More than 85% of B2B decision-makers find that outsourcing lead generation has a positive impact. About 71% of them say that the external team performs better than the internal team.
Selecting the right outsourced team can be cost-effective and an extension of your team. However, choosing the right one is not easy. Questions like whether they understand your field and if their strategy is effective need careful consideration.
Check our guide to select the right partner for lead generation.
3 things you should look for in a lead gen company
When seeking a lead generation company, it’s essential to find one with key attributes that aid in constructing a reliable sales process, fostering business growth, and ensuring value for your investment.
These criteria are not exclusive to lead generation agencies.
You can also use them to assess other potential partners like software providers or B2B sales outsourcing agencies.
1. Industry knowledge and expertise
The lead gen company you’re choosing must have specific knowledge in your industry. It is a matter of certain strategies, methods, and tools they use in the process.
An effective agency should have a proven track record in lead generation within your industry, focusing on one channel, or at most, two.
Here is an example:
Imagine you run a business in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.
You face heavy regulations, limiting the use of certain acquisition channels (such as Google Ads, which restricts healthcare and medicine). Communication must also adhere to industry compliance, including professional jargon.
To bring you results, the lead generation company should grasp the underlying reasons behind the data and adapt the strategy.
2. The agency has social proof
Reputation is reflected in reviews and feedback.
Does the prospective agency have some good ones? To ensure authenticity, explore external review platforms such as Clutch and G2.
Case studies play a key role. They must not only show the results the company has achieved but also offer practical insights and solutions.
For a demonstration of these fundamental elements, check out the case study about how we booked 80 high-quality appointments In 2 months.
Using this straightforward framework, you can observe the agency’s problem-solving approach and decision-making process.
3. Strong transparency in their strategies
Do they merely share marketing materials like guides and checklists? Or maybe they present real-life examples explaining what they do, why and how?
This transparency extends to the expertise and insights they are willing to share.
Pay attention to tips, templates, videos – and generally to the content they share on their blog and social media.
At Axellerato we share our knowledge and the methods we use for lead generation in our blog. For example, we have a guide to our CLEVER system with detailed steps and explanations. We are always ready to answer any questions our clients might have about any stage of the lead generation process.
9 Questions to ask to find your best-fit lead gen company
You did your research. The company looks like they have expertise in your niche, they showed you case studies and the results. You like the company but are still not sure if they’re a perfect match.
We have a solution for you – take these 9 questions and ask them. The answers will help you to better understand the details and make a correct decision for outsourcing.
1. What lead-generation tactics do they use?
They may utilize various tactics like cold emails, calls, social media outreach, or content marketing. It’s important to ensure these tactics align with your brand values and target audience preferences.
2. What process will they use to accomplish your goals?
Check for clear, documented processes with assigned responsibilities. Inquire about their proactive or reactive approach to handling issues and their reporting methods. The company should have a structured process with clear steps, assigned responsibilities, and a blend of proactive and reactive strategies. Ask about their mechanisms for regular progress tracking and issue resolution.
3. What is their approach/methodology, and why is it effective?
Assess their willingness to discuss and support their approach with successful case studies. They should be able to articulate their approach and its effectiveness, supported by case studies or data from past campaigns. This shows their confidence and success rate in the industry.
4. How do they ensure lead quality?
Understand their methods for evaluating and ensuring the quality of leads. Find out how they define and measure lead quality, and what steps they take to ensure that the leads meet these criteria consistently. This includes vetting processes and criteria for lead qualification.
5. Can you convert the leads they bring?
Evaluate their ability to provide leads that align with your target audience and can be effectively converted. Inquire about their understanding of your target audience and how they tailor their lead generation strategies to ensure high conversion potential. They should demonstrate knowledge of your market and customer profiles.
6. How do they guarantee success?
Examine whether they can present playbooks or similar cases relevant to your industry. Assess their processes to understand how they secure each stage of your project for optimal results. Ask if they provide any guarantees or success benchmarks, and how they plan to achieve these. Look for evidence of their ability to replicate success in similar scenarios or industries.
7. How do they handle data and comply with privacy laws?
Ask about their data handling practices and compliance with privacy laws like GDPR or CCPA. This is crucial to ensure the protection of sensitive information and adherence to legal standards in your industry.
8. What is their pricing model?
Be cautious if the company offers fixed pricing before understanding your project. Pricing should consider factors like goals, industry specifics, and target market. Quotes should vary based on these factors, typically starting around $5,000 per month. They should offer a pricing model that is flexible and based on your specific needs and goals. It’s important that the pricing reflects the scope, complexity, and expected ROI of the lead generation campaign.
9. What is the contract structure?
Evaluate the contract for clarity on KPIs or goals, a list of services, contract duration, ownership, confidential information processing, and other relevant details. The contract should clearly outline deliverables, KPIs, service terms, duration, and conditions for termination or renewal. Clarity in these areas ensures a mutual understanding of expectations and obligations.
Top 3 mistakes to avoid when outsourcing your lead generation
Try to avoid these 3 mistakes:
Not meeting the team
Just because you like the initial sales representative doesn’t guarantee you’ll feel the same about the rest of the team. Better go on a call with all the team members who are going to work on your project or at least with decision-makers.
Focusing more on processes than results
Don’t fall into this trap. Agency’s processes are essential but don’t replace results with them.
While their work approach, research, playbooks, and deep dive are crucial, what matters even more is the number of hypotheses they test with positive outcomes and the speed at which they test them.
Focusing solely on cost
While cost is a crucial factor, it should not be the sole determinant.
Choosing a company solely based on price may result in subpar lead quality and a lack of return on investment.
Where to start outsourcing for B2B lead generation?
Choosing the right lead generation company for outsourcing can significantly enhance your sales efforts, potentially resulting in substantial deals.
Conversely, a poor choice not only impacts your time and finances but also risks damaging your reputation.
For optimal collaboration with a lead gen agency, identify and assess 3 to 5 potential partners. Scrutinize their expertise, review client feedback, analyze their processes and methodologies, interact with their teams, and conduct interviews to determine the best fit for your needs.
Is it your first time looking for an agency that can help you with lead generation?
Let us help create the best first experience for you – book a discovery call with us!
