The 9 Best Lead Generation Tools for B2B: Boost Commercial Services Sales with Tech

Introduction

The sales landscape today is extremely volatile. As interest rates have increased to match inflation, commercial buildings once thought secure from volatility have become targets of it.

From the era of “ZIRP” (zero interest rate phenomenon), when money was cheap and easy to obtain, to the current 9-11% rates that have strained cash flows and threatened many buildings with bankruptcy, the commercial property market has experienced a complete 180 in the past two-three years.

This volatility presents unique challenges for commercial sales teams, especially those targeting properties where ownership, tenants, and management seem to change constantly.

However, we’ve also seen the meteoric rise of technologies like property intelligence, sales intelligence, and lead generation platforms that can help cut through the noise and identify potential leads for commercial sales teams.

In this article, we will explore the top 9 lead generation tools for B2B teams looking to boost their sales while navigating the uncertain property landscape.

If you own a commercial services business or lead a sales team that sells products such as HVAC systems, roofing, solar panels, generators, or other property-specific items, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s get started!

What is Lead Generation?

So that we’re all on the same page, let’s define “lead generation” or “lead-gen” for short.

Lead generation is the process of attracting and capturing contact details for a prospective customer. What defines them as “a lead” is their level of interest in your products and services. A lead has metaphorically “raised their hand” and shown interest in what you have to offer by giving you their contact information or interacting with someone from your sales or marketing team.

This may seem elementary, but it’s a step that lays the foundation for a strong sales pipeline, ensuring a steady flow of prospects that can be converted into loyal customers. 

The Importance of Generating Leads

Generating new leads is crucial for businesses looking to grow their customer base and boost revenue. It’s the first step in any successful marketing strategy.

However, without the right tools, the lead generation process can be far from simple. It’s not just about numbers like traffic and views but about finding quality leads that can turn into valuable long-term customers. It’s about creating genuine interest and nurturing that interest into a meaningful relationship (known as a conversion).

Benefits of Using Lead Generation Tools

Generate Interest, Boosting Sales, and Convert Website Visitors into Buyers

Lead generation tools help to automate the lead generation process, saving time and resources. These tools provide valuable insights into relevant data points that help you make decisions about what their next steps should be.

The benefits of the best lead generation tools on the market today are:

• Efficiency: Automation streamlines the process, allowing your team to focus on high-value activities.
• Data & Insights: Understanding behaviors to increase conversions and tailor marketing efforts more effectively.
• Conversion: By capturing and nurturing leads, businesses can dramatically boost their conversion rates and enhance the effectiveness of their sales and marketing efforts.

For marketing campaigns for example, intent analysis and website visitor tracking tools can help you understand what potential customers may be searching for. They do this by tracking interactions with your social media, downloads from your website (e.g. whitepapers and case-studies), and website visitors’ behavior, enabling you to create targeted lead-generation campaigns.

This interest can be “captured” in exchange for something of value and turns into a lead.

Lead generation tools like Convex (property intelligence software) and Hubspot (CRM software) can automate aspects of this process, saving your time and resources… but we’ll get to that in a minute.

Let’s start by looking at the different types of lead generation tools available today.

Types of Lead Generation Tools

With over a dozen lead generation platforms and more than 1,000 tools available, how do you select the best ones to achieve optimal results?

In this article, we’re going to focus on tools that are “bottom of the sales funnel,” which means they’re closest to converting into a closed/won deal or a sale. We’ll talk about:

• Property Intelligence Tools
• Sales Intelligence Tools
• Conversion Optimization Tools
• CRM and Email Marketing Tools
• Website Visitor Tracking Tools
• Lead Capture Tools
• Chat Tools
• Inbound Call Tools
• Content Creation Tools

We’ll even tell you about 1 platform that combines at least 4 of these solutions into one easy-to-use software that can save your team hours of lead research and outreach everyday.

But let’s start with a quick overview of each type of lead generation software:

Property Intelligence Tools

• These tools provide comprehensive data on commercial properties, helping sales teams identify potential leads by offering detailed insights into property ownership and management.

Sales Intelligence Tools

• These tools offer robust sales intelligence, providing accurate contact information and valuable insights to help sales teams reach decision-makers effectively.

Conversion Optimization Tools

• These tools focus on improving website performance by providing in-depth analytics and insights into user behavior, helping businesses understand how visitors interact with their site to increase conversions.

CRM and Email Marketing Tools

• These tools integrate with your marketing and sales efforts, offering functionalities like email marketing, lead scoring, and automation to organize and manage leads more effectively.

