How to Choose a B2B Lead Generation Company in the USA

Choosing a lead generation company can be a confusing task as there are many different B2B lead generation companies in the USA. Lead generation is a process of finding the right prospects and nurturing and pushing them ahead in the sales funnel. It is a long process and requires consistent efforts. If you are thinking about outsourcing your lead generation in the USA then you must know all the ins and outs of it. Here, we will help you to know some of the important factors that you must consider before selecting a lead generation agency. First, we will tell you about the two main types of lead generation companies in the USA.

There are many B2B lead generation companies in the United States. Basically, there are two types of B2B lead generation tactics that are used. Based on that the two main types of lead generation services in the USA are as follows:

• Inbound lead generation: Companies that create compelling content to attract leads and work with the ‘pull’ strategy are Inbound lead generation companies.
• Outbound lead generation: Companies that use outreach channels to generate leads like email, phone calls, PPC, etc are outbound lead generation companies.

The first thing to ask your lead generation service provider is what type of service packages they can provide to achieve your goals. Is it a full-service package or a custom package? What would be their B2B lead generation strategy and process to reach your set goals? Asking them these questions will give you a better idea about the agency.

You should ask them to provide a blueprint of how they will carry out your campaign. Most of the lead generation agencies in the USA are transparent and clear about their process. A good lead generation company will provide you with all the information and the steps which they will take in order to achieve your targeted goals.

Your partner lead generation agency should also specify the stages of the sales funnel that they will cover. They should also come up with strategies that can maximize the conversions.

An important question to ask your lead generation company is how and from where do they get leads? Many lead generation companies in the USA say that they provide the best quality leads. However, to ensure this you need to ask them some in-depth questions.

You should ask your service provider if they use third-party data sources or do they carry out their own research? How often do they update their lead database? The answer to these questions will help you to know and understand better about a lead generation agency.

Another thing that you should ensure is that the agency that you hire becomes an extension of your business. It should align with your lead qualification process. The lead generation company should take into account your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), Buyer personas, and lead scoring model.

A good acquisition partner will have the best tools and technology to carry out, automate and execute your campaigns. You must ask the lead generation company what specific tools they use like the lead verification tools, CRM tool, Email automation, SEO tool, Analytics, and reporting tools. This will let you know what technologies and software will be used for your campaign.

You should also ask your service providers how they will integrate these tools and technology to fit into your business process. An outsourcing agency should make sure that these tools are set perfectly in your workflow to provide maximum benefit.

When you are engaging an outsourcing company you should know who you’ll be working with. What people and talent will be taking care of your campaigns? Who will be responsible for what stage of your campaign? You must know about the professionals who’ll be carrying out your project.

It is important to know about the team and the roles of each team member in your campaign. This way you will gain some insights into the knowledge and skills of the internal team that will be working for you.

If a lead generation agency does not have the right set of people then you can’t be sure of the success of your campaign. Therefore, it is vital to ask your partner agency about their onboarding and training processes.

B2B companies in the USA face a lot of challenges when it comes to generating leads and marketing. To overcome these challenges you must lookout for an agency that has the right experience and expertise. Before finalizing an outsourcing company you must see if they specialize in targeting your buyer’s industry.

A good lead generation service provider has experience across multiple channels, industries, and verticals.  They know all the details and challenges of the industry and how to work through them. An experienced lead generation company can bring about fresh ideas and insights that can work best for your business.

There are many experience metrics that can help you to know if an outsourcing agency is right for you or not. Like you can ask them about their years in business, clients portfolio and the number of campaigns they did till now.

You can know more about your lead generation partner by seeing their rankings on the B2B lead generation services vendor lists, awards, and recognitions, reviews from other industries. Digging a little bit deeper and knowing more information about your service provider will ensure that you are making the right decision.

It is important to ask your acquisition partner about their measuring processes of the success of the campaign. They should be able to provide you with the overall campaign KPIs that include the list of sales appointments scheduled, leads completed, new prospects, and contacts verified.

An agency should be ready to give you the KPIs for each campaign activity or channel. This way you can keep track of each component of the campaign. You can also ask the agency to explain the metrics that they will be reporting to you for different activities.

A good lead generation company in the USA will tell you about the process of tracking and reporting that they are going to use. Besides this, you should ask them about what will be the frequency of reporting and updates. Also, if the success of the campaign doesn’t reach the desired goals then what enhancement will they make in the campaign. Knowing all these factors will aid you in better knowing the agency that you are opting for.

An outsourcing agency should present you with all the terms and conditions of your partnership. They should be open to tell you about the tentative timelines and intervals at which they will reach your goals.

They should tell you about how they will keep you in the loop and what will be the touchpoints for you. Knowing all this information will help you to know the extent of your participation needed in the project.

When it comes to pricing, every B2B marketing agency has different criteria. The pricing also depends on the types of services used, target market, agency’s experience, and success. The main takeaway here is that don’t focus too much on costs but also look for the value and the long-term benefits that these services can provide.

Choosing the right lead generation agency in the USA for your business is a perplexing task. However, if you know some key factors to look out for then you can make a better decision. Knowing and understanding what questions to ask a lead generation company in the USA is important. But before selecting an agency you should decide your investment and define your goals clearly. We have outlined some of the key points in the above article that you should consider before opting for a lead generation company in the USA.