Lead generation is a top priority for 50% of marketers in their marketing campaigns. (HubSpot) The most common goals in marketing are building brand awareness and increasing sales. 
It is important to mention that IT and services organizations generate an average of 3,660 monthly leads, more than other industries, and have the highest MQL rate at 83%. Non-profit organizations generate the lowest number of leads, with an average of 600 per month. (Hubspot)
TechBehemoths conducted a comprehensive survey involving 1062 B2B service providers across 48 countries to learn about the costs, procedures, and challenges in lead generation strategies and channels for B2B SMEs. 

Profile of Survey Respondents

According to the survey results, small and medium-sized businesses are distributed diversely based on size. Most respondents (33.7%) are from small companies with 2-9 employees. The next largest group (25%) consists of companies with 10-20 employees, followed by the ones with 20-50 employees (22.6%). The smallest part of respondents (18.8%) are from companies with over 50 employees.

Survey Respondents: Position Titles

The survey data reveals a diverse representation of professional roles within B2B SMEs - 50.8% of the respondents are CEO/Founders. Marketing professionals represent 14.3% of the respondents, while those in Business Development and CTO roles each account for 12.7%. Only 9.5% of the participants hold other positions within their organizations.

How Companies Understand the Term of Lead Generation

Survey data indicate a high level of awareness regarding the term “lead generation” among respondents. 98.5% of respondents are familiar with the term. None of the respondents reported being completely unaware of it, while a small percentage, 1.5%, have heard about it but may lack an in-depth understanding.

What is lead generation? Here is a short definition for our readers. Lead generation attracts potential customers to your business and retains their interest to convert them into paying customers.

Most Popular/Most Spread Lead Generation Channels

Marketing professionals, business owners, and individuals interested in lead-generation strategies who participated in the survey are familiar with different lead-generation channels, the results being as follows: Social media, search engines, email marketing, and networking were widely recognized, with 95.2%, 94.7%, 91.8%, and 90.4% of participants. Business directories were chosen by 87% of respondents. However, outsourcing was less known, with only 66.8% of people recognizing it as a lead-generation channel.

Lead Generation Channels Companies Use Most

Companies have distinct preferences regarding lead-generating channels that businesses actively utilize. Social media leads the way, with 85.1% of respondents indicating its use. Search engines are followed closely and utilized by 82.2% of companies. Networking is also a popular choice, employed by 76.4% of businesses. Business directories are used by 71.2% of companies, while email marketing is utilized by 54.8%. Outsourcing, however, is the least used channel, with only 29.8% of companies incorporating it into their lead generation strategies.

Experience Companies Have with Similar Platforms (Compared with TechBehemoths)

Of all the above channels, 71.2% of businesses use business directories. There are several directories, but TechBehemoths is one of the most popular, which offers a user-friendly experience compared to other business directories. On the same note, when asked about their experience with other business directories similar to TechBehemoths, the companies answered as follows. Most companies had above-average experiences with similar platforms. The highest percentage of respondents, 19.7%, rated their experience with other business directories a 7, indicating a positive experience overall. The second-highest percentage, 17.3%, rated their experience a 6, and 16.3% rated it an 8. On the other hand, lower ratings (1-4) were less common, and very poor experiences were less frequent.

Lead Generation Channels Evaluation

Effectiveness of Business Directories in Lead Generation

According to the survey data, respondents were asked to evaluate the effectiveness of business directories in lead generation using a scale from 1 to 5. 32.7% of the participants evaluated the effectiveness at a moderate level (rating of 3), while 24.5% considered it relatively high (rating of 4). 

Moreover, only 6.7% found business directories very ineffective (rating of 1), whereas 16.3% rated them as very effective (rating of 5). Most participants rated business directories as moderately to highly effective in lead generation.

Effectiveness of Paid Search in Lead Generation

Using paid search is effective for finding potential customers. Here's how effective it is according to the respondents: 

• Only a small number of respondents (5.8%) said it could be more effective (rated it 1). 

• A bit more (14%) rated it somewhat effective (2). 

• The most common rating, given by 27.5%, was 3, meaning it's moderately effective. 

• Higher ratings were also common, with 34.8% rating it as 4 and 17.9% giving it the highest rating of 5.

Effectiveness of Organic Search in Lead Generation

The effectiveness of organic search in lead generation received generally positive feedback from respondents. 

