It’s possible to build a sustainable business by relying solely on referrals. But should you do this? Absolutely not. Sure, you can score some awesome new opportunities simply by doing great work for your current clients. You should never say no to new business, even if it is a referral. However, this certainly isn’t the only way to get new customers.
If you truly want to grow your B2B business and surpass the competition, you have to make B2B lead generation a priority. When you focus on B2B appointment setting or have a dedicated appointment setting partner, you no longer have to rely solely on referrals to generate new business. You can generate your own opportunities with strategic prospecting and with a solid lead nurture process. When done correctly, B2B lead generation will not only increase the number of leads you’re getting, but you’ll get larger opportunities and increase revenue.
This is exactly what happened for one of our clients who had never worked with outbound leads before, a managed IT services provider in New Jersey. Read on to learn more about their story and how B2B lead generation is working wonders for their business.
From Referrals to a Robust Pipeline—How a Small IT Company Saw Growth Using B2B Appointment Setting
When this MSP company came on as a new client with us, they didn’t know much about B2B appointment setting or outbound lead generation and were skeptical if it would work for their business. At the time, they were trying their best to grow their small business and relied mostly on referrals for new business. They’ve been pleasantly surprised with how many appointments we’ve set for them and they’re even closing some huge deals right out of the gate.
Outbound lead generation has been a learning process for our clients, but they are so happy about all the opportunities they’re getting through their B2B appointment setting program.
How Our IT Client Got Their First (of Many) Abstrakt Deals
Our client has seen success with B2B appointment setting right away, and we have no doubt that they’ll continue to close great opportunities throughout our partnership. However, this is the story of the very first Abstrakt deal our IT client closed.
Let’s take a look at how it happened:
- In September of 2019, we spoke with the key decision-maker (KDM) for the first time. The company we were calling on was a construction company. Although we thought it was a good opportunity initially, our point of contact was very adamant that she did not need other services at this time but would keep us in mind.
Still, our dedicated B2B sales rep did not give up…
- We called again later that month and learned that the KDM had changed. Unfortunately, she was out for the day. Due to previous conversations and the fact that the KDM changed so quickly, we considered this lead to be a low level of interest and not a big opportunity.
At Abstrakt, we know better than anyone that lead nurturing never stops. Just because a lead doesn’t seem interested at one time doesn’t mean they won’t be one day. It’s all about having the right target and hitting them with the right message at the right time. We already knew we had the right target because of our prospecting process, and our talented sales reps always use great sales messaging. So really, we were only missing one component—timing. This is why follow up is such an important aspect of B2B sales.
- In January of 2020, we decided to circle back with the prospect. This time, we were actually able to speak with the new KDM. She re-confirmed that she was one of the main people in charge of choosing who the construction company uses for IT. She further explained that they currently have an MSP partner who they are not thrilled with; storage and email being the biggest issues. She also said she isn’t sure if they’re monitoring their systems or upgrading their servers as needed. So she is looking to make a change soon.
APPOINTMENT = SET. We hit the target at the right time and scheduled an appointment
Knowing that our IT client could fulfill their current needs, we quickly passed this off to them as an immediate opportunity. We explained to our client what the construction company was looking for—mainly that they wanted someone who listened to their needs, worked with them, and who isn’t difficult to deal with. Our point of contact at the construction company was by no means an expert, in fact, she might have been an Office Manager. So, it was very important to her to have a partner that is willing to explain things in detail and walk through projects with her.
After meeting with the KDM in-person, our IT client closed their first Abstrakt deal for $2K in monthly recurring revenue. A deal they would not have gotten if it weren’t for B2B appointment setting.
What Can Other B2B Businesses Learn From This Story?
This isn’t your typical B2B lead generation case study. We’re not telling you how long it took to close a deal or talking about the tactics we used. Rather, we’re proving a simple point: your business could be missing out on so many opportunities if you’re not investing time in B2B appointment setting.
Here are three big things you can learn from this success story:
- There is untapped potential in every market. “If someone is looking for my services, they’ll come to me.” True, but don’t count everyone else out. There are other people out there who may be a great fit for your services but they might need a little extra convincing. Or, they may be so overwhelmed with their options at the moment, they don’t know which provider to choose. That’s where you come in. If you partner with a B2B appointment setting partner, these untapped opportunities can be yours! And trust us, there is an untapped opportunity in every market, no matter who your ideal customer is.
- You can gain exclusivity in your market. With a B2B appointment setting partner like Abstrakt, you get exclusivity in your market. We only work with one industry per zip code, so you’ll be getting more leads than the competition. Plus, even if we have other partners in your city, we’ll always give you a unique list of prospects.
- No business can grow to a sustainable size on referrals alone. Even if your business is doing just fine sustaining business on referrals, you can grow even bigger with B2B lead generation. With appointment setting efforts, you’re essentially kick-starting business growth and giving your business a boost. You’ll be amazed at how many new opportunities are presented to you.
Is your small to medium-sized B2B business growing but not at the rate you’d like?
Outbound lead generation can give your business a boost. At Abstrakt Marketing Group, we find qualified leads in your market, give you exclusive access to those leads, and help you grow your business. Stop waiting for new business to come to you when opportunities are out there waiting for you. You know you’re capable of more, and so do we. So, let’s grow! Contact our team today to learn more about our lead generation programs.
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