intent signals of potential buyers.
Q: How can intent data be used to identify potential buyers in the B2B sector?
A: Intent data can be used to identify potential buyers in the B2B sector by analyzing their online activities, engagement with specific content, and intent signals related to their buying journey. This allows marketers to focus on engaging with decision-makers who are actively researching and considering relevant solutions.
Q: What strategies can sales teams use to capitalize on intent data for lead generation?
A: Sales teams can capitalize on intent data for lead generation by aligning their outreach efforts with the intent signals and buying journey of potential customers, focusing on personalized and targeted approaches to engage with in-market leads who are more likely to be ready for a sales conversation.
Q: How does intent-based lead generation contribute to B2B sales growth?
A: Intent-based lead generation contributes to B2B sales growth by ensuring that sales and marketing efforts are directed toward engaging with potential customers who are actively showing purchase intent, thereby increasing the likelihood of converting qualified leads into customers and driving revenue growth.
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Intent-based lead generation will likely play a huge role in companies’ growth in 2024 and beyond. It’s crucial to identify prospects who show interest and know the best ways to engage with them.
VSA can help make sure all your intent-based leads receive the attention they deserve. If you’d like to learn more, give us a call or drop us a line. We’d love to help your business get off to a fast start in the new year.