How to Generate More Leads for Your B2B E-commerce Business

Tips and strategies to improve

B2B is all about buying and selling products and services in various business entities. Targeting a business takes an inordinate amount of forethought and strategic planning. You can’t take a random approach and then expect to get positive results.

That’s why the B2B process is long and takes up much of your time. It would help if you were strategic with your customer acquisition strategy and nurtured and retained your leads in the funnel. Similarly, your marketing strategy should provide answers for everyone engaging with you.

As a B2B marketer, you must put your prospects first, provide an information-first approach, and create a connection with a broad network of partners.

Here’s how you can generate more leads for your B2B e-commerce business and boost your e-commerce conversions:

Related: How to Improve Lead Gen with the help of AI.

1. Optimize your website for mobile conversions

Optimize your website for mobile conversions

Most people use their mobile devices to look up products, services, and companies online precisely when they’ll most likely turn to leads. 

In fact, according to Google’s research, there’s a 35% increase in mobile searches for product reviews. Furthermore, there’s an 85% increase in mobile searches for the “best” products and services. This indicates that people are thinking of purchasing a product with their smartphones and tablets. 

That’s the reason that you should make your site mobile-friendly. That way, visitors can find what they’re looking for quickly. 

2. Provide discounts and promotions

Here’s the thing- site visitors are likely to give you their information if you can provide them with something valuable in exchange. For new and first-time buyers, offering discounts help you incentivize the sign-ups in your mailing list. 

On the other hand, promotions like loyalty and membership programs keep your current customers engaged, and that increased engagement comes with better word-of-mouth. 

3. Invest in content marketing

Invest in content marketing

Content marketing is crucial to your business. This usually involves crafting, optimizing, and distributing relevant content to your target audience to drive action. 

In fact, according to a report from the Demand Generation’s Benchmark Survey, B2B prospects are highly responsive to content marketing. In fact, 60% of organizations map their content on their sales funnel

4. Launch an affiliate program

Affiliate programs help you drive more leads by recruiting customers and users who recommend your product or service to others. With this program, you can recruit affiliates who advocate for your brand in their respective networks and communities. 

Using a unique link, they’ll recommend you to others with a unique link that tracks their referrals. For every lead they send based on the criteria of your program, they’re rewarded. 

Affiliate marketing is an incredibly effective strategy, mainly because other people trust their family and friends. If you’re a company or a trusted influencer that recommends a particular product, you’ll most probably add it to your shortlist and check it out versus if you see it in a typical ad

That’s also the reason why a lot of successful B2B companies these days utilize affiliate programs. 

5. Create a lead magnet

Create a lead magnet

Want a successful customer lifecycle? Then you have to optimize the process of converting visitors into leads. 

As a digital marketer, you’re putting a lot of effort into promoting your business without knowing how visitors interact. You need to monitor if you want to grow your leads via marketing or promotions. A lot of times, there’s a gap between lead and traffic generation. 

In generating traffic, you should know the art of converting traffic into paying customers. This is where the lead magnet concept comes in. These are strategies and tweaks in your site to hold the traffic and entice people to provide you with their details so that you can get in touch with them in the future. This is essential for B2B businesses

You can use lead magnets in your arsenal to provide visitors value in exchange for their contact information. Usually, many businesses use lead magnets to nurture any signs of interest from site visitors. They aim to get permission from their visitors and follow these up with prospective giveaways. 

Here are some effective lead magnets that you can use:

  • Free trial 
  • eBooks
  • Webinars
  • Training videos
  • Blog subscriptions/ newsletter
  • Case studies
  • Coupons and exclusive deals
  • Toolkits
  • Free Consultation

6. Leverage the power of re-engagement emails

Similarly, it would be best to utilize re-engagement strategies for genuine prospects in your target email list. 

To do this, you must tap into the power or re-engagement emails. Many prospective customers in an email list won’t engage with a brand that sends them content

If you want to generate a consistent flow of leads, new customers, and more revenue, avoid database decay as much as possible—re-engagement emails not only the users on your list but also people who have actively engaged with you. 

7. Invest in Search Engine Optimization

Invest in Search Engine Optimization

A strong e-commerce SEO strategy helps your brand get noticed, especially when people aren’t actively looking for your brand

With the right SEO strategy, you can rank well for your products and services, not just your brand name. 

As your SEO efforts start to grow, more and more people can find your brand when they look up generic terms. That means they’ll be more likely to remember it when they want to complete a purchase. 

8. Add customer reviews

You can integrate customer reviews and testimonials when evaluating product pages to highlight your brand. Adding reviews makes your content more informative and, in turn, drives more sales. 

Although product reviews have been quite popular in the B2C sector, B2B brands are just starting to take advantage of this word-of-mouth promotion strategy. 

You can curate reviews from other sources if you can’t add reviews to your product pages. You can link your Trustpilot ratings to assure buyers that it’s safe to trust your brand. 

FAQ

What are effective strategies to generate leads for a B2B business?

Effective strategies to generate leads for a B2B business include creating targeted content such as whitepapers or case studies, optimizing your website for lead capture through forms and landing pages, leveraging email marketing campaigns, attending industry events and conferences, and networking on professional social media platforms like LinkedIn.

How can B2B businesses use content marketing to generate leads?

B2B businesses can use content marketing to generate leads by creating valuable and informative content that addresses the pain points and challenges of their target audience. This can include blog posts, e-books, webinars, and videos that showcase industry expertise and provide solutions to common problems.

What role does search engine optimization (SEO) play in lead generation for B2B businesses?