Here is a breakdown of the ratings:

• Only 1% of respondents rated it the least effective (1).

• Additionally, 6.3% gave it a rating of 2. 

• A moderate 16.8% of respondents rated it as a 3. 

• It is worth noting that 35.1% of respondents gave it a rating of 4, and 40.9% gave it the highest rating of 5.

Organic search is a highly effective lead generation method as it directs targeted traffic to your website without the cost of paid advertising. Ranking high on search engine results pages for relevant keywords can attract users actively seeking your products or services, increasing the probability of converting them into leads. Additionally, organic search helps build credibility and trust, leading to higher-quality leads over time.

Effectiveness of Organic Social Media in Lead Generation

Most respondents consider organic social media moderately effective, with 31.7% rating it as 3 and 27.8% rating it as 4. A smaller portion, 18.5%, view it as very effective. On the lower end, 15.1% rate it as 2, while only 6.8% consider it very ineffective, rating it as 1. Overall, most companies find organic social media reasonably effective for lead generation.

Paid Social Media Performance as a Lead Generation Channel

Respondents provided diverse feedback when asked about the effectiveness of paid social media as a lead-generation channel. A small percentage, 9.8%, rated its efficacy at the lowest level of 1, while 17.6% rated it a 2. The most common rating was a 3, given by 26% of respondents, indicating moderate effectiveness. Higher ratings were also noteworthy, with 33.8% rating it a 4 and 12.7% giving it the highest rating of 5. These results indicate that many respondents view paid social media as an effective tool for lead generation.

Role of Networking in Lead Generation Effectiveness

Respondents generally view networking's effectiveness in lead generation positively. Only 1% rated it at the lowest effectiveness level, 1, and 3.4% rated it a 2. 13.7% of respondents gave it a moderate rating of 3. Higher ratings were predominant, with 30.2% rating it a 4 and a substantial 51.7% giving it the highest effectiveness rating of 5. 

Monthly Budget Allocation for Lead Aquisition in Your Company 

To begin with, 26.1% of companies rely exclusively on free lead acquisition opportunities, which could include organic social media, SEO, content marketing, and networking. Following that, 15.3% of companies allocate between $100 and $200 monthly for lead acquisition, e.g. low-cost advertising, email marketing, or paid social media campaigns.

Another 15.3% of companies spend between $200 and $400 monthly, which could cover extensive online advertising campaigns, including PPC campaigns or marketing tools and platform investments. 13.3% of companies have a smaller budget of $50 to $100, likely used for small advertising campaigns, social media promotion, or small-scale content promotion. Effective lead acquisition is about more than just the size of the budget but the strategic use of resources.

Lastly, 10.8% of companies spend between $600 and $1000 monthly. This budget could support comprehensive digital marketing strategies, including multichannel advertising and more significant marketing campaigns. 11.8% of companies invest over $1000 monthly in lead acquisition and various marketing strategies, such as large-scale advertising campaigns, high-quality content creation, and possibly even hiring marketing consultants. 

How Many Leads Do Business Directories Give

Monthly lead generation from business directories shows that 36.4% of the respondents receive 1-2 leads per month, while 33.5% have not received any leads. A smaller percentage, 15.3%, receive 3-5 leads, and 14.8% receive 5 or more monthly leads from business directories.

How Many Leads Should Your Business Expect From Organic Search Channels?

Based on the survey data, 32.6% of companies get 1 to 2 leads each month from organic search. Another 26.6% receive 3 to 5 leads. A considerable 30.2% generate 5 or more leads monthly through organic search. Furthermore, 10.5% of companies report getting no leads from organic search channels. This shows that while organic search brings in leads for many companies, a notable percentage still struggle to get any leads from this source.

How Many Leads Should Your Business Expect From Paid Search Channels?

Respondents were asked how many leads paid search channels bring to their company per month. The survey data revealed that most respondents (45%) indicated that they generate no leads from paid search (None/N/A), making it the largest segment. 21.1% of companies report generating 5 or more leads per month, 20.6% generate 1-2 leads, and 13.4% generate 3-5 leads per month.

How Many Leads Should Your Business Expect From Organic Social Channels?

According to the survey data, 43.5% of companies receive 1 to 2 monthly leads from organic social channels, making it the most common outcome. 14.5% of companies generate 3 to 5 leads monthly, while 10.1% receive more than 5 leads. Additionally, 31.9% of companies report receiving no leads from organic social channels. This highlights that while organic social can be a valuable source of leads for some companies, a significant percentage still struggles to see results from these channels.

