Looking to boost your business’s lead generation efforts? Consider hiring a lead generation company. These specialized firms have the expertise and resources to help you generate high-quality leads and increase your sales. But with so many options out there, how do you choose the best lead generation company for your business?
In this article, we provide tips and advice on hiring the right lead generation company, from understanding what they do to asking the right questions during the selection process. Whether you’re a small startup or an established enterprise, these tips will help you find the perfect lead generation partner to take your business to the next level.
Here’s the breakdown of what we’ll cover throughout this piece:
- What Does a Lead Generation Company Do?
- Benefits of Hiring a Lead Generation Company
- Top Questions to Ask When Considering Hiring a Third-Party Lead Generation Company
What Does a Lead Generation Company Do?
A lead gen agency involves specializing and focusing on leading prospects through the sales funnel. A lead generation company identifies and cultivates potential customers for a business’s products or services. The lead generation process is a critical component that helps companies keep their sales pipeline full of potential prospects, through both outbound and inbound marketing efforts.
When people think of lead generation, they often think of the more traditional outbound forms of marketing, such as cold calling, emailing, direct mail, etc. However, in today’s digital world, more lead generation companies are using inbound tactics such as SEO services, web design, and email marketing to attract inbound leads. A lead generation company would also use tools like to measure return on investment and help identify the efficiency of the marketing campaigns.
Lead generation companies can also provide other services such as conversion rate optimization. Conversion rate optimization is the practice of increasing the percentage of website visitors who complete a website’s goal. Optimized conversion rates lead to more signups, higher downloads, and ultimately, more sales that greatly contribute to your business’s overall growth.
Benefits of Hiring A Lead Generation Company
When you partner with a lead generation company, you gain the expertise of marketing professionals who’ve been around the block. These companies live and breathe lead generation. They have a wealth of experience in running successful lead generation campaigns. Therefore they can better strategize, execute, and review the performance of such campaigns.
Hiring a lead generation company frees up your time so you can focus your resources on growth and building your business. It allows you to leverage experienced teams. You benefit from their established resources like creative teams and analytics experts who work together to craft a customized lead generation solution for your business.
Another benefit you can enjoy when hiring a lead generation service provider is the use of advanced technology. Most lead generation companies use advanced sales and marketing tools and software to help businesses achieve their lead generation goals.
The decision to hire a potential lead generation partner can also bring a higher return on investment. Well-executed strategies result in high-quality leads, meaning you will be spending less money on chasing leads who won’t convert. Working with a lead generation agency means more bang for your buck.
And last but not least, a lead generation company has the capacity to quickly scale your campaigns up or down based on performance and results. This flexibility is essential in the ever-changing online marketplace where customer behaviors and trends continually evolve. Therefore having a marketing partner who can adapt and respond to this change can become a competitive advantage.
Top Questions to Ask When Considering Hiring a Third-Party Lead Generation Company
Finding the right lead generation company to partner with your sales team is like creating a marketing strategy – it requires careful thought, consideration, and lots of questions. Here are some that can guide you.
“What kind of lead generation company are you?”
Lead generation companies may focus on B2B sales, marketing, or even both. Asking this question helps you understand if they are suitable for your target market.
For example, if your target audience responds better to outbound sales development efforts, and inbound marketing strategy may not be the best primary approach to lead generation.
On the other hand, prioritizing a B2B appointment setting solution when your market prefers finding product or service solutions on their own time online isn’t a great use of your time, money, and resources.
However, when combined, you have the opportunity to reach the different buyer personas within your market from both and outbound and inbound standpoint.
“How much do your lead generation services cost?”
Like any marketing partner, lead generation companies also have diverse pricing structures. Some may charge based on the results they deliver (pay-per-lead), while others might set a monthly retainer. Understanding the price can help you identify if they fit within your budget or can help you adjust your internal marketing expenditure.
For example, many outsourced lead generation companies allow you to purchase lead lists, cleanse data for you, etc. However, at Sapper Consulting, our lead generation experts do everything above, along with setting clients up with high-converting, qualified sales meetings. So while you may be able to save upfront costs on only a few steps of your process, working with an all-inclusive lead generation company will help you save costs in the grand scheme of things. Therefore, it’s essential to consider the amount of money you’re willing to put towards upfront versus over a notable period of time.
“What techniques do you use to engage prospects?”
Each lead generation company will have its unique approach to capturing and nurturing leads. Some companies might focus heavily on outbound methods like cold calling and email marketing, while others might prefer inbound techniques such as content marketing and SEO strategies. Understanding their techniques will equip you with knowledge on how they plan to engage your target market.
For example, if you struggle to get your ongoing, repeat customers over the phone, it’s likely that you’re going to struggle getting prospects in your target market on the phone as well, making cold calling a poor approach to your lead generation strategy. Therefore, hiring a lead generation company that prioritizes outbound email marketing may be a better fit for your business.
“What does your lead generation process look like?”
Understanding the lead generation process of your potential partner can give you insights into their operational efficiency and effectiveness. Look for companies that use advanced lead generation tools for marketing automation, tracking performance, and enhancing the sales cycle. If a lead gen agency implements tools within their process, they’re more than likely to have a more streamlined process compared to those who don’t take advantage of these technologies, resulting in quicker turn times and a more significant ROI.
“How do your sales reps qualify leads?”
The lead qualification process of your potential partner is an indicator of the quality of leads you can expect. A good company would use a strict qualification process to ensure only high-quality leads are passed to your sales team. Ask them to elaborate this with case studies to see real-life applications of their methods.
For example, at Sapper Consulting, we have a two-step process for qualifying leads in our B2B appointment setting process. When initially building prospect lists for clients, we first use prospecting tools like ZoomInfo, D&B Hoovers, and our proprietary SapperSuite to find prospects that meet your sales qualifiers. Then, our sales reps reach out, verify their sales qualifiers (whether it’s their employee count, amount of yearly revenue generated, square footage of commercial space, etc.) and continue building that relationship with them until they’re ready to schedule a sales meeting.
“What technology do you use to make your lead generation services effective?”
Technology is a critical aspect of lead generation. Ask about the software and tools they use for tasks such as email marketing and marketing automation. This can also give you an idea of their ability to integrate with your existing systems.
For instance, does the lead generation company use a specific CRM to streamline operations and align with a client’s existing CRM? Do clients have access to a sales pipeline portal that shows all their existing sales opportunities? These questions to ask are essential so it can give you a full scope of insight into what your lead generation program will look like.
“What experience do you have working with businesses in my industry?”
Experience in your specific industry can be a valuable asset when choosing a lead generation partner. Such companies would understand the nuances of your target market and can use their past experiences to craft a more effective lead generation strategy.
“If I were to sign on with your company, what would be your guarantee or terms of service?”
Knowing the guarantee coming from your lead generation provider can be significant. Understand their terms of service, what happens if targets aren’t met, and the duration for delivering expected results. It’s crucial for a transparent, mutually beneficial relationship with your lead generation partner.
Key Takeaways
Choosing the right lead generation company requires thorough questioning. By asking about their lead generation process, the techniques they use, how they qualify leads, and their track record within your industry, you can make an informed decision about the best lead generation partner for your business. Always remember that not all lead generation companies will be a good fit, but by asking the right questions, you can significantly increase the chances of finding the right one that aligns perfectly with your needs.
At Sapper, we collaborate with growing B2B companies across the nation, using outbound sales lead generation techniques to help clients fill their sales pipelines and secure more qualified sales meetings. To learn to we tackle lead generation for successful businesses, contact us today.
