Did you know that 50% of marketers outsource content marketing services such as lead generation? Working with a lead generation agency can help you take great control of your market share. The partnership is also a sure way to compete for clients.

It’s no secret that succeeding in the B2B market consumes company resources, time, and energy. Getting qualified and solid leads with the help of a third party is a good idea. It helps ease the burden off your teams, allowing them to focus on marketing and selling.

A lead generation service can help generate leads that you can nurture and convert into paying customers. But choosing the right agency is quite overwhelming. Here’s what to look at when gauging a potential lead generation partner.

Project Terms and Specifics

Identify the projects or campaigns’ achievable goals from the first consultative meeting. Base these goals on your requirements for the lead generation project. Though the agency can’t give any guarantees, they should give you figures for the projected milestones, tentative timelines, and targets.

Most campaigns/projects revolving around lead generation take several months to complete. The potential provider needs to update you on the performance and developments. Ask about the following:

• Your primary point of contact
• Reports and dashboards provided
• How often will you meet
• How they will keep in touch
• What will be your role

The cost of lead generation is a key element in the project terms and specifics since it helps with budgeting. Ask the right questions about the pricing as you consider value over affordability.

Company Type and Setup

Ask the provider whether they operate as a small sales or major account lead generation agency. Such an inquiry can help determine whether the agency specializes in your B2B offerings.

Small-scale lead generation agencies deal with smaller purchases with short sales cycles. On the other hand, major account lead generation agencies focus on the opposite. They handle complex-sale B2B solutions with multiple decision-makers and long sales cycles.

The company should also make it clear whether they are an outbound or inbound lead generation provider. Outbound lead generation focuses on outreach channels such as phone calls, email, direct mail, or pay-per-click conversions. In contrast, inbound lead generation helps attract prospects to your online presence or website.

Regardless of their size or setup, the agency should be willing to work with your teams. Success and growth in lead generation rely on this kind of collaboration. All parties should be on the same page to increase the likelihood of making a profitable sale.

Staffing and Talent

A lead generation project undeniably needs the right mix of skills and knowledge to excel. In this case, the service provider should have the right people and talent for the job. Find out more about the credentials of their teams, the roles of each team member, and their familiarity with your offerings.

And if any skill gaps arise in the future, the agency should inform you about their solution. Do they have options to fill the gap, or will they have to hire new people on a freelance basis? Either way, the company should explain its hiring/recruitment, onboarding, training, subcontracting, and performance management practices.

Industry Experience and Reputation

It’s now clear that B2B companies experience unique challenges that require the right expertise and experience. Choosing a B2B lead generation company specializing in your niche is thus the way to go. You get to reduce the execution time, speed up campaign deployment and understand the campaign in its entirety.

You can measure the agency’s experience based on the years in business and client portfolio size. The length of time they worked in your niche and the number of similar campaigns completed can also give you a glimpse into their experience.

As you go through their case studies and client testimonials, look at the appointment booked and contact profiles. You should also consider the leads completed, the percentage of conversions, and the percentage of accepted leads.

Remember to ask the potential partner about their industry reputation. They should show you their rankings on lead generation agencies’ lists, third-party reviews, and awards/accolades.

Strategy Delivery

The potential lead generation partner should inform you about their strategy delivery. Find out more about their service packages and additional services (if there are any).

If the agency is reputable enough, they should offer you a clear outline of their process. They should also specify the stages of the funnel to be covered. In the long run, you need to know the steps both parties can take to increase conversions.

Tools and Technology

The success of your lead generation project relies on the tools the provider works with. These tools should help automate, optimize and manage the project. Modern lead generation tools to look out for include:

• Analytics and reporting tools
• Lead verification tools
• CRM, SEO, and CRO tools
• Marketing automation platform
• Email automation and call tracking
• Social media management
• SEM analytics

These tools should fit into your business process or marketing workflow for reliability. Even more, the agency’s existing system should easily integrate with yours and comply with industry-specific requirements (like GDPR and HIPAA).

Metrics Used to Measure Performance and Success

The overall key performance indicators (KPIs) of your campaign will depend on the project scope. They include leads completed, sales appointments scheduled, and net new prospects. Others include records/contacts verified and event registrations/attendees.

Ask the potential provider about their performance measuring strategies. They should also help you understand how they fit into your sales and marketing objectives.

Hire a Lead Generation Agency Today

When done right, lead generation can get your business the right customers. One way to expedite these efforts is to partner with a reputable B2B lead generation agency. Before doing this, know the qualities that make up a good provider for the success of your campaign.

Zesty Marketing Agency offers top-notch lead generation services to drive new inquiries. You can seek them together with SEO, PPC, and full-service social media solutions. Talk to an expert today to get started.