Stand Out with Better B2B Lead Generation in Germany
Expanding your tech company to Europe, specifically Germany, offers a plethora of opportunities for growth and market penetration. If you’re looking to stand out while navigating the German B2B landscape, you’ll need a tailored approach to lead generation. In this guide, we'll explore key strategies and considerations with Andreas Spousta, our German country lead at Sales Force Europe, to help you learn how to effectively attract customers in Germany.
Germany is the largest economy in Europe and fourth largest economy in the world, renowned for its technological advancements and robust business environment. Because of this, they possess a robust financial base and a readiness to collaborate with global partners, making the market highly attractive for B2B lead generation. In the face of an impending economic downturn, the nation has exhibited notable resilience. Before diving into lead generation strategies, it's crucial to understand the German business culture and market dynamics.
The first step to standing out with better B2B lead generation in Germany is to identify key sectors and to understand the sectors that align with your tech offering. Germany has a strong presence in industries like manufacturing, automotive, and finance. When localizing your offering, you should tailor your product or service to meet the specific needs of the German market. Here’s some things to consider:
To fully understand the German speaking market, it is essential to gather relevant consumer and market data. This information can be obtained through research reports, surveys, and interviews with your prospective consumers, or by partnering with local entities that have a pre-existing market presence. Conducting such research enables you to discern which messages resonate most effectively with your target market, facilitating a more impactful lead generation strategy for your brand.
Germany is renowned for its allegiance to proof of quality over a cheaper but less reliable product. While considerations such as features and pricing remain important, they likely won’t be the sole drivers of the sales cycle. It's crucial to allocate resources for a more extended period from the acquisition of a sales lead to the finalization of a deal or the establishment of a new partnership.
One favorable outcome of cultivating trust is its correlation with loyalty. A comparison between the conventional customer churn rates in the United States and Germany often supports the need for a prolonged sales cycle. Personal selling is what works in this region, and it's likely they won't settle for less.
Establishing personal relationships is vital in the German business landscape. Attending industry events, conferences, and networking sessions will help to connect with potential clients and partners. Join and leverage relevant professional networks and organizations to build credibility and trust within the German tech community.
Once you understand your market, you can get going with your lead generation strategies to help you stand out in Germany.
LinkedIn is a powerful platform for B2B lead generation in Germany. Using LinkedIn allows businesses to establish a strong presence by sharing valuable content, engaging in discussions, and connecting with industry professionals.
Any tech company wanting to learn how to effectively attract customers in Germany must also have a presence on Xing, a German professional networking platform which caters to the entire DACH region. With around 19 million members, the platform is widely used across Germany and can help with not only lead generation and networking, but employment too. Create a compelling company profile and actively participate in relevant groups to increase engagement and stand out.
Here are some tips from Monika Erler, Midmarket Sales at SAP Germany on how to generate leads by posting in Xing groups:
It can be highly valuable to identify and collaborate with local influencers or thought leaders in your industry. Their endorsement can significantly boost your credibility and attract attention from potential clients. Consider proposing a guest blog post for their platform, sponsoring their tech events, or extending discounts to their customer base in return for brand promotion. These collaborations have the potential to evolve into enduring relationships, laying the groundwork for future joint ventures and other forms of strategic cooperation.
Similarly, forming alliances with German trade associations can be highly impactful. For those focusing on telecommunications, establishing connections with Bitkom and VATM is essential. In the realm of cybersecurity, cultivating relationships with Teletrust and NIFIS is crucial. For SaaS companies targeting medium-sized businesses, being a member of or having a trusted partner in Bitmi represents a strategic advantage.
It may also be sensible to consider sales outsourcing, allowing the expertise of experienced representatives to mitigate the risks and increase lead generation. Throughout the region telcos anticipate establishing enduring connections with in-country sales representatives possessing a keen understanding of internal organizational dynamics. These reps should be adept at pinpointing the various stakeholders and decision-makers involved. This holds true for connected devices and IoT, where channel sales partnerships are essential.
Craft personalized and targeted email campaigns for your German audience. Highlight the value proposition of your tech solution and provide case studies or success stories to build credibility. As mentioned, the German market favors trust and loyalty. The content you create should be accessible to the German-speaking market and must address the pain points and challenges of your target audience. It’s unlikely your potential leads are going to leave their contact details for basic information, so you’ll need to really push to ensure your content is unique, valuable and tailored to the market. Though this style of marketing takes time, it builds trust and facilitates better communication with potential leads – aggressive advertising simply isn’t going to cut it here.
SEO is also key. You should optimize your website and content for German search engines, ensuring that your company ranks high in relevant searches. Google is the search engine of choice across the entire DACH region, so it's fine to focus your SEO efforts here.
Websites in the German-speaking market often come with a high level of sophistication, and a German counterpart will likely be inclined to examine the seller's website as a means of gauging the legitimacy of an offer before progressing to further discussions. Over-reliance on extravagant storytelling, laden with generic visuals or buzzwords are best steered clear of in this context. Germany already boasts a robust tech market so to flourish within it requires showcasing proven use cases and satisfied customers is imperative. If your testimonials originate from outside the DACH region, it's crucial to localize them into German. Given the renowned business acumen and efficiency of German speakers, it's paramount to incorporate directness and clear benefits across all messaging. Additionally, infuse metrics, including percentage gains, into your marketing strategies for added impact.
Expanding your business to Germany requires a strategic and localized approach to B2B lead generation. Broadly viewed as a discerning market, both businesses and consumers in Germany are well-versed in product quality standards. Success in this market requires comprehensive support for selling propositions, articulate writing, and adept use of professional communication tools.
Understanding the unique business culture, adapting your offerings to local needs, and leveraging effective marketing strategies will position your company for success in the dynamic German market. By investing time and effort in building relationships and implementing targeted lead generation tactics, your tech company can thrive and establish a strong foothold in one of Europe's most influential economies. Get in touch today and find out how we can help you with your lead generation and sales strategies.
