Build a B2B Lead Generation Funnel in 3 Steps to Grow Sales

All businesses depend on increasing their sales to grow their companies. The best way to do this is to have a steady flow of prospects, or a lead generation funnel of prospects, who are interested in your B2B client’s products or services. These are commonly known as sales leads. Sales departments depend on these leads to make their sales goals.

Leads can come in from a variety of channels, including paid ads, finding your client’s website after a Google search, current customer referrals, social media posts, and more.

But to really boost the flow of sales leads, the following three-step lead generation content process is essential in today’s digital environment!

 

Step #1 — Create an Enticing Lead Magnet for Potential Clients to Download

Lead magnets contain valuable information your B2B audience could use. The most helpful content solves a problem your target audience has right now. The info in your lead magnet should show how your company is the “go-to” place to help them or their potential client succeed.

Many kinds of lead magnets could capture potential client’s attention. These include:

• Reports — e.g., Content Marketing Hiring Guide — for Recruiting, Selecting, and Training Your Next Content Marketer.
• White Papers — a more detailed report usually for technical or scientific industries.
• Cheat Sheets — e.g., Want to Learn 6 Fantastic Questions to Instantly Break the Ice with HR Managers?
• Mind Maps — e.g., My Complete Blueprint for How to Import from China (includes infographics).
• Set of Templates — e.g., 10 Email Templates for Accountants to Use in Any Client Situation.
• Swipe Files — e.g., The Ultimate Social Media Swipe File.
• Tools — e.g., The AI Tool to Transform Your Sales Copy from Mediocre to Magnificent.

 

I highly recommend including an appropriate call-to-action (CTA) near the end of the Lead Magnet piece, pointing readers to your organization’s services or products.

 

Step #2 — Build a Landing Page to Invite Your B2B Audience to Get Their Free Lead Magnet Content

The only purpose of your client’s landing page is to make your Lead Magnet sound so good that its copy will compel the reader to click on the “Download Now” button and get this valuable piece of content for themselves.

This page is also known as a “squeeze page” as it has only one offer and one CTA, so it “squeezes” the reader into getting the free product.

A landing page typically has four sections:

1. Title — What the Lead Magnet product is.
2. Headline — A summary of the main benefit or how it will help the potential customer the most.
3. Bullet Points — A list of the main benefits contained in the Lead Magnet content.
4. Call-to-Action — Usually, “Download Now” or “Get This Free Report” in exchange for the reader’s email address.

Here is a landing page from Digital Marketer for their Content Marketing Hiring Guide. It’s easy to spot the title, headline, bullet points, and CTA.

Landing Page Headlines

Headlines, of course, need to grab the reader’s attention. There are lots of formulas for good headlines. Here are three effective ones:

1. The “Benefit” Angle” — Get Instant Access to This [Lead Magnet Type] to Get [Desired Result].

Example: Get Instant Access to the Ultimate Guide to Shrinking Your Accounts Receivables in the Next 30 Days.

2. The “New” Angle — Grab Your [Lead Magnet Type] to Get [Desired Result] in [Date].

Example: Grab Your Young Professionals Checklist to Look Sharp and Professional in 2023.

3. The “Threat” Angle — Gain Instant Access to [Lead Magnet Type] or You Risk [Undesired Result].

Example: Gain Instant Access to Your Cybersecurity and Ransomware White Paper to Avoid Getting Hacked and Soaked for Thousands of Dollars.

 

Landing Page Bullet Points

Readers “skim” landing pages (as they do most internet pages!), so it’s best to list the benefits of obtaining your client’s Lead Magnet in concise bullet points. Once again, there are many ways to accomplish this. Here are two of my favorites:

1. The “Speed” Bullet — How to [Feature] So You Can [Benefit] + [Speed/Ease].

Example: Create a content strategy that’s laser-focused on moving the needle for your organization (building this content is a snap using our Content Marketing Plan worksheets).

2. The “Piggyback” Bullet — How to [Benefit] Like [World-Class Example].

Example: How to Create an Engaging Editorial Calendar Using the Same Method Editors Use at The New York Times.

 

I’m sure you can think of other ways to list your bullet points that will appeal to your particular B2B audience.

 

Step #3 — Create LinkedIn, Facebook, or Other Social Media Ads to Lead Your Audience to Your Landing Page

The only way to make your landing page work is to bring traffic to the page. And the most efficient way to do this is by having compelling online ads. Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google Search are the “big dogs” for online B2B advertising. But there are other places to create ads, including YouTube, Twitter, Quora, and Google Display Network. Most of these portals allow you to customize your target market to reach particular business audiences.

There is a lot of information available about online ad best practices. Here’s an .

 

You may have noticed that I’ve gone over the three steps of the B2B Lead Generation Funnel in the opposite order that your potential clients will use it. To make the process clearer, here’s what the funnel looks like from a buyer’s point of view:

So, your potential client first views your online ad, gets curious, and clicks on the CTA. This leads them to the landing page. If they like the free content piece offered there, they’ll volunteer their business email address in exchange for the Lead Magnet content. Your client can now add their email address to their own “house” mailing list, and follow up with that prospect until their company is a paying client.

 

What If You Still Don’t Get Leads for Your B2B Client?

If your Lead Gen Funnel doesn’t produce leads, there’s something wrong! The trouble could be coming from one or more of four areas:

• Your offer — What you’re offering on the landing page may not be what your client’s audience wants.
• Your copy — Your ad or landing page copy may not be enticing enough.
• Targeting — You’re not targeting the right audience in your ads.
• Design — Poor design work on your ad or landing page will not draw attention.

Review each of these areas if you’re not getting the conversions you’d like to see.