Struggling with B2B Lead-Gen? 6 Modern Ways to Amplify Outcomes

Email remains a top B2B communication channel, with 73% of buyers preferring it. Yet, email-only campaigns are generating 30% fewer leads year over year. Why? Increased competition, evolving buyer behavior, and the demand for more personalized, data-driven engagement.

At OMI, we know from years of experience that email is powerful—but it works best as part of a broader strategy. Here are six modern approaches we use with our Fortune 2000 clients to boost lead-gen outcomes using email and other channels.

1. AI- and Intent-Driven Personalization

AI is reshaping how marketers engage audiences. Tools like Marketo Engage and HubSpot’s Smart Content dynamically adjust messaging based on real-time buyer behavior. How this boosts lead-gen:

• AI-driven analytics let you understand how visitors engage with your content.
• Personalizing your messaging dynamically—based on real-time behaviors—can make your content timelier and more relevant.
• With GenAI, you can perform email personalization at incredible scale, tailoring subject lines, CTAs, and content for each prospect.

At OMI, for example, we blend machine learning with our Living File® B2B contact database, automating personalization at scale to ensure our clients’ messages reach and align with the interests of the right buyers. The database includes 145M+ verified decision-maker contacts with manager-, director-, and professional-level and above titles, along with email/HEM, social URL, and other attributes.

Intent data offers another way for our team to take lead gen to the next level. Digital intent signals show a prospect’s online behavior, such as their interests or intent to buy. Using intent insights in combination with machine learning, AI-driven analytics, and our B2B database, we are able to deliver even more personalized and timely messages. We’ve found this approach to be successful for engaging warm leads using CTV and programmatic advertising, email marketing, social media, and other channels.

2. Multi-Channel Retargeting for Higher Conversions

Email alone isn’t enough. Smart marketers use omni-channel retargeting to reinforce their message. For example, you can:

• Trigger programmatic ads for prospects who engaged with your emails.
• Retarget email non-openers with ads on social and digital platforms.
• Create cross-channel journeys that move leads through the funnel efficiently.

Why it matters: Studies show that multi-channel retargeting can boost conversions by 70% compared to single-channel efforts. In addition, research and real-time analytics demonstrate that it takes 12 – 15 touch points before a prospect will engage with a marketing message.

It’s clear that more channels and more touchpoints give you more opportunities to achieve meaningful engagement, and ultimately conversions, and that’s why our team often proposes combining email with  programmatic ads for maximum impact.

3. The Competitive Advantage of High-Quality B2B Data

Lead-gen is only as strong as the data behind it. Bad data = wasted spend, poor targeting, and missed opportunities. New research shows that B2B email lists, whether for customers or prospects, decay at 28% per year—faster than ever. Yet reaching the right contacts with your data is essential to lead-gen success. The key is to keep your database current and clean and work with the right data partners.

At OMI, we’ve built a reputation for high-quality third-party B2B data. We continuously update our Living File® database and it always reflects the changing business environment, such as shifts in remote work, up-to-date social profile data, and more. We specialize in building custom data sets that empower clients to execute highly targeted omni-channel marketing campaigns for email acquisition, media activation, CTV advertising, direct mail, outbound telemarketing, and other channels.

Pro Tip: Always verify data accuracy, validity, and freshness before investing in third-party lists. OMI guarantees 95% email validity, ensuring optimum outcomes.

4. Build a More Complete Prospect Profile

To improve targeting, personalization, and engagement, turn to B2B2C matching, a technique we’ve pioneered at OMI to allow our clients to gain a more complete view of their prospects. Our approach involves matching our award-winning B2B contact data to consumer data attributes found on theTradeDesk® and the top social platforms. The combined B2B2C data, which can be delivered to your demand-side platform of choice to fuel your lead-gen campaigns, blends personal and professional attributes that enable you to engage prospects more effectively at work and home, on the channels they use the most.

5. Elevate Audience Engagement with Episodic Thought Leadership Content

Instead of isolated messages, many B2B brands are thinking like media companies—delivering engaging thought leadership content in an episodic format across emails, blogs, videos, ads, podcasts, social media, and more. This approach works by:

• Boosting engagement and retention: A series of messages that tell a story over time keeps audiences coming back for more.
• Strengthening brand authority: Thought leadership positions you as a trusted industry voice.
• Driving organic reach: Fresh content improves SEO and discoverability.

Pro Tip: Decision-makers actively seek thought leadership—75% of C-suite leaders say it has led them to consider products they hadn’t before, according to Edelman.

6. Final Thoughts: Trust & Influence

Trust in traditional marketing is changing. According to Edelman, B2B leaders are now turning to trusted influencers, communities, and digital creators to inform their buying decisions “in a manner that reflects the social-first nature of modern buying groups.” Edelman says now is the time to consider augmenting your content and lead-gen strategy by forming partnerships with these external experts to open up opportunities with high-value buyers outside of your existing sphere of influence.

Check out our recent blog on the rise of B2B micro-influencers. Adopting this fast-growing strategy early can give you a competitive edge.

Need help leveling up your lead-gen? Our team at OMI specializes in B2B customer acquisition, custom audience building, performance media and marketing, omni-channel campaigns, B2B2C matching, and more. Contact us at request@outwardmedia.com to explore how we can elevate your lead-gen results.