IaaS Lead Generation Best Practices (Infrastructure as a Service Lead Gen)

Joshua Feinberg discusses best practices for lead generation in the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) industry.

He emphasizes the importance of defining a lead and understanding the buyer's journey, which includes awareness, consideration, and decision stages.

Feinberg highlights that lead generation should involve multiple touchpoints, ideally all 28 between a stranger and a purchase, and not rely solely on event marketing.

He advises repositioning sales teams to provide value and expertise, making them indispensable consultants rather than just vendors.

The goal is to maintain consistent engagement, convert leads, and nurture them through the buyer's journey, ultimately aiming for sales opportunities.

This video is excerpted from the podcast Ep. #49 Joshua Feinberg, CEO of DCSMI | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast.

Action Items

Define what a "lead" is for the company and align internal and external stakeholders on this definition.
Develop a strategy to engage with prospects across multiple touchpoints throughout their buyer's journey, rather than relying solely on field marketing and events.
Reposition the sales and client-facing teams as trusted advisors and subject matter experts, rather than just vendors.
Implement a buyer-centric approach focusing on providing value to prospects throughout their research and decision-making process.

Outline

Defining IaaS and Business Model Clarity

Joshua Feinberg explains the overlap and synonyms in the data center industry, mentioning terms like digital infrastructure and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
He emphasizes the importance of defining one's business model and suggests that established companies should already know their strengths and unique selling propositions.
Joshua highlights the role of a chief product officer or a product management team in understanding client needs and improving business offerings.
The discussion shifts to lead generation best practices, with Joshua noting that many companies are unclear about what constitutes a lead.

Understanding Lead Generation and the Buyer's Journey

Joshua defines a lead as a known contact showing potential interest but not significant engagement.
He outlines the typical buyer's journey: awareness, consideration, and decision stages, explaining how prospects move from being unaware of their needs to actively seeking solutions.
Joshua stresses the importance of intercepting potential clients early in the consideration stage to influence their decision-making process.
He mentions the high number of touchpoints between a stranger and a purchase decision, often cited as 28, and the challenge of maintaining engagement throughout this journey.

Challenges in Lead Generation and Event Marketing

Joshua criticizes the common belief that field marketing and event marketing are the most effective forms of lead generation, arguing that they only count as one touchpoint among many.
He explains that prospects will continue engaging in various online activities even after attending events, which should also be part of the lead generation strategy.
Joshua emphasizes the need to appear in the context of prospects actively seeking information rather than relying solely on event interactions.
He suggests repositioning the sales team to provide value and expertise, making them seen as trusted advisors rather than just vendors.

Repositioning the Sales Team and Providing Value

Joshua advocates for a complete makeover of the sales team, rebranding them as elite consulting entities similar to top consulting firms like PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, and EY.
He explains that this repositioning aims to provide world-class experiences that address clients' biggest goals and challenges, making them eager to engage with the sales team.
Joshua warns against needlessly nagging prospects with cold emails, LinkedIn messages, or cold calls, suggesting that the goal should be value-driven engagement.
He outlines the stages of lead generation: from anonymous stranger to known lead, and then through various stages of qualification and opportunity.

Buyer-Centric Lead Generation and Consultative Approach

Joshua emphasizes the importance of being buyer-centric rather than seller-centric in lead generation, focusing on where prospects are in their journey.
He explains the need to provide prospects with enormous value, which will motivate them to interact with the sales team rather than the other way around.
Joshua describes the consultative approach, where prospects receive exceptional value from interactions with the sales team, on-demand resources, and events.
He reiterates the importance of being present where prospects are and providing value at every touchpoint to drive successful lead generation and sales opportunities.

Resources

Watch the full podcast Ep. #49 Joshua Feinberg, CEO of DCSMI | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast

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