How to Create a B2B Outbound Marketing Plan: Step-by-Step Guide

by Vinny Hassan in Best Practices November 22nd, 2024

Here's a quick guide to building an effective B2B outbound marketing plan:

  1. Set clear goals (e.g. "Generate 50 qualified leads per month")
  2. Define your ideal customer profile and buyer personas
  3. Choose marketing channels (LinkedIn, email, phone)
  4. Craft compelling sales messages focused on benefits
  5. Create message templates and follow-up sequences
  6. Select key marketing tools (CRM, email automation, etc.)
  7. Launch campaigns and track results
  8. Analyze performance and optimize

Key things to remember:

  • Personalize outreach as much as possible
  • Focus on solving customer pain points
  • Test different versions to improve results
  • Calculate ROI to justify marketing spend

With a data-driven approach and continuous optimization, you can create B2B outbound campaigns that consistently generate quality leads and drive business growth.

Start Your B2B Outbound Plan

Let's get your B2B outbound marketing off the ground. Here's how to build a plan that'll have leads coming to you.


Set Clear Goals

First up: know where you're going. Set SMART goals to guide your outbound efforts:

  1. Specific: "Generate 50 qualified leads per month from healthcare"
  2. Measurable: Use metrics like lead-to-customer conversion rate
  3. Achievable: Set realistic targets based on your resources
  4. Relevant: Align with your business objectives
  5. Time-bound: "Increase sales pipeline by 20% this quarter"

Your goals should impact your bottom line. Growth Rhino, a B2B lead gen agency, helps clients target things like "book 15 sales-qualified appointments monthly" or "boost pipeline value by $500,000 in Q3."


Find Your Target Companies and Contacts

Now, let's focus on who you're after:


  1. Create an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP): Define your perfect customer company. Think about:
  • Company size
  • Industry
  • Annual revenue
  • Location
  • Tech stack
  1. Develop buyer personas: Profile the decision-makers you want to reach:
  • Job title and duties
  • Pain points
  • Goals
  • Preferred communication channels
  1. Use data tools: Try LinkedIn Sales Navigator or ZoomInfo to find matches for your ICP and personas.
  2. Prioritize: Rank prospects based on potential value and conversion likelihood.

Plan Your Budget and Schedule

Time to allocate resources and set a timeline:


(1) Set your budget: B2B companies often spend 6-20% of revenue on marketing:

  • Small businesses (under $5M annual revenue): 7-8%
  • B2B services companies: 11.4%
  • IT services businesses: 5.9-9.6%

(2) Break it down: Split your budget across channels:

  • 30% for content creation and distribution
  • 25% for paid ads (LinkedIn, Google)
  • 20% for marketing automation tools
  • 15% for events and webinars
  • 10% for data and analytics

(3) Create a timeline: Plan your next 3-6 months:

  • Campaign launch dates
  • Content schedule
  • Follow-up sequences
  • Performance reviews

(4) Stay flexible: Leave room to adjust based on results.

Define Your Perfect Customer

Get clear on who your ideal customer really is:


  1. Analyze current customers: What do your top 10-20% have in common?
  2. Talk to your best clients: Ask why they chose you and what value they get.
  3. Create a detailed profile: Include:
  • Firmographic data (industry, size, revenue)
  • Tech info (current stack, integration needs)
  • Behavior (decision-making, buying cycle)
  • Pain points
  • Goals and success metrics

Make sure everyone knows who your ideal customer is. This focus is key for effective marketing and sales.

Create Your Outreach Plan

Let's build an outreach system that fits your goals and audience. Here's how to create a B2B outreach plan that works.

Pick Your Marketing Channels

Choose channels that reach your ideal customers:

  1. Check where your audience hangs out: For B2B, LinkedIn is often the go-to. It's responsible for 80% of B2B leads.
  2. Don't ignore email: 77% of B2B buyers prefer email communication. It's still a powerhouse.
  3. Create valuable content: B2B companies get 2x more revenue from organic search, which drives 76% of their website traffic.
  4. Pick up the phone: Sometimes, you need to talk. Growth Rhino, a B2B lead generation agency, often pairs emails with phone calls to boost engagement.

Mix these channels to find what works best for you.

Write Your Sales Message

Your sales message is key. Here's how to make it stick:


  1. Keep it short: Emails under 50 words get 60% more replies. Get to the point.
  2. Show benefits: Don't list features. Show how you solve problems.
  3. Make it personal: Mention a company achievement or shared connection.
  4. Add a clear next step: What should they do? Book a call? Download a guide? Make it obvious.

Here's a quick, benefit-focused opener:


"Hi [Name],
I saw [Company] just expanded into [new market]. Our [product] has helped similar companies boost market share by 30% in year one. Want to see how we could do the same for you?"

