5 Creative Digital Strategies for B2B Lead Generation

Traditional marketing campaigns worked just fine a decade ago, but they are no match for today’s needs.

The online transition meant that the digital marketing space is now home to most B2B buyers and sellers. So you have sellers targeting similar market segments with the same tactics.

With little to no differentiation, B2B buyers self-researching potential suppliers find themselves inundated with the same message across the board. 

Not only does this make it tougher to identify a good supplier, but sellers also lose many opportunities to prove their worth and win over customers.

So, how about employing some creative strategies to set your business apart from the competition? 

1. Interactive Content

While ebooks, white papers, and long-form guides are a staple in digital marketing, these content formats are static, requiring audiences to only sit back and read. 

Unless the content is really interesting, you’re likely to lose your reader quarter or halfway through—there are plenty of distractions out there.

According to a report by DemandGen, interactive content attracts twice the attention static content does.

This is because interactive content requires active participation by the audience. 

As they engage the content, it keeps them longer on your site, allowing you to communicate your value and improve your standing within your industry. 

Further, you can easily capture data from the users to help you understand their interests better.

Below are examples of interactive content formats you can incorporate. We would encourage you to first establish which format works best in your sector to maximize effectiveness. 

• Quizzes. They are a fun way for consumers to discover pain points and test their knowledge on topics of interest. As the user receives their tally, you can offer useful tips to guide them further and interest them in your solutions.
• Calculators. ROI calculators, downtime cost calculators, and cold calling calculators are perfect for capturing users who show interest in the problems you solve. They provide crucial information about the user’s specific problems allowing you to personalize your messages.
• Image sliders. Images sliders capture interest and allow users to compare multiple images easily increasing the likelihood of engagement. You can use high-resolution images to promote the multiple facets of your business interestingly.  

2. Cold Calling

You must wonder what is so creative about cold calling?

While this strategy is decades old, the approach has changed. We no longer bombard unsuspecting souls with products/services they don’t need. 

Nay, today’s teams are professionals who research prospects to identify those who may benefit from a partnership. To maximize impact, these professionals customize their offerings to suit customer needs before reaching for the phone.

Success in B2B cold calling is as dependent on the offerings as it is on the person calling. They require a certain skill set to help them engage the prospect effectively.

Here are some skills that can help you maximize their success;

1. Researching skills. Excellent researching skills help you understand your prospect and uncover opportunities and problems you can solve. If they have engaged your brand in the past, what was the interaction about? Does it unveil anything about their interests or problems?
2. Quick thinking. Thinking on your feet during live conversations may help you achieve your goal faster. It takes a combination of product knowledge and experience to be able a quick thinker.
3. Value delivery. Whether it’s answering a question, sharing a valuable content piece, or offering advice, aim to provide value to your listener on every call. 
4. Ability to stay calm. You’ll encounter difficult gatekeepers, repeated voicemails, and uncooperative prospects which can make maintaining your cool a job altogether. Be sure to maintain level-headedness at all times.

3. Infographic Marketing

As attention spans grow progressively shorter, demand for visually appealing snackable content is also on the rise. 

A survey revealed that those who consume infographics have a 61 percent chance of retaining that information compared to the 36 percent chance for blog readers. 

The survey also found that up to 84 percent of businesses that use infographics in their sales and marketing strategies found them effective. 

What am I getting at?

Text-heavy content doesn’t appeal to all audiences, but you’re certain to catch a large audience’s attention with visually appealing content. 

As these visual learners engage in your infographic, they are likely to show interest in your products/services and engage you further.

Other benefits include:

• Repurposing old content into infographics ensures you have a constant supply of content on your website.
• Link building opportunities. Authoritative sites may not want more standard blog posts but may be open to infographics. You can also target websites that prefer infographics over text-based content to further strengthen your authority. 
• Educating audiences. Considering their effectiveness for being retained in audience memory, infographics are useful for educating people about your offerings, industry statistics, and trends.

4. Influencer Marketing

Statistics show people trust the word of an influencer more than what a company says about itself.

Tough, but true.

Buyers give more weight to what credible influencers say which means that a well-put-together influencer marketing strategy can exceed traditional outreach methods.

Putting together a powerful influencer marketing strategy involves choosing the right influencer. This goes beyond the number of followers an influencer has and on to qualities that make for a good match.

Here are top influencer qualities to look for:

• Credibility. As mentioned early people follow the words of credible influencers. So you’ll want to check out their background to ensure they have not falsified information to gain clout. 
• Relatability. Influencers with industry experience tell authentic stories since they have walked through the trenches themselves. Audiences will find them more relatable.
• Topical alignment. Your influencer’s audience should be familiar content from the influencer that aligns with the topics you want to co-create. Say you build HR software, partnering with an influencer who is involved in employee advocacy means you’re targeting audiences in the right circles.

1. Video Marketing

The impact of video in B2B conversions is unquestionable. 

More than 80 percent of video watchers were convinced to follow through with the purchase after watching brand videos. A further 78 percent went on to buy or download apps/software after consuming video content.

Whether you’re going for standard videos or interactive videos, this communication channel is effective in attracting, educating, driving conversions, welcoming new customers, and sharing updates.

Below are B2B video formats worth implementing:

• Explainer videos. These are punchy 60 to 90-second videos that explain your brand promise. Here you’re telling audiences why you get up every morning to do what you do and the positive impact it has on customers.
• How-to videos. These are 2 to 10-minute videos that combine visuals with text to give audiences concise and logical tutorials of your product/service. They highlight your expertise and build credibility. 
• Thought leadership videos. These are perfect for sharing knowledge, showcasing your expertise, and increasing influence. They run for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Case study videos. Invite customers to tell their story aka how your solutions helped them achieve their goals. It boosts relatability as it covers problems potential customers can relate to and boosts your credibility.