Website Visitor Tracking Tools

• These tools track website visitors and capture their contact details, providing insights into who your potential customers are and how they interact with your site.

Lead Capture Tools

• These tools offer a range of forms and pop-ups designed to convert website visitors into leads, often including features for A/B testing, targeting, and personalization.

Live Chat Tools

• These tools provide live chat functionality to engage website visitors in real-time, capturing leads and providing instant support, often with automation features for timely follow-ups.

Inbound Call Tools

• These tools integrate with your CRM to automatically call leads as soon as they submit a form, increasing the chances of converting leads while they are still engaged.

Content Creation Tools

• These tools are used for creating and sharing lead magnets, such as guides, templates, and checklists, which attract and engage potential leads by providing valuable information.

So, now that you know what these tools do, let’s list the top options in each category!

Top Lead Generation Tools for B2B

Selecting the right marketing tools can significantly enhance your lead-generation campaign efforts. Below is a detailed overview of some of the top lead generation tools for B2B businesses, each with unique features and benefits.

Convex: Best Lead-Generation and Property Intelligence Tool for Commercial Services Sales Teams

Convex is designed specifically for commercial services sales teams, providing comprehensive property intelligence data. It helps identify potential leads by offering detailed insights into commercial properties, including ownership and management details. This makes it an invaluable marketing tool, for businesses targeting property owners and managers.

• Key Features: Property intelligence, data enrichment, Generative AI for outreach, lead scoring, sales and follow-up automations.
• Best For: Commercial and industrial services sales teams.
• Benefits: The easiest lead generation platform to use on the market. Streamlined lead generation, detailed intent data, property insights, permitting history, and increased sales efficiency

Cognism: Best Sales Intelligence Tool for International Use – (GDPR Compliance)

Cognism offers robust sales intelligence and is known for its strong compliance with GDPR. It provides accurate contact information and valuable insights, helping sales teams reach decision-makers effectively while adhering to privacy regulations.

• Key Features: GDPR compliance, contact data, sales intelligence
• Best For: Companies operating in Europe, compliance-focused businesses
• Benefits: Legal compliance, high-quality data, effective targeting

Matomo: Best Conversion Optimization Tool

Matomo is a powerful tool for conversion optimization. It provides in-depth analytics and insights into user behavior, helping businesses understand how visitors interact with their websites and where improvements can be made to increase conversions.

• Key Features: Analytics, conversion tracking, user behavior insights
• Best For: E-commerce, digital marketing, websites focused on conversions
• Benefits: Improved conversion rates, actionable insights, user behavior analysis

HubSpot: Best All-in-One CRM for Organizing Leads

HubSpot is a comprehensive CRM platform that integrates seamlessly with your marketing and sales efforts. It offers tools for email marketing, lead scoring, Google Analytics, and automation, making it easier to organize and manage leads.

• Key Features: CRM, email marketing, lead scoring, automation
• Best For: Small to large businesses, multi-functional teams
• Benefits: Streamlined processes, improved organization, enhanced lead nurturing

Leadfeeder: Best for Finding Warm B2B Leads

Leadfeeder identifies target leads from companies visiting your website, providing insights to track leads even if they don’t fill out a form. This tool helps you find warm leads who have already shown interest in your products or services.

• Key Features: Website visitor tracking, lead identification, CRM integration
• Best For: B2B companies, digital marketing teams
• Benefits: Identifies warm leads, integrates with CRM, actionable insights

OptinMonster: Best All-in-One Form Tool

OptinMonster offers a range of lead capture forms google ads and pop-ups designed to convert website visitors into leads. It includes features for A/B testing, targeting, and personalization, ensuring your lead forms that are effective and engaging.

• Key Features: Lead capture forms, pop-ups, A/B testing
• Best For: E-commerce, content marketing, websites aiming to increase conversions
• Benefits: High conversion rates, customizable forms, targeting options

Intercom: Best Live Chat Tool for Capturing Leads

Intercom provides live chat functionality that engages website visitors in real time. This tool is a user-friendly interface ideal for capturing leads and providing instant support, with automation features to ensure timely follow-ups.

• Key Features: Live chat, automated follow-ups, real-time engagement
• Best For: Customer service, sales teams, support-driven businesses
• Benefits: Immediate engagement, captures leads in real-time, automated workflows

Callingly: Best for Making Inbound Calls with Leads

Callingly integrates with your CRM to automatically call leads as soon as they submit a form. This immediate response increases the chances of converting leads while they are still engaged and interested.