How Many Leads Should Your Business Expect From Paid Social Channels?

Most B2B SMEs find that paid social channels are ineffective for generating leads - 52.2% of respondents do not get any leads from these channels. However, paid social channels can be an effective source of leads for some businesses. About 15.3% of respondents get more than 5 leads each month. Additionally, 23.4% and 9.3%% of respondents receive 1-2 and 3-5 monthly leads.

Key Lead Generation Challenges for IT Businesses

Based on the survey data, 80.3% of IT companies struggle to get high-quality leads. 58.2% are concerned about getting low-quality leads, and 51.4% are affected by budget limitations. Also, 44.2% of respondents need help targeting the right audience, and 33.7% struggle with measuring ROI. Another 20.7% of companies find it hard to keep up with changing marketing trends, while a small minority (3%) face other challenges. 

Opportunities for Improving Lead Generation Efforts

IT businesses identify the following opportunities to improve their lead-generation efforts, which represent a comprehensive range of strategies:

Strengthening partnerships or collaborations: 74.4% of IT businesses believe building stronger partnerships and collaborations can improve their lead generation. These collaborations involve working with other businesses, industry influencers, or strategic partners to expand reach and credibility.

Improving lead nurturing strategies: 66.7% of respondents see the potential in simplifying their lead management processes. This could involve implementing more personalized communication, using advanced CRM systems, or developing targeted content to engage better and convert leads throughout the sales funnel.

Enhancing content quality and relevance: Nearly 60% of respondents agree with the importance of high-quality, relevant content. Businesses can attract more qualified leads and build trust with potential customers through valuable content addressing their target audience's needs and pain points.

Investing in new marketing technologies/tools: (51.2%) Over half of the respondents see investing in new marketing technologies and tools as a critical opportunity. This can include adopting AI-driven marketing automation, advanced analytics platforms, and other innovative technologies that reduce costs and optimize lead generation efforts.

Expanding into new markets or industries: (44.9%) Nearly half of the respondents see expanding into new markets or industries as an opportunity, for instance, entering new geographical regions, targeting new customer segments, or diversifying their offerings to appeal to different industries.

More inbound marketing capacity: (0.5%) A small percentage of respondents mention the need for more inbound marketing capacity, which suggests increasing their content production, enhancing SEO efforts, or expanding their social media presence to attract more organic leads.

There is a strong recognition of the benefits of investing in new marketing technologies and exploring new markets, suggesting a forward-looking approach to lead generation among IT companies.

Budget

Investment Plans for Lead Acquisition within Your Organization

About a third of companies (31.7%) intend to invest in lead acquisition. Furthermore, 26.7% are investing and plan to continue, while 23.3% are committed to ongoing investment. On the other hand, a smaller percentage (9.9%) do not intend to invest, and 4.5% of companies plan to decrease their investment. A minority (4.0%) is unsure about their company's plans.

How Many Free Leads B2B SaaS Companies Receive

The survey data shows that most B2B SaaS companies get a small number of free leads each month. The highest percentages of companies get 1 to 2 leads (17.2%) and 3 to 4 (18.1%) monthly leads. Fewer companies get more leads, with only 4.4% receiving 10 to 15 leads and 11.3% getting more than 15 monthly leads. Overall, most companies receive between 0 and 5 free leads each month.

How Many Paid Leads B2B SaaS Companies Receive

Most B2B SaaS companies get only a few paid leads each month. 36.4% get 0 to 1 paid lead, 15.7% receive 1 to 2 leads, and only 12.1% get more than 15 paid leads monthly. Comparing this data to the previous results on free leads, it seems companies receive fewer paid leads than free leads. 

Trends and Predictions in Lead Generation Acquisition Models

Willingness to Switch/Stay with the Current Lead Acquisition Model

Many B2B SaaS companies still decide whether to keep their lead acquisition method. The survey data shows that 22.5% plan to stay with their current method, while 14.2% are considering switching to a different one. Most companies, 63.2%, are still figuring out what they want to do. This means some are happy with their current strategies, but many are unsure and thinking about to make a change.

Budget Trends and Predictions in Lead Generation

The Lead Generation Strategies & Channels for B2B SMEs survey reveals insights into companies' plans for their lead acquisition budgets. It shows that 44.3% of companies plan to increase their lead acquisition budget, 47.8% intend to keep their budget the same, and 8% plan to cut their budget. 

