Maybe not for a long time. Too often, we business managers and entrepreneurs fall into the trap of using only tactical efforts in getting more B2B leads. While there is really nothing wrong with that (we need to generate more sales leads, that is the constant), it would be a much better option for you and your business to employ a more strategic means to being profitable. It is tough to stand out in the market, this is the truth. What you need is a more strategic approach in your marketing efforts. To do that, you will need to possess the following qualities:
You know how to anticipate – changes in market trends or buyer behavior may not be that obvious at first. But if you have a fairly good idea as to where the market is headed to at the moment, then it could be used to get more customers coming in. Look beyond what your business or industry is covering, not to mention build your own network of businesses. That will help you a lot.
You know how to think critically – this is something that, unfortunately, not that many business owners possess. It takes one to think critically in order to understand what is going on in the market, to getting right at the bottom of the problem, questioning the status quo, being willing to go against the flow when the analysis permits (like using IT telemarketing in a software industry, etc.) that enables you to decide on your best course of action.
You know how to properly interpret data – you have to admit that information is important to your business. But what could be even more challenging would be how to interpret it. Taking only a cursory glance at the data you have might cause you to miss something, or decide on the wrong appointment setting strategy. This could seriously impact your marketing efforts.
You know how to make the right decisions – there are times when making a decision can paralyze you. As the business owner, you need to choose the right thing, even if it is the hard or unpopular one. Remember the late Steve Jobs’ plan to cannibalize iPod’s music library in order to provide tracks for the iPhone? Not many people liked it, but see how it helped make the iPhone a truly multi-media device.
You know how to convince others – again, the poster boy for this is Steve Jobs himself. I mean, no matter how difficult or outrageous his plans are, he could always get the people around him to agree. This is a skill that not many managers have, since the opinions or viewpoints of your subordinates may step more in the latter’s minds.
You know the value of learning – B2B lead generation is a constantly evolving process, one that requires its users to constantly brush up on their skills and knowledge. As a marketer, you should also make an effort to be better informed of new marketing skills, or improvements on the old ones.
If you posses (or develop) these necessary lead generation skills, then it would be an advantage to you.