• Key Features: Automatic call scheduling, CRM integration, lead tracking
• Best For: Sales teams, inbound marketing, high-touch sales processes
• Benefits: Instant engagement, increased conversion rates, seamless CRM integration

Notion: Best for Creating Informational Lead Magnets

Notion is a versatile tool for creating and sharing lead magnets such as guides, templates, and checklists. These resources attract and engage potential leads by providing valuable information.

• Key Features: Document creation, sharing, templates
• Best For: Content marketing, educational resources, inbound marketing
• Benefits: Engages leads with valuable content, easy-to-use, customizable templates

One fascinating highlight from this list is that Convex (yes, we’re Convex, so forgive our bias) stands out as the only one offering a powerhouse combination: “buying signals” from intent data, Generative AI for outreach, sales intelligence, route mapping, and property intelligence specifically for commercial services sales teams.

This means your reps can contact the right person at the right time with the right message.

Effective Lead Generation Strategies

Having the right tools is important for successful lead generation, but they are only effective if used in conjunction with a solid strategy. Here are some key strategies to keep in mind as you build a list of leads:

• Know your target audience: Understand who your ideal customer is and what their pain points and needs are. This will allow you to…
• Personalize your approach: Tailor your messages and content to address the specific needs of each potential lead. This will make your messages far more relevant and effective.
• Utilize multiple channels: Don’t rely on just one method of reaching out to leads, use a mix of email, social media, phone calls, etc. According to our internal data, 6 calls is the perfect number to reach a decision-maker – the problem is, most reps quit after 2.
• Offer valuable content: Provide helpful and informative resources that will attract potential leads and establish your credibility. Value is everything in today’s noisy world… focus on the value.
• Use data to drive decisions: Don’t make decisions based on what you feel- this will change from day-to-day. Make decisions based upon data.

So now that we’ve talked about the foundation of a solid lead-gen strategy, let’s talk about how to choose the right tool (OR) tools for your team.

How to Choose the Right Lead Generation Tool

Choosing the right lead generation tool is critical to the success of your lead generation campaigns and outreach efforts. Here are some key considerations to keep the best lead generation tool in mind:

• Identify Your Needs: Determine what type of lead generation tool you need. Are you looking for website visitor tracking, lead nurturing, or a comprehensive CRM solution? Understanding your specific needs will help you narrow down your options.
• Evaluate Features: Look for tools that offer the features you need. This might include email marketing automation, lead scoring, visitor tracking, or CRM integration. Make sure the tool can handle your current requirements and scale your business as it grows.
• Assess Pricing: Compare pricing plans and see which tool offers the best value for your budget. Some tools offer free trials or freemium versions, which can be a great way to test the software before committing.
• Read User Reviews: Check out user reviews and ratings on platforms like G2 or Capterra. Pay attention to feedback about ease of use, customer support, and overall satisfaction.
• Integration Capabilities: Ensure the tool integrates seamlessly with your existing systems, such as your CRM, email marketing platform, and other software tools. This will help streamline your workflows and improve efficiency.

Property Intelligence tools like Convex can generate more leads without the hassle of using 10 other tools. Our combination of buying signals from intent data, Generative AI for outreach, sales intelligence, route mapping, and property intelligence will save you time and money while increasing your conversion rate.

Jeff Scalise and his team at Koorsen Fire & Security use Convex’s Generative AI email tool to send better emails to prospects and drive sales conversations. In Jeff’s own words:

“Work life has improved for me and my team (using Convex) because it’s really cut down on the time that it takes to research prospective customers and actually send our emails. I would recommend Convex’s Generative AI email product to other companies because it truly is a superior product that provides a tremendous solution to the issues the industry faces.”

For more details, you can watch the full testimonial here.

Best Practices in Lead Generation

B2B lead generation and sales are dynamic. Every single business will have a slightly different value proposition, and every company offers a slightly different product. But that doesn’t mean you have to “wing it.”

Leveraging Property & Sales Intelligence Tools for Maximum Impact

Property Intelligence and Sales intelligence solutions provide valuable insights into potential leads and decision-makers, enabling you to engage with them more effectively and efficiently. here are some best practices to harness their full potential:

• Compile Accurate Contact Information: Use sales intelligence tools to gather accurate and up-to-date contact details for key decision-makers. This ensures your outreach efforts reach the right people.
• Analyze Behavioral Data: Sales intelligence tools can track prospect behavior, such as website visits, content downloads, and email engagement. Analyze this data to understand their interests and readiness to engage.
• Prioritize High-Value Leads: Implement lead scoring based on the data provided by sales intelligence tools. Prioritize high-value leads who show strong engagement and interest in your offerings, ensuring your sales team focuses on the most promising prospects.
• Craft Targeted Messaging: Use the insights from sales intelligence tools to create targeted, personalized messaging that addresses the specific needs and pain points of your prospects. Tailored communication increases the likelihood of meaningful engagement.
• Integrate with CRM Systems: Ensure your sales intelligence tools integrate seamlessly with your CRM system. This integration helps maintain a centralized database of lead information, enabling efficient follow-ups and nurturing strategies.

