Demand Generation

BtoB companies' inability to align sales and marketing teams around the right processes and technologies has cost them upwards of 10% or more of revenue per year, or $100 million for a billion-dollar company, according to IDC.

With BtoB buyer behavior continuing to evolve, industry research points to an emerging skills gap within sales organizations, as reps are finding it more difficult to sustain a dialogue with prospects. These trends have pushed sales enablement to a top priority for BtoB organizations are challenged to empower sales teams to deliver relevant, high-touch interactions.

“Buyers are saying they have critical timeframes that have to be met, and the sales folks they are working with are not meeting these timelines,” noted Michael Gerard, VP Sales Advisory Service, IDC. “It might be the result of sales folks dropping the ball, or a lack of skills. Don’t overlook the fact that it might be a lack of support within the organization. We have to help make those connections.”

By Dan McDade, President & CEO, PointClear

“I called them three times, and they didn’t get back to me so they must not have been interested.”

Have you, a member of your field sales team, or one of your inside reps ever called a prospect a few times without connecting and then given up? The answer is likely “yes” as the temptation is to assume a prospect isn’t interested and move on.

By Joe Chernov, VP of Content Marketing, Eloqua

Social media and demand generation are becoming marketing’s equivalent of the Hatfields and McCoys. The feud runs hot, and ultimately comes down to fundamentally different worldviews. Social media practitioners tend to trust that great content and great experiences will, eventually, result in new buyers. demand gen professionals believe in one thing: data.

Believe me, I run social media for Eloqua, a company in the lead generation industry.

By James Rogers, VP of Marketing, Hoover’s

Uncovering new leads to add to the pipeline isn’t easy. Strategies that were once successful may no longer generate positive outcomes, signifying the need for a change in your approach. There are many tactics to help drum up qualified leads, but it’s important to remember that there is no “one-size-fits-all” model for success. If your marketing and/or sales teams are struggling to generate qualified leads, consider the following five tips to refresh your lead generation efforts: 

The transformation of the BtoB buyer continues to evolve, as preliminary results from the DemandGen Report’s second annual research study, Inside The Mind of the BtoB Buyer, points to continued expansion of the sphere of influence and new factors shaping the decision-making process.

Based on preliminary findings, 53% of respondents indicated that they took more time to research and consider solutions, while 44% utilized a wider variety of sources to research their options. The early results also point to purchasing decisions becoming more of a “group effort,” as 30% of respondents indicated that more internal team members provided their input into decision process.