[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.leadforensics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Cold-Calling-in-B2B-The-Ultimate-Guide-What-It-Is-Why-It-Works-and-How-to-Do-It-Better-1.png” alt=”Lead Generation: Guide, Tips & Ideas for 2026″ title_text=”Lead Generation: Guide, Tips & Ideas for 2026″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
The term ‘lead generation describes the way that businesses identify and attract potential buyers that fit their ideal customer profile (ICP)<\/a>. Over time, some of these leads will become qualified sales opportunities and eventually turn into actual customers.<\/p>\n The term \u2018lead generation\u2019 covers the whole strategy, from getting the attention of a potential prospect to engaging them more with your brand, educating them about your offering, and eventually turning them into a customer.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a huge pressure point for marketers: according to\u00a0HubSpot\u2019s State of Marketing Report<\/a>, 61% consider lead generation their top challenge.<\/p>\n When done well, a lead generation strategy fills your pipeline with a steady stream of prospects that you can engage until they\u2019re ready to buy \u2013 and then hand these hot leads over to your sales colleagues.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the lifeblood of businesses that sell higher-value products and services because:<\/p>\n Almost half of professionals said generating enough leads to meet\u00a0B2B sales<\/a>\u00a0targets was a real challenge in 2024, according\u00a0to Sopro\u2019s State of Prospecting research<\/a>.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_cta title=”Stop Leaking Leads From Your Website” button_url=”https:\/\/leadforensics-23462658.hs-sites.com\/book-a-demo-0-offer” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”Book a demo to learn more” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Lead Forensics identifies the companies already browsing your website, helping you to uncover leads that you’d otherwise miss.\u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n You might think that lead generation is exclusively a B2B pursuit, but plenty of B2C businesses are focused on generating leads, too.<\/p>\n For example, property agents focus on people searching for their next home, car dealerships target buyers considering a new vehicle, educational institutions market to prospective students looking to upskill, and financial services firms look for customers who are exploring investments or managing their money.<\/p>\n The main differences between B2C and B2B lead generation are who gets targeted (people vs businesses), how long the process takes (B2B sales are notoriously slow), how many leads you expect to get (B2C lead volumes are higher) and how much it costs to acquire those new leads (B2C is often kinder to the budget).<\/p>\n This guide focuses on B2B lead generation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n There are many different ways to categorize your leads, but the most common distinctions are:<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_cta title=”See which campaigns drive the right type of visitors” button_url=”https:\/\/leadforensics-23462658.hs-sites.com\/book-a-demo-0-offer” button_text=”Book a demo to learn more” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#9b00ff” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Lead Forensics will tell you\u00a0how<\/em> your identified website visitors found you, with insights into which channels actually drove sessions, so you can refine your lead generation strategy as you go.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n When it comes to lead gen marketing, there are two main types: inbound and outbound.<\/p>\n Inbound\u00a0<\/a>is when a prospect comes to you. They\u2019ll be enticed to engage with your brand through tactics like content marketing, social media, and paid advertising that are designed to lure them onto your website.<\/p>\n Conversely,\u00a0outbound<\/a>\u00a0is when you reach out to the prospect. It\u2019s usually done through\u00a0cold calling<\/a>, outbound email marketing and messaging on platforms like LinkedIn.<\/p>\n Most businesses use a mix of inbound and outbound lead generation because it brings the best of both worlds: inbound drives long-term scalability and can bring leads organically, while outbound keeps the pipeline filled with opportunities.<\/p>\n While every business will generate leads differently, there\u2019s quite a defined process that you follow in order to turn a prospect into a customer:<\/p>\n What\u2019s Working in B2B Lead Gen?<\/span><\/p>\n There are so many ways to generate leads, from finding more leads from your website<\/a> and embracing growth hacking techniques<\/a> to simply picking up the phone to speak to prospects.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what\u2019s reliably shown to work in lead generation today:<\/p>\n The current\u00a0lead generation trends\u00a0are all centered around AI and machine learning, and how you can use these kinds of tools to do more with less.<\/p>\n They include things like:<\/p>\n We\u2019ve got a blog dedicated to lead generation trends<\/a> that covers this in more detail.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_cta title=”Get Help from Lead Gen Experts” button_url=”https:\/\/leadforensics-23462658.hs-sites.com\/book-a-demo-0-offer” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”Book a demo to find out more” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#5400d4″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Every Lead Forensics customer gets their own Customer Success Manager, who works tirelessly to help you get as much from the platform as possible – and find more leads.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n There\u2019s no shortage of lead gen metrics to obsess over, but sometimes too much data makes it harder to see how you\u2019re actually doing.<\/p>\n To measure the true impact, and success, of your lead generating activities, you should look at:<\/p>\n Take a look at our blog on the top lead gen metrics<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n Lead generation is a very broad topic, and the tactics that work can vary by business or industry. But if you want to start getting more leads, the first thing you need to do is understand your\u00a0lead gen metrics<\/a>\u00a0and review your current performance.<\/p>\n You need to see if any of your current activities give you a\u00a0good conversion rate<\/a>\u00a0and identify those that are under-performing.\u00a0For a quick win, you could consider allocating more budget to the campaigns that are converting well and pausing spend on the ones that aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also a good idea to check if you\u2019ve tested some of the most\u00a0successful lead gen strategies<\/a>, too. These include:<\/p>\n If you find that your marketing activities bring enough people to your website, but you\u2019re just not converting them into leads, you should also look into how conversion rate optimization can help you drive success.<\/p>\n Some\u00a0quick wins for CRO<\/a>\u00a0include:<\/p>\n With so much to do, it\u2019s important that you lean on the right lead generation software to help do some of the heavy lifting.<\/p>\n Some of the most essential\u00a0lead gen tools<\/a>\u00a0include:<\/p>\n Got more questions about B2B lead generation? Check out our dedicated lead gen FAQs page<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n The average B2B website converts just 2% of its traffic. That means the other 98% of visitors bounce without doing anything.<\/p>\n Lead Forensics helps you uncover the leads you\u2019d otherwise miss, by identifying the companies that are browsing your website but don\u2019t fill out a form.<\/p>\n Plus, when you can reveal which organizations are browsing, what pages they view, and how often they return, you can spot the buying signals that are so often overlooked \u2013 and send more MQLs to your colleagues in sales.<\/p>\n That insight helps you prioritize high-intent accounts, personalize follow-up, and generate more qualified leads from traffic you already have.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_cta title=”Ready to Transform Your Lead Generation?” button_url=”https:\/\/leadforensics-23462658.hs-sites.com\/book-a-demo-0-offer” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”Book a demo” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Lead Generation Explained for B2BWhat is Lead Generation? The term ‘lead generation describes the way that businesses identify and attract potential buyers that fit their ideal customer profile (ICP). Over time, some of these leads will become qualified sales opportunities and eventually turn into actual customers. The term \u2018lead generation\u2019 covers the whole strategy, from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":11889,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-11888","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhy is Lead Generation so Important?<\/h2>\n
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B2B vs B2C Lead Generation: What\u2019s the Difference?<\/h2>\n
What Are the Main Types of B2B Leads?<\/h2>\n
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How Does Lead Generation Work?<\/h2>\n
What Is the Typical Lead Generation Process?<\/h2>\n
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What Are the Current Lead Gen Trends?<\/h2>\n
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How do You Measure Lead Gen Success?<\/h2>\n
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Tips to Improve B2B Lead Generation for Sales<\/h2>\n
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What Lead Generation Tools Can Help?<\/h2>\n
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Find More Leads with Website Visitor Identification<\/a><\/h2>\n