Email marketing for B2B lead generation: 23 strategies to win more business

B2B email marketing isn’t just “relevant” for lead generation – it’s dominating. So much so, our research reveals that 86% of marketers say it delivers good to excellent ROI. So why are so many campaigns still falling flat?

It’s because email marketing is both an art and a science. Getting it right takes skill, careful planning, and a healthy dose of discipline. Generating leads via email doesn’t just mean catchy subject lines and sign-offs…it means crafting exceptional campaigns that speak directly to the needs and wants of your target customers.

If you get it wrong, you’ll have off-target open rates, low engagement levels, and fewer hot leads in your pipeline.

Luckily for you, we know a thing or two about boosting B2B lead generation with email marketing. As a B2B email marketing agency with 101,538,174 (and counting) outreach messages under its belt, we’re the experts when it comes to knowing what resonates with audiences and what doesn’t.

Get ready for expert tips on how to ace your email marketing activities, advice on how to avoid common mistakes, and proven strategies for leveraging email as a lead generation channel for your business.

Why does your email marketing B2B lead generation need to be word-perfect?

When it comes to lead generation, email isn’t just efficient – it’s essential. No other channel gives you the same mix of personalisation, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.

Here’s why email should be the beating heart of your B2B outreach strategy:

• It speaks directly to your audience → Personalised emails let you cut through the noise with tailored messaging that addresses real business needs, not vague assumptions.
• You can prove what’s working → Email platforms offer detailed tracking and analytics, so you’re never guessing. Test, tweak, optimise – and do more of what actually moves the needle.
• It’s what buyers want → A massive 73% of B2B decision-makers prefer sellers to contact them via email. If you’re not showing up in their inbox, you’re missing the conversation…and your competition is zeroing in.
• Precision targeting is built in → Segment by industry, job role, behaviour – whatever makes sense for your goals. The sharper the targeting, the stronger the results.
• It won’t blow your budget → Email gets you in front of high-value prospects without the sky-high price tags of ads or trade shows. It’s great for ROI and even better for growth.
• It scales with you → Whether you’re sending 50 emails or 5,000, smart automation keeps things efficient – without losing the human touch.

Email lead generation best practices: 13 essential tips to help you design the best B2B campaigns

1. Refine your targeting

   Don’t even think about building an email list until you understand who you’re trying to reach. Seriously, your strategy won’t go far if this is your approach.

   Understanding your ideal customers is the first step to success. This includes information about industry, company size, and location. Once you’ve built your customer profiles, you can better understand how to target them by creating B2B buyer personas.

   Need a hand? Read our guide on ideal customer profiles and buyer personas for more information.

   Once you have these two in place, you can map your market to determine the potential customers you can reach.

2. Make opt-ins and unsubscribes effortless

   Inbound sign-ups to email newsletters help pad out your marketing list with potential leads who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer, but it’s essential to make your sign-up forms as simple as possible.

   If you’re asking for too much upfront – job title, company name, revenue, shoe size, and great-grandmother’s maiden name – you’re losing people before they start. Keep it simple: name and email. Maybe one extra field if it’s really necessary.

   The goal is to make it feel easy, not transactional. Contextual placement, whether it’s on a blog, after a webinar, or in gated content, helps drive action without forcing it.

3. Gather (and clean) your data

   You can refine targeting and perfect your messaging – but if your emails land in spam, none of it matters.

   The fix? Build a list the right way. Combine inbound and outbound strategies to create a healthy pipeline of warm, relevant prospects. Think content downloads, webinar signups, and newsletter opt-ins. These are signals of genuine interest – and they make your outreach land better, literally and figuratively.

   Tempted to buy data? Think twice. It might seem like a shortcut, but it can tank your deliverability, erode trust, and raise compliance risks. A good list takes time – but it pays off in opens, replies, and results.

4. Improve your technical setup

   Even the best email campaign in the world can fall flat on its face if your tech isn’t up to the job. Get things water-tight by:

   • Warming up your sending domain
   • Authenticating it with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
   • Checking your sender score
   • And always, always validating your email list before pressing send

   A clean, compliant, and technically sound setup isn’t optional – it’s essential if you want to land in inboxes (not spam folders).