Make Message Templates

Templates save time and keep your outreach consistent. Here's how:

  1. Build a framework: Include an opening, value prop, proof, and call-to-action.
  2. Leave room for personal touches: Add spots for custom details about each prospect.
  3. Test different versions: Track which ones work best.
  4. Keep improving: Update your templates based on what you learn.

Plan Your Follow-up Schedule

Don't give up too soon. Here's a follow-up plan:

  • Day 1: Send your first message.
  • Day 3: Gentle reminder.
  • Day 7: Share a case study or helpful content.
  • Day 14: Try a different value prop.
  • Day 30: If no response, move to a nurture campaign.

Choose Your Marketing Tools

Picking the right tools can make or break your B2B outbound marketing. Let's look at the software you need to run campaigns and track results.


Must-Have Marketing Software

To run your outbound marketing smoothly, you'll need these key tools:

1. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System

Your CRM is the heart of your outbound efforts. HubSpot and Salesforce are popular choices. They help you manage contacts, track deals, and visualize your pipeline.

2. Email Automation Platform

Tools like Lemlist or Customer.io let you send personalized emails at scale. For example, Lemlist helps sales teams create and send tailored emails using dynamic variables like first name and company name.

3. LinkedIn Automation Tool

For B2B outreach, LinkedIn is key. Expandi.io is a good option that follows LinkedIn's rules. It helps you reach potential leads with personalized outreach.

4. Contact Database

Apollo.io has a huge database of over 200 million contacts, updated in real-time. It works with other sales tools like Salesforce and HubSpot, making it great for finding prospects.

Connect Your CRM

Linking your CRM with your marketing tools is crucial for tracking customer data. Here's how to do it:

1. Choose tools that work together

Make sure your CRM can connect with your email platform, social media tools, and other marketing software.

2. Set up automatic data sharing

Configure your tools to share data automatically. This keeps your sales and marketing teams up-to-date.

3. Create unified workflows

Use your CRM as the main hub for all customer interactions. For instance, when a lead engages with an email campaign, that info should automatically update in your CRM.

Set Up Data and Reports

To make smart decisions, you need the right analytics tools:

1. Web Analytics

Google Analytics is a must for tracking website traffic and understanding how visitors behave.

2. Marketing Analytics

Tools like HubSpot Marketing Analytics or Ortto can show you how your campaigns are doing across different channels.

3. Custom Dashboards

Use tools like Tableau or Domo to create visual charts of your key metrics.

Track Your Results

Measuring how well your campaigns are doing is crucial. Here's what to focus on:

1. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Keep an eye on metrics like Cost Per Lead (CPL), Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs), and Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs).

2. Regular Reviews

Check your B2B marketing metrics weekly. This helps you stay on top of performance and focus on what's working.

3. Always Improve

Use your data to make your campaigns better. For example, if certain email subject lines work better than others, adjust your strategy.

Run Your Campaigns

You've laid the groundwork. Now it's time to launch your B2B outbound marketing campaigns. Here's how to make your efforts count.

Pre-Launch Steps

Before you hit send or make that first call, double-check these key elements:

1. Clean your email list

Use a tool like Neverbounce to scrub your list. This cuts bounce rates, protects your domain, and boosts deliverability.

2. Test your message

Run a small pilot to see how people respond. Tweak your copy based on what you learn before going big.

3. Set up tracking

Make sure your analytics tools are ready to capture the important stuff: open rates, click-throughs, and conversions.

4. Prep your team

Brief your sales crew on what the campaign's about. Give them what they need to handle incoming leads like pros.

Check Lead Quality

Not all leads are winners. Here's how to spot the good ones:

  • Score your leads: Give points for things like company size, industry fit, and how much they engage. This helps you know who to call first.
  • Ask the right questions: In your first reach-out or on landing pages, ask questions that help you spot bad fits early.
  • Watch how they engage: Keep an eye on how leads interact with your stuff. The ones who keep opening emails and clicking links? They're often your best bets.

Handle Responses

When leads start talking back, be ready to jump in:

  • Set up auto-replies: For quick "we got your message" responses, especially after hours.
  • Create response templates: Have ready-to-go (but customizable) answers for common questions. It keeps replies fast and consistent.
  • Plan your follow-ups: Map out a series of touch points. Mix it up with emails, calls, and social media pokes.

Check Campaign Progress

Keep a close eye on how your campaign's doing. It's key for making it better. Focus on:

  • KPIs: Watch things like open rates, click-throughs, responses, and of course, conversions.
  • A/B tests: Always be testing different parts of your campaign. Try different subject lines, call-to-action buttons, you name it.
  • Team check-ins: Sit down with your crew every week. Talk about what's working and what's not.

