As budgets tighten and targets increase, now more than ever can we see a global shift towards increasing efficiency by identifying methods to produce a consistent pipeline of quality leads with limited resources. At a regional level, delivering these results requires a combination of both local resources and expertise, with many of the marketers we work with across APAC facing challenges in the form of language barriers and remaining compliant with local regulations among others unique to the extremely diverse markets in this area. Here, our team has compiled 3 key challenges to lead generation in APAC, which if addressed can open the door to a consistent pipeline of qualified leads and increased potential for conversion and ROI through proper nurturing.
#1: Identifying your ideal targets within regionally distinct APAC audiences
According to Deloitte, 36% of CMOs are prioritising new market expansion in 2023, with an understanding of the digital landscape essential to reaching the right customers. However with the phasing out of third party cookies on the horizon and regional considerations to be made for reliably gathering first party data, a dependable way to directly target a marketable audience becomes increasingly unimaginable.
To directly address this, a first party database filled with local records in your target markets becomes an important tool in ensuring precise targeting. A high quality and extensive database can then take things one step further in expanding your reach to build a target account list which uses your specified parameters as a basis for identifying matching accounts which may not yet be within your view.
#2: Going beyond traditional networking
In a post-pandemic world where the move towards remote work has increased the hurdles in the way of genuine interaction, we as marketers need to adapt to the growing trend of self-nurturing and research, which Gartner cites as making up 45% of the buying cycle. In truly building trust to the same effect as word of mouth, we now need to not only reach a buying committee of as many as 6-10 decision makers, but extend our reach to this committee’s sphere of influence.
Making a lasting impression with distinctive experiences in the B2B space now requires bringing much of what was once offline, online. The solution lies in navigating increasingly complex buyer’s journeys and utilising proper nurturing strategies to surround the buying committee and deliver a unique experience based on first party data and insights and recreate local face to face interactions digitally. By going digital, these exchanges can also be generated at scale and localised for any market if executed correctly, effectively modernising converntional networking.
#3: Generating high quality leads
With proper implementation of first-party data paving the way to identifying the buying committees of target accounts, the importance of activating this information cannot be overstated in maximising the potential for conversion of MQLS and positioning marketing teams to both meet growing targets and have a positive influence on revenue and ROI.
While less commonly understood and implemented, a sophisticated lead nurture strategy can maximise engagement to ensure meaningful sales follow ups. When conducting our own study on Customer Engagement, we found that 74% of IT decision makers are more likely to consider a vendor that has educated them through each stage of the decision making process, with an astonishing 96% indicating a preference for custom-tailored content. By focusing on customer centricity, content hubs that encourage multi-asset engagement become an impactful means of personalising the B2B customer experience to increase engagement and ensure lead quality.
Setting up for success in today’s B2B landscape
Under present circumstances, efficiency is crucial in managing limited resources to acquire quality leads. With a clear direction based on prioritising key areas of focus, marketers can continue to deliver meaningful campaigns despite shrinking budgets and growing targets.
Working with us to implement these strategies, our clients are able to achieve results across the globe with targeted efforts built around an understanding of local markets. Partnering with us on APAC-wide campaigns, we are thrilled to have local success stories such as Logitech creating impactful results in the form of $1M of influenced pipeline and 257% ROI.
