5 Commonly Overlooked B2B Lead Prospecting Opportunities

Lead generation is a fundamental step in business-to-business (B2B) sales. Without leads, you won't have anyone to pitch your product or service to. Furthermore, leads allow you to prioritize your sales tactics to generate a stronger response. If a particular prospect has expressed strong interest in your product or service, you can target him or her first. Unfortunately, though, many B2B salespersons overlook the following lead generation opportunities.

#1) Existing Customers

Sometimes the best leads are right under your nose. Assuming your company has long-term, established customers, perhaps you can contact those customers to see if they are interested in buying other related products or services. Selling to existing customers such as this is easier and more cost-effective than selling to new customers.

#2) Referrals

Another commonly overlooked lead generation opportunity in B2B sales is referrals. Assuming a customer likes your product or service, he or she may refer your company without any additional work on your behalf. Other times, however, you'll need to entice customers to generate lead referrals. One idea is to offer a promotional discount for referrals, such as 10% off. When a customer sees that he or she can get 10% off their order for a referral, they will be more likely to recommend your company.

#3) Social Media

Statistics show that more than 75% of the U.S. population has a Facebook account. Social media networking has revolutionized the way in which we access information. In addition to being used for leisure, though, it's also used for commercial purposes. B2B companies can use social media to harvest leads and generate more sales opportunities.

#4) Content Marketing

Content marketing can also be used to generate B2B leads. Content marketing refers to creating, publishing and promoting content, typically on the Internet. Content marketing such as this is a form of inbound marketing, meaning it encourages prospects to seek more information about the respective company. If you publish content that's relevant to your target audience, prospects may contact you to learn more about your products or services.

#5) Lead Databases

Finally, consider using lead databases to generate B2B leads. Instead of actively sourcing leads, you'll have instant access to a massive database of highly targeted leads. This means you can spend more time selling and less time sourcing leads. Lead database services are in invaluable tool in B2B sales. Unfortunately, though, it's also something that many B2B salespersons overlook. If you want to generate more leads, consider using a databse service such as this.