The Dynamic Duo: Market Research and Generating Leads in B2B Tech Marketing
- Ana M.
- Oct 16, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Jan 15
In the wild world of B2B tech marketing, staying ahead of the curve is about as
easy as teaching a cat to fetch. But fear not, intrepid marketers! We've uncovered
the secret sauce that'll have you generating leads faster than you can say "synergy."
The ingredients? A heaping helping of market research with a side of lead generation. We sat down with marketing maestro Amanda Moran to spill the beans on this power couple of the marketing world.
The Perfect Marriage: Market Research and Demand Generation
"The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself." - Peter Drucker
In B2B tech, that means diving deep into market research like it's the last slice of pizza at a dev team meeting. Amanda mentions:
"In the early awareness stages of the buyer's journey, people are actively researching their options. They're keen to understand what strategies their peers are using and what's proving effective. At this stage, they're much more likely to engage with comprehensive research or in-depth reports that directly address their questions and concerns."
In other words, market research isn't just about collecting data—it's about becoming the Yoda of your industry. "Do or do not, there is no try" in B2B tech marketing!
The Three Pillars of Market Research in Demand Gen (As Taught by Amanda Moran)
Attract the Right People: It's not about casting the widest net; it's about fishing where the fish are. Amanda suggests "dangling the carrot" of quality information to attract genuinely interested prospects. Think of it as the Tinder of B2B tech—swipe right on quality leads!
Build Trust and Goodwill: Share valuable insights consistently.
As Amanda wisely puts it:
"You're more likely to get accurate information from the people that are going to benefit from it."
It's like dating—you've got to give a little to get a little. Don't be the person who talks about themselves all night on the first date!
Nurture Throughout the Sales Cycle: Don't ghost your leads once they're in the pipeline. Keep the information flowing to maintain interest and build stronger relationships.
As Amanda emphasizes:
"Even if someone maybe isn't in the market now, they're going to think of you when they are in the market as ideally, the expert in the space, definitely someone we should consider as we make our shortlist."
The Lead Generation Conundrum: Quality Over Quantity
Many marketers confuse lead generation with demand generation, treating them like identical twins when they're more like distant cousins who only see each other at awkward family reunions.
Amanda hits us with this truth grenade:
"Having market research doesn't guarantee quality leads."
Ouch. That's like finding out your "homemade" pie won't win the bake-off because store-bought crust is against the rules. But before you toss your market research reports faster than a hot potato, let's break down how to use them effectively for lead generation:
1. Distill and Dazzle: Take your research and pull out eye-catching stats. Use these to grab attention on your homepage, ads, or trade show booths. It's like using a shiny lure to catch the big fish—or in this case, the elusive decision-maker with an actual budget.
2. Create a Content Buffet: Offer a variety of content formats—blog posts, infographics, webinars—to cater to different appetites for information. Some leads prefer bite-sized snacks, while others want the full five-course meal
"You have all the different iterations because everyone learns and engages and consumes differently."
3. Gate Wisely: Reserve your most valuable, in-depth content for those willing to share their contact info. It's a fair trade—their email for your industry-changing insights. Just don't be the person who asks for a phone number before the first "hello."
4. Follow Up with Flair: Use the information you've gathered to personalize follow-ups.
Amanda suggests creative approaches like virtual trivia events based on your research.
Who said B2B marketing can't be fun? It's like turning your leads into the "Jeopardy!" champions of your industry!
The ROI Rollercoaster: Finding the Best Lead Gen Methods
When it comes to generating leads, not all methods are created equal. It's like comparing apples to oranges, if apples cost thousands of dollars and oranges take six months to grow.
Amanda shares some insider intel:
Trade Shows: Great for value, but expensive and often result in longer sales cycles. It's like fishing with dynamite—effective, but costly and potentially messy.
Technology Partnerships: High-quality leads, especially when there's strong alignment between sales teams.
"We found that when we had our sales team and their sales team really closely aligned, and they account plan together, and then, got together with these folks in a room and just, had a fun experience together, that they were able to generate pipeline from that because there was such thought behind it."
It's like the Avengers of B2B tech—when great powers unite, amazing things happen!
Virtual Events with Research Partners: Broader reach and good results, especially when partnering with other tech companies. It's like throwing a party and having your cool friends bring their cool friends!
But here's the kicker—sometimes the best leads come from the most unexpected places.
"It gets consistently harder, right? Because the buyer is smart, and they want to find their own information and they don't want to give you anything until they're ready."
It's like trying to catch a unicorn—magical when it happens, but you can't force it!
In our quest for data-driven marketing, it's easy to forget that behind every lead is a human being. As the legendary David Ogilvy once said, "The consumer isn't a moron; she is your wife." (Though in B2B, it's more like "The decision-maker isn't a robot; he's that guy you met at the conference bar.")
Amanda reminds us of this crucial point:
"If you don't have product-market fit, and you're not responsive to people, and your customers aren't happy, that word travels so much faster. It doesn't matter what the data says."
It's a sobering reminder that while data is crucial, it's not the be-all and end-all of marketing. Sometimes, the biggest deals come from a chance encounter at a local bar or a friendly chat at a conference. The lesson? Don't get so lost in the data that you forget the human element of marketing. It's like being so focused on the map that you miss the actual treasure right in front of you!
The Golden Nugget: Cross-Departmental Collaboration
As we wrapped up our chat with Amanda, we asked for one piece of golden advice for B2B tech marketers.
Her response was unexpected but brilliant:
"It is so important to be reaching across to different groups within the business because of the level of insight that you get."
In other words, don't operate in a marketing bubble. Talk to product teams, sales teams, customer support—anyone who has direct contact with your customers or product. These insights can be worth their weight in marketing gold. It's like being the Sherlock Holmes of your organization—gathering clues from every department to solve the mystery of perfect marketing!
Wrapping It Up: The Market Research and Lead Gen Tango
So, what have we learned from our deep dive into the world of market research and lead generation in B2B tech marketing?
Market research is your secret weapon for creating valuable, attention-grabbing content. It's the Swiss Army knife in your marketing toolkit!
Lead generation isn't just about numbers—it's about attracting the right people with the right information. Quality over quantity, like choosing between one slice of gourmet pizza or a whole box of frozen ones.
The best marketing strategies balance data-driven insights with the human touch. It's like being part robot, part charming human—the marketing cyborg of the future!
Cross-departmental collaboration can uncover insights that pure market research might miss. Be the Columbo of your company—always asking "Just one more thing..."
Remember, in the world of B2B tech marketing, being data-driven is important, but being human-driven is essential. So go forth, armed with your market research reports and lead generation strategies, but don't forget to shake a few hands and share a few laughs along the way. After all, even in the tech world, it's the human connections that often seal the deal.
And there you have it, folks—the inside scoop on mixing market research with demand generation, straight from the expert's mouth. It's like we've just attended a TED Talk, a standup comedy show, and a marketing masterclass all rolled into one. Who said B2B marketing can't be a rollercoaster of emotions?
As you head back to your marketing lab to cook up your next genius campaign, remember: your market research is your secret sauce, your demand gen is your sizzle, and your human touch is the cherry on top. Now go out there and make Don Draper proud—just with less bourbon and more data-driven decisions.
And if all else fails, just remember Amanda's wise words and reach across departments. Who knows? Your next big marketing breakthrough might come from a water cooler chat with Dave from accounting.
After all, in the unpredictable world of B2B tech marketing, stranger things have happened!