Make Campaigns Better

Want to crush it in B2B outbound marketing? You've got to keep tweaking your approach. Here's how to level up your campaigns and get better results.

Test Different Versions

A/B testing is your secret sauce for making campaigns pop. Here's the deal:

1. Focus on one element at a time

Don't go crazy testing everything. Pick one thing - maybe your email subject line or call-to-action - and make two versions. This way, you'll know exactly what's working better.

2. Use a decent sample size

To get results you can trust, aim for at least 200 prospects in your test group. This cuts down on errors and makes your findings more solid.

3. Give it time

Don't rush it. Run your test until you hit statistical significance - 95% or higher is the sweet spot. Jumping to conclusions too early can mess you up.

"The whole point of A/B testing cold emails is to make informed and data-backed decisions."

Look at Your Results

You've got to keep an eye on your campaign data. Here's what matters:

  • Track key metrics: Watch those open rates, click-through rates, and response rates like a hawk. They tell you if your message is hitting home.
  • Analyze patterns: Spot trends in your data. Are some industries more into your stuff? Does certain content kill it? Use these nuggets to sharpen your targeting and messaging.
  • Compare against benchmarks: How do you stack up against the competition? This context helps you set realistic goals and spot where you need to step up your game.

Make Changes That Work

Got insights? Time to put them to work:

  • Refine your messaging: Use what you've learned to craft killer subject lines, email copy, and calls-to-action. Pro tip: personalization can boost email open rates by 29%.
  • Optimize your timing: Play around with when you send stuff. You might find your audience is more responsive at certain times.
  • Segment your audience: Use your data to create more targeted groups. This lets you tailor your message even more, making it super relevant and engaging.

Calculate Your Return

You've got to measure your return on investment (ROI). It's how you justify your marketing spend and figure out what's working best.

Here's a simple way to calculate your marketing ROI:

ROI = [(Return - Investment) / Investment] x 100

Let's say you spend $5,000 on a campaign that gets you 5 leads, and your Average Customer Lifetime Value is $50,000. Your ROI would be:

ROI = [(250,000 - 5,000) / 5,000] x 100 = 4,900%

That's a pretty sweet number, showing just how powerful B2B outbound marketing can be when you do it right.

Conclusion

A solid B2B outbound marketing plan is key for business growth in today's market. Let's recap the main points:

Set clear goals: Use SMART goals. Example: "Get 50 qualified leads per month from healthcare" or "Boost sales pipeline by 20% this quarter."

Know your audience: Create detailed buyer personas and ideal customer profiles. This helps you tailor your message.

Pick the right channels: LinkedIn generates 80% of B2B leads, but don't ignore email. 77% of B2B buyers prefer email communication.

Write compelling messages: Keep it short and focused on benefits. Emails under 50 words get 60% more replies.

Use tech: Get a good CRM and marketing automation tools. They'll help you track results and streamline your work.

Measure and improve: Check your campaign performance often. Calculate ROI. Use data to get better results.

Outbound marketing isn't about sending tons of messages. It's about creating targeted campaigns that speak to your ideal customers. As Ayhan K. Isaacs from Growth Rhino says:

"Want more leads? Do more outreach. But remember, it's not just about how many. It's about hitting the right people with messages that click."

Follow this guide and keep improving based on data. You'll create a B2B outbound marketing plan that gets results.

Stay flexible and keep learning. Test new ideas. B2B marketing changes fast, so your outbound efforts should too. With hard work and a data-driven approach, you'll succeed in outbound marketing.


FAQs

What is outbound B2B marketing?

Outbound B2B marketing is when businesses actively reach out to potential customers. It's different from inbound marketing, which waits for leads to come to you.

Here's what outbound B2B marketing looks like:

  • You send emails to potential clients
  • You make cold calls
  • You use social media to connect with decision-makers

The goal? To get your message in front of the right people, fast.

A study by Belkins highlights why outbound marketing still works:

"Outbound strategies continue to play a significant role by offering targeted reach, immediate results, personalized communication, and the ability to build relationships and generate high-quality leads."

Some interesting facts:

  • 70% of salespeople still pick up the phone to set up meetings
  • For every $1 spent on email marketing, you get $36 back

Want to make your outbound B2B marketing better? Try these tips:

1. Make it personal

Don't send generic messages. Talk about your prospect's specific problems and how you can help.

2. Use different channels

Don't just stick to email. Mix it up with phone calls and social media outreach.

3. Give before you take

When you first reach out, offer something useful. Maybe it's a tip or some industry insights. Don't just try to sell right away.

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