Lead Acquisition Impact on Companies and Their Stability

B2B SME companies consider lead acquisition essential to their stability and growth, with 30% rating it as 4 and 47.8% rating it as 5. Only 3.4% of companies think it's not very important. However, 15.3% of companies rated it as 3, which means moderate importance. 

Partner Companies 

The survey was conducted globally and targeted IT companies and web agencies worldwide. It was not limited to any geographical region or country, resulting in responses from 1062 B2B service providers in 48 countries. 

TechBehemoths is pleased to announce the list of partner companies that assisted in spreading the word and gathering responses for this survey!

1. Henotics, Albania

2. UpGrowth, Algeria

3. Sinzerad, Andorra

4. Meira Productivity S.A., Argentina

5. DevelopWay, Armenia

6. Concept Studio, Armenia

7. SEOPLUS.AM, Armenia

8. eWorks, Armenia

9. VOLO, Armenia

10. SoftShark, Armenia 

11. Maxlence Consulting, Australia

12. SEO Expert Gold Coast, Australia

13. Influence IT Consulting Pty Ltd, Australia

14. Greenhat Services Pty Ltd, Australia

15. Saint Rollox Digital, Australia

16. Bespoke Web Dev, Australia

17. App Gurus, Australia

18. Sanara Infotech, Bahrain

19. MicroDeft, Bangladesh

20. Xceed Bangladesh Ltd., Bangladesh

21. Zovo Team Ltd., Bangladesh

22. Tangram Tech Solutions Ltd., Bangladesh

23. Tresify Lab, Bangladesh

24. Ministry of Programming, Bosnia and Herzegovina

25. Burlamaqui Marketing & Strategy, Brazil

26. Webcore, Brazil

27. Burlamaqui Marketing & Strategy, Brazil

28. DSS - Digital and Software Solutions Ltd., Bulgaria

29. Mäd Creative, Cambodia

30. The Art of Business, Canada

31. Profit Parrot Marketing, Canada

32. ICONA Inc., Canada

33. The Digital Marketing People, Canada

34. Muse Marketing Group, Canada

35. Resolute Technology Solutions Inc., Canada

36. Monkeys at Work, Canada

37. Jeff Social Marketing, Canada

38. Mooglelabs, Canada

39. TECKPATH, Canada

40. JET IT Services, China

41. IT Consultis, China

42. Naturality Digital, China

43. paxzu, Colombia

44. RAM BPO, Colombia

45. SOSADIAZ, Colombia

46. Azikus, Croatia

47. Owner, Croatia

48. Valiotti Analtytics, Cyprus

49. Infitech, Czechia

50. Acropolium, Czechia

51. Digital trans4ormation, Czechia

52. Devehope Technologies, Czechia

53. Profinit, Czechia

54. CodeClub IT Solutions, Bangladesh

55. Evonicsoft FZE LLC, UAE

56. Dot IT, Egypt

57. PanX Project, Egypt

58. KeyToTech, Estonia

59. Loovatech\Loovacloud, Estonia

60. Cynoox Technology PLC, Ethiopia

61. Asiakas Group Oy, Finland

62. Instinctools, Germany

63. MWIMMERDESIGN, Germany

64. Silk Data, Germany

65. Alphabit Cybersecurity, Greece

66. Hotel SEO Agency, Greece

67. Wavenex Limited, Hong Kong

68. Ikontent, Hungary

69. WebOrigo Magyarország Zrt., Hungary

70. Aarav Infotech India Pvt. Ltd., India

71. Trendz Web Solution, India

72. Wild Creek Web Studio, India

73. Digismiths, India

74. Chimp&z Inc, India

75. Breadnbeyond, Indonesia

76. Mega Wolf Network, Iraq

77. Safnah IT Services, Iraq

78. Webbiz, Ireland

79. Capaciteam, Ireland

80. Percepto, Israel

81. SunHouse Marketing, Israel

82. Butcher.studio, Israel

83. Innovated, Japan

84. Chat Plus Co., Ltd., Japan

85. PixoLabo, Japan

86. Podii Consultants Ltd., Kenya

87. Explosify Creative Solutions, Kenya

88. Risivonne Investments, Kenya

89. Snotor, Latvia

90. Crystal Translation, Lebanon

