10 ways B2B marketing pros can gather leads

The challenge in planning a lead generation strategy arises from the abundance of information out there. It’s hard to know what the best strategy is. It doesn’t help that people seek one killer lead tactic that masks all ills while failing to realize that good B2B business generation is made up of many activities, which must be measured and tested.

Marketing executives are reporting that lead quality is a top priority for lead generation and, curiously, the biggest challenge they face. In Marketo’s study, 61 percent of marketers reported that generating high-quality leads was problematic for their organizations.

Given such clear data, B2B marketing professionals must gear up their marketing campaigns and map out strong lead generation strategies for the coming year. Here are some ideas:

1. Build social media relationships.

Stop using social media mainly as a broadcast tool; provide value to your prospects by reaching out to and engaging various communities.

LinkedIn is the most effective social media platform for B2B businesses today. The key is to find two or three groups where your prospects hang out and start making yourself heard.