   To dig into the details more, read our complete guide to email deliverability.

5. Automate your emails like a human

   Let’s cut to the chase. 95% of your target audience is not ready to buy at any given time – they’re tied into a contract, don’t have the budget, or are happy with their current supplier. So, some form of marketing automation will be required to keep your brand name in the back of their minds when they are ready to engage.

   Use it to send well-timed, relevant messages triggered by intent data – like content downloads, pricing page visits, or re-engagement after inactivity. Layer in lead scoring, too, so you know who’s ready for sales and who still needs nurturing.

   The key to success with automation, though, is making sure it scales your strategy rather than stripping it of all personality. Use it to go bigger, not blander.

6. Segment your audiences

   The old “send to all” strategy just doesn’t cut it anymore. To see results, you need to split your audience into sections and cater to each group’s needs with laser precision.

   Divide your audience by industry, seniority, funnel stage, company size – whatever matters most. Then tailor your message for each group so it feels genuine and relevant, not a recycled hand-me-down.

   Market segmentation isn’t about ticking boxes – it’s about making every email more impactful. Think of it like tailoring a suit…the better the fit, the better the first impression you make.

7. Ramp up the personalisation

   This means going beyond “Hi [First Name]”.

   Hyper-personalisation helps companies like yours stand out from the competition. Don’t believe us? Data from our latest State of Prospecting report reflects this.

   An incredible 29% of businesses say buyers now expect vendors to offer more personalised experiences throughout the sales process – tailoring subject lines in emails, addressing prospects by name, and referencing previous interactions to boost credibility.

   Surface-level suck-ups have no place in the lead gen emails of today.

   Check out our in-depth guide to personalisation in cold emails to make sure you’re leaving no stone unturned.

8. Make emails mobile-friendly

   Think mobile optimisation is just a B2C concern? Think again. Smart Insights reports that 80% of B2B buyers use a mobile for work, which makes sense since we all spend so much of our time commuting and need to catch up on email while on the train.

   There are two ways to make email lead generation campaigns mobile-friendly:

   • Optimising HTML emails (consider things like your pre-header text, images, videos, attachments, device detection, and button design and placement).
   • Going back to basics and just sending plain text emails.

9. Send multiple emails

   Generating B2B leads from email campaigns is more complex than firing off one well-written message and waiting for the big bucks to roll in.

   77% of our responses come from chaser emails. Sometimes, people need time to think or a little nudge to remind them.

   Plan three to five follow-up emails into each campaign sequence that add value, address objections, or offer a new angle. However, don’t fall into the trap of spamming inboxes with so many messages that you start to irritate your audience.

10. Consider what happens beyond email

    Email is a solid starting point for your lead generation efforts, but don’t assume your buyers live in their inboxes 24/7.

    Our report shows that more companies are using more than one channel for their outreach, and it’s being received well. B2B buyers now say they’re happy to be contacted on an average of 2.8 channels, which has increased 22% from the previous year.

    Act on this intel by layering LinkedIn touchpoints, remarketing ads, direct mail, and more to reinforce your lead gen messages across platforms. Consistency builds familiarity, and familiarity builds trust. Trust us.

    For more lead generation statistics, read our full guide.

11. Sending at the right time

    You want to send your lead generation emails when your target audience is actually listening.

    How do you know when the time is right? Buyer intent data.

    Use this to surface leads when they’re most engaged, such as after they’ve visited your pricing pages, downloaded a whitepaper, or returned to your site’s service landing pages.

    Intent data can also help you elevate your targeting, personalisation, and content, improving customer journeys and success rates as you nurture leads through the funnel.

    Top tip: At Sopro, we use advanced IP matching to re-engage anonymous website visitors demonstrating high levels of intent. It’s tech that monitors who’s interested and keeps them moving towards conversion by saying just what they need to hear.

12. Monitor results

    Marketing, in general, and email marketing, is nothing without results. And we’re not just saying that: we publish the results of all our client campaigns (anonymised, of course) for full transparency.

    Closely monitoring results allows you to prove and improve the return on investment by proactively flagging opportunities to test and learn.

    Here are some of the metrics you need to keep an eye on:

    • Deliverability rate
    • Response rate
    • Click-through rate
    • Lead rate
    • Unsubscribe rate
    • Bounce rate
    • Number of leads
    • Number of leads qualified
    • Number of closed deals
    • Lead to close rate

    See every email you send and every campaign you launch as a chance to get smarter.

13. Connect your email with your CRM

    If your CRM and email platform aren’t talking, you’re flying blind.

    Sync them to ensure every lead, touchpoint, and conversation lives in one place. That way, sales can jump in at the right moment – and marketing can prove its value in closed deals, not just click-throughs.

    When everything’s connected, your campaigns run smoother, your reporting gets clearer, and your pipeline gets healthier. It’s a win-win for everyone involved. 

10 advanced B2B email lead generation techniques

Okay, so you’ve got the basics on lock and are ready to take things up a notch. What’s next? Now it’s time to think outside the box to maximise your email lead generation strategy.

1. Optimise your website for conversions

   It’s tough enough to get prospects to open and read your email, let alone click through to your website. So, if they give you a click, don’t lose them with a landing page that isn’t optimised for their journey.

   Prospects will judge your business based on how your website looks and works, so a slick design, relevant content, and secure features give off a trustworthy vibe. That way, prospects are more likely to connect with your brand.

   Better engagement brings higher conversions, meaning you’ll make the most of the traffic you bring in. Here are 11 ways to optimise your website for lead generation campaigns.

2. Up your content game to align with buyer journeys

   We know buyers like to do their own research, so it’s crucial to provide them with the right content to help them make a decision (ideally the one where they choose your solution). This means giving them useful stuff like interactive tools, detailed guides, or explainers.

   A successful content marketing strategy involves matching the content to each sales funnel stage. This way, prospects get what they need at the perfect time.

   60% of B2B content is never used. Get sales and marketing teams working together to audit your existing content and assess whether new content adds value.

3. Leverage LinkedIn to warm up your prospects

   Prospecting on LinkedIn is not about bombarding people with sales pitches right after connecting. Prospecting is a “hello”, warming up your audience so that you’re on their minds when they’re ready to buy.

   LinkedIn is like the backup singer to your outreach emails. Take a gentler approach by sending a connection request, but also show interest in their posts or add to discussions in groups they’re part of. This way, you build awareness for your business and make a lasting impression.

4. Monitor your web traffic

   Don’t just send an email to someone and hope for the best. Stay in touch with them as they continue their journey. Monitoring when leads look at your website will give you an edge over your competitors. After all, tracked and nurtured leads make purchases almost 47% larger than those who aren’t.

   Dropping a quick supplementary note to say something like, “Hey, I saw you were browsing our pricing page. Is there anything about our plans I can clarify for you?” will help you convert leads into sales.

5. Try sending a gift

   Gifts are a love language, right? And in the world of business, they help create genuine connections, open doors, and spark conversations with potential buyers.

   Try adding small gifts to your email campaigns (like a coffee voucher or box of cupcakes), and your prospects might just return the favour with an hour of their time for a product demo or sales call. That’s the magic of gifting!

   It’s not just hearsay, though. We tried strategic gifting in our own prospecting campaigns and saw a 20% increase in leads. It’s a small investment that goes a long way in kickstarting conversations and making connections.

   Take a closer look at our B2B gifting services to see how they could improve your sales pipeline.

6. Pick up the phone

   We’re not big on cold calling. But if a lead is active – opening emails, clicking links, visiting your site – a timely, relevant call can push the deal forward.

   This is when cold calling becomes warm calling.

   Let’s say you’ve sent a couple of emails that you know have been opened and read. You also know they’ve redeemed a gift and looked at your homepage, product tour, and pricing page. But they haven’t emailed back to progress the conversation.

   They are clearly showing interest and intent. Maybe they have some questions you can answer, and your call will be just the nudge they need.

7. Use email for full-funnel impact

   Email isn’t just a top-of-funnel tool. When used right, it can nudge prospects all the way from awareness to action to advocacy.

   The key is mapping your campaigns to funnel stages:

   • Top-of-the-funnel: Share educational content and thought leadership.
   • Middle-of-the-funnel: Handle objections, share case studies, and build trust.
   • Bottom-of-the-funnel: Add urgency, offer demos, and showcase proof of ROI.

   This extra layer of strategy helps you combine lead generation and lead nurturing to maximise the revenue possibilities of your efforts.

   Want to learn more full-funnel campaigns? Read our expert’s full guide on sales funnels.

8. Bridge the infamous sales and marketing gap

   Ahh, the age-old issue of sales and marketing alignment. It’s something that’s plagued even the best B2B and B2C business for decades.

   The cold, hard truth, though, is that great email marketing campaigns don’t end with clicks…they pass warm leads to sales teams to enable then close deals.

   Marketing and sales professionals need to work together to:

   • Define lead qualification and lead scoring criteria
   • Share reply insights in real time, using your CRM for help
   • Automate opportunity handovers to sales development representatives (SDRs) or account managers (AMs)

   Yes, marketing fuels the funnel, but it’s sales that closes the deal and ensures money lands in the bank. Better cross-functional alignment means faster follow-ups and higher close rates…boosting your overall ROI from email lead gen.

9. Scale smarter to protect deliverability

   Scaling up your outbound efforts? Great – but don’t let volume wreck your domain reputation and deliverability.

   Here are our expert’s tips on how to grow safely:

   • Use multiple domains and subdomains and rotate senders
   • Gradually increase volume (domain warm-up matters!)
   • Monitor bounce rates and spam complaints regularly

   High-volume outbound shouldn’t mean high-risk, it just means setting up your infrastructure to grow sustainably.

10. Use email to accelerate your ABP (account-based prospecting)

    Account-based prospecting (ABP) demands precision – and email delivers it. Unlike mass campaigns, ABP is all about reaching key decision-makers with messages tailored to the specific needs of their organisation.

    We need to go waaaaaay beyond just addressing recipients by name, though. Here are some best practices to make email work for ABP:

    • Build account-specific narratives that use bespoke storylines capable of speaking directly to the strategic priorities and frustrations of your target company.
    • Tailor your email copy by persona rather than sending the same outreach to everyone at a company. Think about it: someone in procurement will need different messaging to a CEO or CMO.
    • Coordinate your emails with other ABP touchpoints (LinkedIn ads, direct mail, warm calling, etc.) to ensure your messaging is totally cohesive across all channels.

Common mistakes to avoid in B2B email marketing

So, we’ve imparted 23 nuggets of wisdom that can help you take your B2B email lead generation to new heights, but here are a few quick-fire things to avoid. These common mistakes can ruin your email marketing efforts, so it’s a good idea to put your current strategy under the microscope to see if you’re guilty of any of these things.

1. Overwhelming content: Lengthy, convoluted emails can be overwhelming and easily disregarded. Instead, try to prioritise conciseness that can easily be scanned and presents valuable information accessibly.
2. Poor targeting: If your content doesn’t resonate with email subscribers, they’re likely to leave your mailing lists. So, you need to make sure your target audience is refined and segmented based on data.
3. Misleading subject lines: Clickbait and irrelevant subject lines that don’t match an email’s content are a big turn-off. Make sure your subject lines accurately reflect the content of the emails.
4. Lack of personalisation: Addressing the recipient by their name is only the tip of the iceberg. Proper personalisation means tailoring content to subscribers’ needs and behaviours.
5. Ignoring feedback: Remarkably, sending campaigns from a ‘do not reply’ email address puts people off getting in touch. This stops you from receiving customer testimonials, key feedback, and engagement.
6. Not optimising for mobile: How many emails do you read on your phone? It’s probably a lot. Not optimising for mobile means excluding a large percentage of your audience, so make sure your campaigns look exceptional regardless of how they’re viewed.

Watch your sales grow with Sopro

Email marketing for B2B lead generation is far from dead. But it has evolved. If your strategy is stuck in “spray and pray” mode, now’s the time to upgrade.

Sopro is an award-winning B2B lead generation agency with specialist teams providing email marketing services for growth-hungry businesses.

Want help building campaigns that deliver results? Book a demo or use our free Email Spam Checker to see how your lead gen emails stack up.