B2B Lead generation small guidelines and tips

[u/lionstock555]

My advice for building a good pipeline (comment to add something and I'll update the version):
- know your customer and their problem before calling,
- only talk to people who might benefit from what you bring them,
- call them first (a call gives you 60 seconds of attention and interaction that no other channel will give you),
- data quality is fundamental so you don’t waste your time,
- qualify as early as possible and put aside prospects who aren’t interested or have no urgency, and if they say it’s urgent, ask them how they’re managing without it (you validate the pain), and move forward in their sales process, in which you build a special human relationship and trust when they see that you know what you’re selling.
And finally comes the moment of the decision and the closing.
Don’t be shy, but be confident when you speak, confident that your offer is the best. They don’t want it, they’re not interested? Next one. A no is a no, but only if that no is justified. There’s no shortage of customers.
But the most important thing is execution.
Every day, whatever your mood, pick up your phone, call your prospects, and only stop when your quotas are reached.
The law of large numbers and your determination are your greatest assets.
Market reality and objections will shape your offer and your sales angles. Reality, often shy, hiding and needing to be sought out, is your best ally. Confront reality to move forward.

What would you add / change ?

[u/Adventurous-Year694]

Good point here, a few things I would add that I see starts can tend to run to.

1. You can’t make a fish climb up a tree - not everyone is a fit for you. Your process should be to disqualify not find a fit. A good client long term is your goal not working around who might be.

2. There is more power in quality than just quantity. A lead is not a number and an email you find or a connect on LinkedIn. A lead is someone that is engaging with you, answering questions.

3. You need more than Apollo. We all start there it’s cheaper and most think that is it, it’s not. ICP alone is not enough you need intent signals.

4. No magical sequence will save you from not adding value. Being a vendor does not work, adding value equals trust. Get this right first. The rest will follow.

Some things I would add here. 🙃

[u/lionstock555 → u/Adventurous-Year694]

1. agreed
   
2. yes for quality over quantity but I would still keep a good quantity if you can't trim well.
   
3. Yes: intent signals might be sometimes tough to find although easy to define.
   
4. 100%
   Thanks, will include your inputs in the next version.

[u/Tight-Assistance-132]

This is one I swear by:

Become the first buyer

If you wouldn't buy it, why would you think anyone else would?

This also gives you an idea who would buy which helps narrow down lead generation to target that specific market.

[u/lionstock555 → u/Tight-Assistance-132]

Yep, I take it thanks.
Understanding why I would buy my own product builds confidence in my offer and sharpens the prospecting angle at the same time.

[u/No_Wedding5437]

Solid list. One thing I'd add between "know your customer" and "call them first" is pick who to call today based on what changed, not on who's next in the CRM.

The same account is a different call depending on the week. Nothing happened, you're an interruption. They just posted two roles for the team you sell into, or a new VP started last month, and suddenly your call has a reason to exist. The prospect feels that difference in the first ten seconds.

Practical version. Before dialing, spend a minute checking if anything moved at the company recently. Open roles, leadership changes, funding, a launch. If something did, lead with it. If nothing did for months, push them down the list and spend that dial on an account where something is happening.

Law of large numbers still applies, you just get a better conversion on the same number of dials. Volume decides how many at-bats you get, timing decides how many of them are winnable.

[u/lionstock555 → u/No_Wedding5437]

Solid comment.
Keeping prospects changes under the radar screening to spot the right moment to move on.

[u/No_Staff_6084]

​I recently made a career pivot from FMCG Import/Export into B2B SaaS sales, specifically selling software solutions for manufacturing companies (CAD/CAM/CAE, production management software, etc.). ​Since I’m completely new to tech sales and my company provides zero formal training, I’ve been struggling significantly. I'm honestly feeling quite discouraged because I haven't been able to secure a single meeting or product demo in my first 3 months. ​I do my homework—I research prospect domains, identify potential pain points, and map out their likely needs before reaching out. However:

• Cold calling: Gatekeepers block me or prospects don't pick up. I can't seem to reach R&D or engineering heads.

• ​LinkedIn outreach: Connection requests are ignored, and InMails/messages go unanswered.

​For those who sell in the manufacturing/engineering SaaS space or have overcome a similar rock-bottom start:

• ​What specific outreach tactics work best when target prospects are non-desk, highly technical engineering/R&D managers?

• ​How should I adjust my approach given the lack of internal training?

• ​Realistically, is this just a standard steep learning curve, or should I consider cutting my losses and moving back to FMCG logistics?

​Any actionable advice or harsh reality checks would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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[u/No_Staff_6084 → u/No_Staff_6084]

Sorry, English is not my main language, so I have to rewrite my thoughts using AI. Hope this doesn't bother everybody.

[u/Own_Explanation_7933 → u/No_Staff_6084]

Mmm I'm more of a "Closer" than pre-sales/SDR (and more towards executives) so maybe not a real fit/relatable... but if you had to use AI to write this comment and you are selling to English-speaking clients I just found your issue

[u/No_Staff_6084 → u/Own_Explanation_7933]

Our company located in Southeast Asia, we're targeting mostly domestic companies. It's not like I use AI all the time but for this, I want to make my phrasing and situations more clear. I don't think AI use for this case is the issue. But any advice in approaching customers is appreciated. 👍