The right companies from the start
We combine AI, our own research and high-quality lead lists to find companies and decision-makers that match your customer profile. We agree on the audience together before we start.
B2B lead generation
A lead is only worth something if it leads to a conversation with the right person. We find the companies that fit, check whether the need is there and book the meeting in your sales team's calendar.
What is lead generation?
Lead generation is the work of finding companies that could become customers and sparking their interest. A B2B lead is a person at one of those companies who has shown there may be a need, for example by asking for more information or agreeing to a call.
Not all leads are worth the same. An MQL, a marketing qualified lead, has shown interest through your marketing. An SQL, a sales qualified lead, has confirmed a need and is ready to talk to a salesperson. That's where a salesperson's time starts to pay off.
Good lead generation therefore starts with a clear picture of who you want to reach, not with a list.
Three ways to generate leads
The right choice depends on how well known your brand is, how big your market is and how quickly you need results.
Buyers find you
Inbound relies on buyers coming to you through search, content, webinars or referrals. The leads are often warm, but you don't control who gets in touch or when.
It works best when there is already demand that people search for, and when you have time to build content that gets found and converts.
Buy leads, generate them yourself or buy meetings?
Three routes to the same goal, with very different risk. The difference is what you pay for and how much work is left for your salespeople.
| Area | Buy leads | Generate in-house | Buy booked meetings |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | Names and contact details | Leads from your own marketing and prospecting | A booked meeting with a decision-maker |
| Work left for sales | Outreach, qualification and booking | Depends on how you staff the work | Preparing for and running the meeting |
| Quality | Varies, and the data goes stale quickly | High if the audience is well defined | Depends on how the meetings are qualified |
| Risk | You also pay for contacts who aren't a fit | Salaries and time, whatever the outcome | Lowest when you pay for meetings that take place |
| Suits you when | Your salespeople have time to call | You have the resources to build your own pipeline | You want salespeople to spend their time in meetings |
If you buy lists, check where the data comes from and how it may be used. Data protection rules apply to business contacts too, and the rules for calling differ between markets. Read more in our guide to building prospect lists.
How we work with lead generation
We take care of everything from list to booked meeting, so your salespeople can spend their time on the prospects who are actually interested.
Qualification in the conversation
A call tells you more than a click. We talk to the decision-makers, find out whether the need is there and book meetings that meet the criteria we've agreed on.
Follow-up for leads who aren't ready
“Not now” isn't a no. We follow up leads who need more time, and real-time reporting shows you which ones are in progress.
Lead generation FAQ
What is a B2B lead?
A person at a company that fits your target audience and has shown some kind of interest, for example by asking for more information or agreeing to a call. How warm the lead is decides what the next step should be.
How much does it cost to buy leads?
It varies a lot with how narrow the audience is and what's included, from a plain contact list to qualified leads. Expect your salespeople to still need to contact and qualify them, and compare the cost with that of a booked meeting.
What's the difference between an MQL and an SQL?
An MQL has shown interest through your marketing, for example by downloading content. An SQL has confirmed a need in contact with you and is ready to talk to a salesperson. Sales and marketing should agree on where the line goes.
How quickly does lead generation deliver results?
Outbound is quicker to get going, because you make the contact yourself. Inbound takes longer to build but can give a steadier flow over time. With us, a project is normally up and running within 2–3 weeks.
Can AI be used to find leads?
Yes. AI is good at finding and sorting companies that match a customer profile, but it can't confirm a need or a timeline. The conversation does that. That's why we use AI for research and the phone to qualify the lead.
More on lead generation and prospecting
Ideal customer profile (ICP): how to define who you sell to
What an ideal customer profile is, how it differs from a buyer persona and how to build one from your own customer data, step by step.
Read moreB2B prospecting: how to find and reach the right companies
What B2B prospecting is, how to build target lists, which channels to use and how to turn prospecting into a steady routine that fills the pipeline.
Read moreCold calling in B2B: how to prepare, open and book the meeting
A practical guide to B2B cold calling: who to call, how to prepare, what to say in the first 30 seconds, how to handle objections and when to follow up.
Read moreReady to close more deals?
- 12,000+
- Qualified meetings booked for our clients
- 30+
- Markets where we actively book meetings
- 20+
- Industries where we've successfully booked meetings
Get started with lead generation
We'd love to start with a call to get to know you and understand your needs. Fill in the form and we'll get back to you within one working day.
- info@futuremeets.com