Inbound Lead Generation Versus Cold-Calling

Are the days of cold calling to generate leads over? Or can it still be a useful tool? A recent Google+ Debate from Software Advice titled, “Does Cold Calling Still Work?” attempted to answer just that. In a discussion with three sales and marketing experts, marketing technology analyst Derek Singleton asked each panelist three questions:

• Given how the Web has empowered B2B buyers, is cold calling still relevant in the Internet Age -- and are companies still generating a return on investment (ROI) on it?

• With other lead generation activities on the rise, like paid search and content marketing, can cold calling help marketers stand out from the noise?

• Can inbound marketing and analytics help us better decide who to cold call and when?

Reality Works Group CEO and Founder Anneke Seley suggested that, in the B2B world, cold calling is transitioning to “warm” calling--or only calling individuals that have already expressed interest in your product or company. According to Seley, all it takes to turn a cold call into a “warm” call is learning a little about your prospect and reaching out before calling -- perhaps by connecting on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Ken Krogue, President of InsidesSales.com, had more of a middle-ground stance on the topic. According to Krogue, a combination of inbound marketing and warm calling is the best lead generation strategy. Krague says, “If we [at InsideSales.com] just rely on the Internet to bring us leads, it’s like a fish sitting in a pond waiting for the river to bring whatever it brings them.” According to Krogue, the use of just one strategy is not enough to bring in the larger leads the company needs as they look to move into enterprise-level deals.

Of the panelists, the greatest proponent of inbound marketing was HubSpot’s CMO, Mike Volpe. Volpe said that he believes in generating leads from people who have already shown an interest in your company’s products or services -- pointing out that this is a less invasive of way of dealing with prospects.

Panelists agreed, however, that marketing tactics are, indeed, shifting away from a “cold” outbound strategy, and moving toward a permission-based model where marketers will have to earn the trust and permission of prospects before contacting them -- but only because you’ve been able to demonstrate your value in a tangible way.

What are your thoughts on the evolution of outbound and inbound marketing? Share your thoughts in the comments below. To read the full article, visit the B2B Marketing Mentor. 

Watch the debate here: