Are you meeting your market's 6 'lead needs'?
A lack of leads usually comes from not satisfying 1 or more of your market's 6 essential lead needs.
When companies say they need more ‘growth’ - they mean more ‘paying clients’.
More paying clients means they need more sales, fast.
More sales (fast) means more high quality leads being generating.
So whenever I hear “we need more growth this year” - it usually means they need more (and better) lead generation.
And whilst I’m the first to say that sustainable lead gen is not a simple task (rather a comprehensive strategy) - I do believe it boils down to satisfying a market’s 6 essential “lead needs”.
After auditing 200+ B2B startups, I’ve noticed that a lack of leads tends to stem from ignoring 1 or more of these needs.
Essentially, your market needs:
To be AWARE you exist.
To CLEARLY understand what you do.
To have the PROBLEM you solve.
To TRUST you can solve it.
To have (some) UGENCY to solve it.
To have a simple first step to experience your product (i.e. your LEEP).
When even just 1 of needs aren’t satisfied enough, your market can stay at a stand still.
So let’s break them down…
1. Be AWARE You Exist
If people don’t know you exist - all else is futile.
You may have the best landing page, trial, product and all the value on the planet - but unless you put it in front of enough people - nothing else matters.
This is what most people think marketing is - running ads, events, websites, SEO - i.e. get in front of people’s faces.
But awareness is more than "being seen" - it’s about showing up in the spaces your ideal buyers frequent so they remember you.
Takeaway: Focus on channels where your audience already congregates. Whether it’s LinkedIn communities, influencers, or industry-specific events - try to get in front of them with the least amount of effort. Sticking to 1 channel and working hard to perfect your presence on it is usually the most effective tactic.
Example: Instead of a HR software using generic paid Facebook ads, they could partner with industry thought leaders in this space to promote you, or you could collab with them on helpful content to jointly share. Your audience are already looking at these people, so just join them (constructively). (This will also helps build trust).
Whilst it’s the critical first step, it’s also unfortunately where a lot of people stop - which can result in little to no results.
2. CLEARLY Understand What You Do
Have you even been asked about a product that you know exists, but have no idea what it does?
This used to happen to me (before I got into this industry) whenever anyone mentioned “Salesforce”…
I’d heard it 100 times but had no idea what it was or who a ‘Salesforce’ was for?
Which meant I didn’t know if or when I needed one, or who it was relevant for.
This need was the marketing trend for 2024 - messaging and positioning…
I.e. Saying what you do, who you do it for, and why they should deeply care.
As CLEARLY, CONCISELY and COMPELLINGLY as possible.
When you can nail a sentence that hits your buyer in the gut and triggers an emotional reaction to find out more - you may have just nailed it.
Clarity eliminates hesitation. Your audience must immediately grasp your value without deciphering jargon or vague language.
Takeaway: Refine your messaging to focus on a single and compelling value point. Avoid the temptation to explain everything. In the first stage, you don’t need to sell everything - you just need to give them 1 reason to engage with you.
Example: Rather than saying, "We optimize workflows for better efficiency," say, "We help B2B SaaS companies reduce their customer onboarding time in half using our simple bulk-data-upload tool" Make it clear, make it tangible.
3. Have the PROBLEM You Solve
Your audience won’t buy medicine for an illness they don’t have.
Sure, they might recognise your product is interesting, but if they aren’t experiencing the pain, it’ll stay on the “nice to have” list (instead of the “must have” list).
E.g. If you help consultants halve the time to write proposals - but some consultants only have 1 service and 1 proposal - they probably don’t have the problem, and thus don’t need your solution.
The important part here is being accurate on your targeting - “are the people we’re chasing actually have the SPECIFIC problem we solve?”.
It may be they haven’t yet experienced this pain, or haven’t really grasped the severity of it yet.
Buyers need to recognise themselves in the problem. They need to say, “omg this is me.” Speak directly to their situation, not in abstract terms.
Takeaway: Surface the pain points in a way that feels personal and specific. Don’t chase broad audiences. Get to know the pattern of buyer who loves you most. Your messaging should use their words to say exactly what they are going through.
Example: Instead of saying, “Inefficient process waste time,” say, “Your team spends 5 hours a week on repetitive billing tasks that can easily be automated - costing your business $25,000 annually and delays to your clients…”
4. TRUST You Can Solve It
Trust is the currency of good leads.
The dream goal for any company is a strong brand that organically brings in heaps of leads. A strong ‘brand’ being - consumer trust.
Without it, no one who is seriously considering a product like yours will take the time to engage with you.
The challenge? Trust takes time to build, especially for early-stage startups without a track record.
So, how do you accelerate trust?
Show social proof: Case studies, testimonials, and user reviews help. When prospects see people like them succeeding with your product, scepticism fades.
Share your expertise: High-value content - guides, webinars, and articles - demonstrates that you know your stuff.
Be transparent: Be honest about what your product can and can’t do. Over-promising is the quickest way to break trust.
Most importantly, trust isn’t built in isolation. It’s a combination of visibility, credibility, and repeated positive interactions across your company.
Takeaway: Use every touchpoint to reinforce your reliability and competence. Build familiarity and reduce perceived risk. If you say you can solve a problem they have - then prove it! Show them how you solve it.
Example: A case study from a reputable brand explaining their specific problem and how this similar type of company saved $50,000 a year in reduced meeting times by using your product. Pair that with a demo (or free trial) that delivers instant value, and you’re well on your way to building trust.
5. Have (some) URGENCY to Solve It
For B2B this is more about timing than anything else.
You can help frame the problem and highlight how much it is costing people but until they deem this a priority to tackle, it may stay in the backlog of their mind.
If you’ve done your research and solve an important enough problem, it should only be a matter of time before it flares up and they ask “we need to do something about this - who should we speak with?".
Ideally that’s you.
This is essentially why marketing in B2B SaaS exists.
It’s not about selling, it’s about being their first choice when they are ready to buy.
Timing is everything. Even when your leads know about you, understand your value, and trust you, they might not act - because solving their problem simply isn’t a priority right now.
Budgets shift, projects get delayed, and focus drifts to other pressing matters. The challenge isn’t just creating urgency - it’s staying relevant for when their time arises.
The best way to stay top of mind? Build a long-term relationship through consistent, helpful content or, even better, by fostering a community where you actively engage with them.
Takeaway: Instead of focusing solely on urgency, focus on being there when urgency arises. Regular, meaningful engagement builds trust and keeps you front of mind. Couple this with proof of the results you getting for others like them and it should drive emotions to follow suit.
Example: If you sell knives, stop tell them how great your knives are. Instead create a YouTube channel about how best to sharpen different types of knives, and tutorials on how to use them. This is helpful, attractive and shows you’re the trusted go-to for this topic. When they have a need for knives - they should think of you!
6. Have a Simple First Step to Experience Your Product (your LEEP)
Curiosity doesn’t equal commitment.
Even when a lead sees value and feels urgency, they might hesitate if the next step feels overwhelming.
If customers are interested in your product, but the first step is a 2 hour scoping workshop with a salesperson - many will likely bow out and not bother.
Some customers will have enough urgency and desire to do what it takes to get your solution - but most won’t. Most will want the easiest solution available.
That’s where your LEEP—Lowest Effort Entry Point—comes in (more on that here).
Your LEEP is a no-brainer, low-risk way for prospects to experience your product. It could be a free trial, a click through video demo, or a proof-of-concept resource that gives lasting value.
The key? Make it ridiculously easy for them to engage.
Guide them to the next, and the next, and the next. Every action should naturally lead to the next stage in their journey with you.
Takeaway: Reduce friction at every stage. Your LEEP should be so simple and valuable that the laziest of prospects take action. With each engagement they will inherently build trust and buy-in to you and your product. Remember - it’s easier to take many tiny steps than 1 big one!
Example: Notion offers preconfigured templates in their free trial for a range of common use cases, so users can see results in minutes without having to set up anything themselves or experience the pain of learning a new tool.
Good, sustainable, high-quality lead gen is never binary or transactional.
Every market and product is different - and there can be many different methods to generating leads in the long run.
There are never any ‘hacks’ or shortcuts.
There is only fundamental market needs that must be met, or they simply won’t both with you.
Give your lead gen strategy an audit to see if/where you may be lacking in your 6 essential lead needs.
Find these gaps, think of some solutions, test them, and see if you can start increasing your amount of quality leads!
If you’d like an audit of your 6 essential lead needs, click here to book a 30min chat and I’d be happy to show you my process.
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