Inbound lead generation is good. It’s subtle and convenient. You don’t have to go out and look for customers because they come to you. 

However, if you are just focusing on inbound, you are missing out on a lot of things because your marketing efforts are one-sided. In other words, there are leads that you can capture only through outbound lead gen. 

With outbound marketing, you can get in front of your target customer immediately, and talk to them about your product and service. 

Outbound lead generation is not easy, of course, but once you get your foot into the door, know that they have considered you. 

So let’s talk more about effective outbound lead generation strategies for 2021.

Don’t be afraid to get cold

There’s a reason why contacting a prospect without prior notice is called cold – you get cold feet. Nothing is easy about contacting people for the first time. However, you get the results faster than inbound strategies.  

Cold emails

An infographic from Entrepreneur showed that email still works, especially in B2B marketing. BtoB Magazine said that 59 percent of B2B marketers still choose emails for generating revenues. McKinsey, on the other hand, revealed that emails are 40 times more effective at getting new clients than Facebook. Not only are emails easy, but they are cheap with a huge ROI. 

Related: How Email Marketing Looks Like in the New Normal

Cold calls

Although cold calling is not the most scalable type of outreach, it still works and it definitely has its advantages. According to HubSpot, 69 percent of businesses accepted cold calls from sellers. 

But if you really want your cold call efforts to be effective, you need to remember two rules – personalize your message and be very clear about your value proposition from the initial call. 

Related: Responsive Calling: Ways to Make Prospecting Calls that Convert

Cold approaching

This is perhaps the most traditional among all the strategies that will be mentioned in this article. Regardless, cold approaching still works, especially if you are working with local businesses or directly with your customers. 

The biggest advantage of this strategy is the instant access you have to the key people or decision-makers of the business. You can also gauge the reaction of your target and allow you to create a strategy immediately. 

Go Mobile

BCG said that 80 percent of B2B buyers are on mobile, and 60 percent revealed that mobile played a critical role in their purchasing decisions. The same report said that mobile has shortened the buying process and encouraged customer loyalty. With all these figures, there’s no excuse not to utilize mobile to your advantage. 

Join Online Communities

Online communities are like “fish ponds” where you can get leads. So instead of focusing on an individual, you can dive right into the pool. However, you don’t go fishing right away – look at the example of what a good fisherman is. They drop the lure and wait patiently. 

Likewise, you don’t promote your business right away when you join these groups. Your lure is to add value first and establish yourself as an authority in that niche or area. You offer help, provide solutions until you build trust. Once you build a relationship with individuals within these groups, it becomes much easier to promote your product or service. 

Let Referrals Work for You

Referrals can be a good outbound strategy if you can make it work for you. Some ideas for a referral program include offering free upgrades every time existing clients refer a new customer, or giving them a commission for every new referral. 

Offering a referral program is not difficult if your customers like your product or service. If they are satisfied, they will be the ones to proactively refer you to their colleagues and friends. 

Putting Strategies to Work

Outbound marketing places you right in front of key decision-makers in companies instead of waiting for them to visit your website. You also get to choose whom to contact and how you present your message to them. 

If you are ready to take your business to the next level with these strategies but lack the manpower, we’re here to help you. 

We will help you create data-driven and multi-channel outbound marketing so you can reach customers that fit your business. Give us a call now.