SEO plays a significant role in lead generation for B2B businesses by ensuring that your website ranks high in search engine results for relevant keywords and phrases. By optimizing your website’s content and structure, you can attract organic traffic from potential leads actively searching for solutions in your industry.

How can B2B businesses leverage social media to generate leads?

B2B businesses can leverage social media to generate leads by sharing valuable content, engaging with industry influencers and thought leaders, participating in relevant LinkedIn groups or Twitter chats, and running targeted advertising campaigns to reach decision-makers in their target market.

What are some effective lead magnet strategies for B2B businesses?

Effective lead magnet strategies for B2B businesses include offering free trials or demos of your product or service, providing gated content such as industry reports or toolkits, hosting webinars or workshops, and offering exclusive discounts or promotions to incentivize lead capture and conversion.

How can B2B businesses use email marketing to nurture leads and drive conversions?

B2B businesses can use email marketing to nurture leads by sending targeted and personalized email campaigns that provide valuable content, address pain points, and offer solutions to the challenges faced by their audience. Segmented email lists and automated drip campaigns can help maintain engagement and move leads through the sales funnel.

What role does account-based marketing (ABM) play in lead generation for B2B businesses?

Account-based marketing (ABM) allows B2B businesses to target high-value accounts with personalized marketing campaigns tailored to their specific needs and preferences. By focusing resources on key decision-makers within target accounts, ABM can increase lead quality and improve conversion rates.

How can B2B businesses leverage networking and partnerships to generate leads?

B2B businesses can leverage networking and partnerships by attending industry events and conferences, participating in trade shows or exhibitions, joining relevant industry associations, and forming strategic alliances with complementary businesses to expand their reach and access new leads.

What role does content syndication play in lead generation for B2B businesses?

Content syndication involves distributing your content through third-party channels or platforms to reach a wider audience. B2B businesses can use content syndication to generate leads by partnering with industry publications, online communities, or content aggregators to amplify their reach and attract qualified leads.

How can B2B businesses measure the effectiveness of their lead generation efforts?

B2B businesses can measure the effectiveness of their lead generation efforts by tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) such as website traffic, lead conversion rates, cost per lead, and lead quality. Analyzing data from marketing automation platforms and CRM systems can provide insights into which strategies are driving the most valuable leads and conversions.

How can B2B businesses use content syndication to expand their lead generation efforts?

B2B businesses can use content syndication to expand their lead generation efforts by partnering with industry-specific websites, blogs, or newsletters to distribute their content to a wider audience. By reaching potential leads on trusted platforms, businesses can increase brand visibility and attract qualified prospects.

What role does thought leadership content play in B2B lead generation?

Thought leadership content positions B2B businesses as industry experts and trusted advisors, helping to build credibility and trust with potential leads. By sharing insights, expertise, and unique perspectives through blogs, articles, or speaking engagements, businesses can attract and engage high-quality leads interested in their solutions.

How can B2B businesses leverage webinars to generate leads and nurture prospects?

B2B businesses can leverage webinars to generate leads and nurture prospects by offering valuable and educational content that addresses specific pain points or challenges faced by their target audience. By promoting webinars through email campaigns, social media, and website CTAs, businesses can attract engaged leads interested in learning more about their offerings.

What role does gated content play in B2B lead generation strategies?

Gated content, such as e-books, whitepapers, or reports, requires users to provide their contact information in exchange for access. B2B businesses use gated content to capture leads and provide valuable resources that address the needs and interests of their target audience, nurturing prospects through the sales funnel.

How can B2B businesses optimize their website for lead generation?

B2B businesses can optimize their website for lead generation by creating clear and compelling calls-to-action (CTAs), designing intuitive and user-friendly landing pages, implementing lead capture forms strategically throughout the site, and offering valuable content or incentives in exchange for contact information.

What role does marketing automation play in B2B lead generation?

Marketing automation allows B2B businesses to streamline lead generation processes by automating repetitive tasks such as email campaigns, lead scoring, and lead nurturing workflows. By delivering personalized and timely communications to leads based on their behavior and interactions, businesses can increase efficiency and drive conversions.

How can B2B businesses leverage retargeting ads to re-engage leads and drive conversions?

B2B businesses can leverage retargeting ads to re-engage leads who have previously visited their website or interacted with their content. By displaying targeted ads to these leads across various online platforms, businesses can stay top-of-mind and encourage them to return and complete desired actions, such as filling out a lead form or requesting more information.

What role does customer referral programs play in B2B lead generation?

Customer referral programs incentivize existing customers to refer new leads to a B2B business in exchange for rewards or discounts. By tapping into their network and recommending the business to others, satisfied customers become advocates and help drive new leads, often resulting in high-quality referrals with a higher likelihood of conversion.

How can B2B businesses use LinkedIn to generate leads and build relationships?

B2B businesses can use LinkedIn to generate leads and build relationships by optimizing their company page and personal profiles, sharing valuable content, participating in relevant groups and discussions, and leveraging LinkedIn’s advertising platform to target decision-makers and influencers within their target market.

What role does analytics and reporting play in optimizing B2B lead generation efforts?

Analytics and reporting provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of B2B lead generation efforts by tracking key metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates, and lead quality. By analyzing data from marketing campaigns and lead sources, businesses can identify areas for improvement and allocate resources more effectively to drive better results.

 Over to You

While you can make minor adjustments to your site to boost conversion rates, real e-commerce growth starts with your business model and marketing plan. Your sales team, content team, and advertising department must also be aligned with your goals and customer funnel. 

You can start using these big-picture strategies and see how your e-commerce business changes in the long run. You’ll be able to drive more qualified leads to your business and convert more people who visit your site. 

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