When it comes to hiring for your business, you want only the best. Searching for an outsourced B2B LinkedIn lead generation partner is no exception. But when you’re looking for the right partner, where do you begin? Start by knowing what to look for and what to avoid.
Knowing what to avoid might seem simple, but it’s not. Failing to hire the right B2B LinkedIn lead generation company can set your business back. It could cause irreparable damage to your reputation and business’s bottom line. According to a Forbes Agency Council article, those who can’t do it for themselves want to do it for you, and those who actually understand online marketing are doing it for themselves — not someone else. Exceptions to this rule exist, but it’s worth keeping in mind when considering who to hire for your B2B LinkedIn lead generation services.
If your path to finding the right B2B LinkedIn lead generation partner seems murky, be on the lookout for the three C’s.
1. Cost
If you’re a small business owner looking for a company to sort out your lead generation tasks, cost will most likely be at the forefront of your mind. Compared to hiring a full-time employee, outsourcing can help you cut business expenses while increasing your revenue. Outsourcing your B2B LinkedIn lead generation saves you the expenses of hiring new employees and paying full-time salaries with perks and benefits. Instead, you pay only for the lead generation services you need.
When choosing a B2B LinkedIn lead generation company, seek to first rule out the lowest bidders. This is especially important if their pricing sounds too good to be true. Do your research and ask around to determine what the industry average is for the tasks you’re interested in outsourcing.
Don’t hire the first company who sends a representative your way without giving yourself the opportunity to compare. A company based in a developing nation may seem like the most cost-effective way to outsource B2B LinkedIn lead generation activities. However, if these employees don’t understand your local market, you may be throwing money away. Yet the same could be true for an overpriced local business that doesn’t understand your unique niche. Find a company that operates within your area of expertise whose employees also understand your market.
Lastly, prepare yourself for costs related to onboarding. Although company leaders outsource to save money, those savings are not always reflected in the bottom line right away. Create a contingency fund to cover unforeseen expenses. These could be due to onboarding time loss, time to adjust to an influx of new B2B leads, as well as other factors.
2. Culture
The second aspect to look for in an outsourcing company is shared culture, values, and characteristics. These are important to establish. Why? They’ll likely impact the ways you and your outsourced partner understand and communicate with one another as you work together.
To make a good decision on this outsourcing strategy item, read reviews and ask for recommendations from trusted contacts. Have conversations with leaders of the companies you’re considering and ask them to put you in touch with their current clients. Inquire about results achieved with client campaigns, and look for red flags such as aversion to feedback and late submissions.
3. Connections
A final consideration when looking for a company to outsource your B2B LinkedIn lead generation is connections. Seek an outsourced partner who can not only help you connect with and nurture your B2B LinkedIn leads but also one who is part of a network of partners. These connections may be able to offer your business value outside of the services your outsourced partner provides. And, as your partner’s connections are pre-vetted, you can save time in knowing where to turn when it comes time for you to request more services.
Before beginning the search for your B2B LinkedIn lead generation partner, it’s important you consider these three C’s. When you know what you’re looking for, you can weed out those who won’t meet your needs. That means you can continue conversations with true prospective partners.
[cta]Ready to see if RevGrow could be the B2B LinkedIn lead generation outsourced partner you’ve been looking for? Learn more and put us to your three-C’s test with a free LinkedIn Strategy Session![/cta]