91. Bepro, Lebanon

92. Leoceros, Lebanon

93. COMPU-VISION SARL, Lebanon

94. Primal Ape Consulting, Lebanon

95. Business Config, Lisbon

96. Navus, Lithuania

97. Eagle IT Solutions, Macedonia

98. Labbrand Malaysia, Malaysia

99. Hivekind, Malaysia

100. Tribe Business Services, Malaysia

101. I Concept, Malaysia

102. Alluxi, Mexico

103. Axented, Mexico

104. ILB Metrics, Mexico

105. Barvy Digital Eye, Moldova

106. Myanmar Web Designer (MWD) Co., Ltd., Myanmar

107. Janaki Soft, Nepal

108. Baas & Baas, Netherlands

109. Infotyke, New Delhi

110. Definition Web, New Zealand

111. Lead Generation Strategies, Nigeria

112. DPX Digital Network, Nigeria

113. Myluxtrade Digital Hub, Nigeria

114. Ikonerx, Nigeria

115. Reconnaissance Technologies Ltd., Nigeria

116. JAM-Forte Technologies Ltd., Nigeria

117. Brela Agency, Nigeria

118. Goodwill Language Solution, Nigeria

119. Frankson IT Services, Nigeria

120. GPRINTS Nigeria Ltd, Nigeria

121. Teners, Nigeria

122. Wireless Computer Service, Nigeria

123. Xpertech Solutions Group, Nigeria

124. Duohost Web Services, Nigeria

125. Nergy Web Design, Nigeria

126. Trustech IT Solutions, Pakistan

127. Happy Growth Marketing, Pakistan

128. Women Technology House, Pakistan

129. Astoe Company, Pakistan

130. DPL, Pakistan

131. Element Media, Palestine

132. ThinkBIT Solutions, Philippines

133. Waytal Agency, Philippines

134. Gecko Dynamics, Poland

135. Qarbon IT, Poland

136. Fively, Poland

137. InterSynergy, Poland

138. Firmao, Poland 

139. TeaCode, Poland

140. Movadex, Poland

141. Business Config, Portugal

142. FCS Web Development, Portugal

143. ASCMI, Portugal

144. Web Activ, Romania

145. Upcasted, Romania

146. minic studio, Romania

147. Subsign, Romania

148. Digitalya OPS, Romania

149. AscentCore Technology, Romania

150. Scriptics, Romania

151. FilmspbTV, Russia

152. VM Project, Russia 

153. Fast Digital Technology, Saudi Arabia

154. The Ave Studio, Serbia

155. Aetherius Solutions, Serbia

156. Inviggo, Serbia

157. Victora, Serbia

158. Byteout Software, Serbia

159. Bro Media, South Africa

160. Dudobi, South Africa

161. Launch Digital, South Africa

162. Neslo, South Africa

163. Exceed IT, South Africa

164. Westech, South Africa

165. Isle Geeks, South Africa

166. Darksky Digital, South Africa

167. Ruby Digital, South Africa

168. Catching Clicks, South Korea

169. Kellenföl Advertising, Spain

170. IMAP Internet Marketing SL, Spain

171. BeTranslated, Spain

172. Tecalis, Spain

173. GO2JUMP, Spain

174. Alto Servicios Comunicación, Spain

175. Codezela Technologies, Sri Lanka

176. 5w155 SA, Switzerland

177. KONCEPT, Tanzania

178. Exact Software Ltd, Tanzania

179. Digital Agency Bangkok (DAB), Thailand

180. Garraje, Turkey

181. Epigra, Turkey

182. Ralabs, UAE

183. Inventale Custom Projects, UAE

184. Webdavo, UAE

185. The SEO Works, UK

186. Telsa Media, UK

187. Launch Mappers, UK

188. morphsites, UK

189. hulo.dev, Ukraine

190. RetroStyle Games, Ukraine

191. NERDZ LAB, Ukraine

192. Roman.ua, Ukraine

193. Betlace, Ukraine

194. dotcode, Ukraine

195. Krasty Soft, Ukraine

196. DH Solutions, USA

197. Cyrusson Inc, USA

198. Unical, Uzbekistan

199. Dataprizma LLC, Uzbekistan

200. Data V Tech Solutions Company Ltd., Vietnam

201. Omega Digital, Vietnam

202. One Pixel Media, Vietnam

203. CodLUCK Technology, Vietnam

204. Luvina Software, Vietnam

205. Rocket Systems, Yerevan