Best Practices for Generating Leads from Website Visitors

Generating sales-qualified leads from website visitors requires a strategic approach. Here are some best practices to maximize your efforts:

• Create Targeted Campaigns: Develop campaigns based on visitor behavior and interests. Use data insights to segment your audience and tailor your messaging to their specific needs. This ensures that your campaigns resonate with the right people at the right time.
• Optimize Lead Capture Forms: Ensure your lead capture forms are user-friendly and engaging. Use compelling CTAs and offer valuable incentives, such as downloadable resources or exclusive content, to encourage visitors to share their information. A well-designed form can significantly increase your conversion rates.
• Utilize Landing Pages: Create dedicated landing pages for your campaigns. These pages should be focused on a single goal—capturing leads. Use clear, concise messaging and a strong CTA to drive conversions. Landing pages that are optimized for lead generation can effectively turn visitors into prospects.
• Leverage Pop-Ups and Slide-Ins: Use pop-ups and slide-ins strategically to capture leads without disrupting the user experience. Tools like OptinMonster allow you to create targeted pop-ups based on visitor behavior. This can help in capturing leads at the right moment without annoying your visitors.
• Implement Live Chat: Engage visitors in real-time with live chat tools like Intercom. Live chat can help answer questions, provide support, and capture leads directly from your website. Real-time engagement can significantly boost lead conversion rates.

Lead Nurturing and Qualification Techniques

Nurturing and qualifying leads is essential for converting prospects into customers. Here are some techniques to help you succeed:

• Lead Scoring: Use lead scoring to prioritize leads based on their behavior and engagement. Assign points for actions such as email opens, clicks, downloads, and website visits. This helps you focus on the most promising leads, improving your chances of conversion.
• Personalized Content: Create personalized content and offers tailored to your leads’ interests and needs. Use email marketing automation to send targeted messages based on their behavior and preferences. Personalization can enhance engagement and build stronger relationships with your leads.
• Multi-Channel Nurturing: Engage leads across multiple channels, including email, social media, and phone calls. A multi-channel approach ensures that you stay top-of-mind and build a stronger relationship with your leads. This diversity in communication can cater to different preferences and increase your reach.
• Automate Follow-Ups: Use sales automation tools to streamline follow-up processes. Automated workflows can send reminders, follow-up emails, and notifications, ensuring that no lead falls through the cracks. Consistent follow-up is key to nurturing leads effectively.
• Sales and Marketing Alignment: Ensure that your sales and marketing teams are aligned on lead qualification criteria and processes. Regular communication and feedback loops help improve lead quality and conversion rates. Alignment between these teams can lead to a more cohesive strategy and better results.

Conclusion

Effective lead generation is the key to growing your business. Like the “lifeblood” in a body, lead generation systems add fresh leads to your sales pipeline. By utilizing advanced lead generation tools, creating compelling offers, collaborating closely with your sales team, and continuously optimizing your strategies, you can create a robust pipeline of high-quality leads.

This approach not only boosts your sales and marketing efforts but also enhances overall business efficiency and growth.

Grow Faster with Effective Lead Generation Software and Strategies

Just to reiterate, mastering lead generation is “core” for a business’s growth. Leveraging powerful lead gen tools and strategies will help you attract high-quality leads, streamline your sales process, and boost your revenue.

• Leverage Powerful Lead Generation Tools: Use advanced tools like Convex’s property intelligence software to gather comprehensive data and generate high-quality leads.
• Create Compelling Offers: Continuously develop and refine offers, CTAs, landing pages, and forms to attract and convert visitors. Promote them across multi-channel environments to reach a wider audience.
• Collaborate with Sales: Maintain close communication with your sales team to ensure that high-quality leads are handed off regularly. This alignment between leadership, marketing, and sales is a powerful force multiplier for maximizing closed/won deals.
• Test and Optimize: Never stop testing different strategies and tactics to improve lead quality. Use data and analytics to refine your approach, ensuring continuous improvement and increased revenue.

Ready to transform your lead generation process and drive significant growth? Take the first step today…

Schedule a demo of Convex to discover how our comprehensive suite of lead generation software sales intelligence tools can revolutionize your sales process, save time, and drive more qualified leads to your business.