B2B Lead generation tools that will save your sanity in 2024

A lead generation tool is a platform or software designed to help businesses identify, capture, and nurture leads or potential customers. It often employs various strategies, such as email marketing, landing pages, pop-ups, and data enrichment. Add your lead gen tools strategically where they’ll attract and engage prospects and convert them into sales opportunities.

B2B lead generation tools and platforms are plentiful. For busy marketers, the prospect of sifting through features, benefits, and prices while deciding if they’re a good fit, can all feel a bit much – resulting in choice overload.

We’ve pulled together some of the best B2B lead generation tools and software in 2023. Let’s jump in.

Not only will these specialist tools and platforms streamline inbound lead generation, – they can also automate repetitive tasks (hooray!). They also give access to pretty insightful data. See them as your strategy sat nav – making things easier (and more enjoyable!) by steering you to your final destination in the most efficient way possible. Businesses can now increase their sales pipeline by generating a consistent flow of high-intent leads, increasing their chances of converting them into paying customers – without the overtime, guesswork, or U-turns.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of the forerunning lead gen tools available.

What is it?
An all-in-one inbound marketing and sales platform.

Pros
All-in-one platform. HubSpot integrates various tools and features, including lead capture forms, landing pages, email marketing, marketing automation, and CRM. This streamlines your lead generation process and allows for smooth data flow between marketing and sales teams.

Lead nurturing automation. HubSpot’s marketing automation capabilities enable you to set up personalized lead nurturing workflows. This means you can send targeted and relevant content to leads based on their behavior and interactions, helping to build stronger relationships and move leads through the sales funnel.

Lead scoring. HubSpot allows you to implement lead-scoring models that prioritize and identify your most promising leads. By assigning scores based on lead behavior and demographics, your sales team can focus their efforts on leads with the highest potential for conversion.

CRM integration. HubSpot’s CRM system is tightly integrated with its marketing and sales tools. This means all lead information, interactions, and communications are stored in one centralized location, providing a holistic view of each lead’s journey.

Analytics and reporting. Get detailed analytics and reporting on various lead generation metrics, such as website traffic, conversion rates, email performance, and more. This data-led approach allows you to optimize your lead-generation strategies based on real-time insights.

Personalization. Create personalized experiences for your leads by using data from HubSpot’s CRM and marketing automation. This personalization helps to improve engagement and conversion rates.

User-friendly interface. HubSpot is known for its user-friendly interface, making it accessible to both marketing and sales teams without requiring extensive technical knowledge.

Content management. Their content management system (CMS) allows you to create and manage content easily. This flexibility ensures your website is optimized for lead generation and offers a seamless user experience.

Integration with third-party tools. HubSpot integrates with a wide range of third-party tools and platforms, allowing you to enhance your lead-generation efforts with additional functionality and data.

Training and support. Robust training resources and customer support ensure you get the most out of the platform and overcome any challenges in your lead-generation endeavors.

Cons
Complexity for small businesses. The extensive features and capabilities they offer can be overwhelming for smaller businesses or those with limited marketing resources. The learning curve for implementing and fully utilizing the platform may be steeper for less-experienced teams.

Data ownership and migration. Businesses should carefully consider data ownership and migration concerns before committing to HubSpot. If you decide to switch platforms in the future, data migration might pose challenges such as data loss or transfer difficulties.

Reliance on inbound strategies. If your lead generation strategy predominantly relies on outbound or other marketing approaches, HubSpot’s strengths in inbound marketing may not be fully utilized.

Overcomplication for simple campaigns. For businesses whose lead generation efforts involve relatively straightforward campaigns, HubSpot’s comprehensive feature set might be more than they need, leading to unnecessary complexity.

Resource requirements. To maximize the benefits of HubSpot, businesses need dedicated resources for implementation, ongoing management, and content creation. For smaller businesses, this resource requirement can be a challenge.

Dependence on the HubSpot ecosystem. HubSpot-heavy businesses become dependent on the platform’s ecosystem. Shifting away from HubSpot in the future might require additional effort and costs due to integration dependencies.

Integration challenges. While HubSpot offers integration with many third-party tools, some integrations are not available or may need additional development efforts to add to your tech stack.

Limited customer support on its free plan. However, users of the free version have access to the online knowledge base and HubSpot community.

HubSpot branding on certain free features e.g. blog and live chat. (Understandable with a free tool however!)

Free trial available
Pricing details

What is it?
Leadfeeder ‘turns pageviews into pipeline’ by identifying the companies already visiting your website and converting them into high-value leads.

Pros
Visitor identification. Leadfeeder tracks and identifies website visitors, revealing which companies are interested in your products or services. This info allows you to focus on high-potential leads.

Integration and lead nurturing. Seamless integration with CRM systems and marketing tools streamlines lead management, enabling efficient lead nurturing and collaboration between sales and marketing teams.

Real-time notifications. Provides real-time alerts when key leads visit your website so you can catch them quickly to increase the chances of conversion.

Cons
Limited individual contact data. While Leadfeeder identifies companies visiting your website, it may provide limited individual contact data for specific leads, which can hinder personalized outreach efforts.

Dependence on website traffic. Leadfeeder’s effectiveness relies on website traffic. If your website doesn’t receive substantial traffic, it may not capture enough leads to justify the investment.

Additional integration costs. Although Leadfeeder integrates with various CRM and marketing tools, some integrations might require additional costs or development work, increasing the expense of the platform.

Free forever version
Pricing details

What is it?
Intercom is a customer messaging platform that allows businesses to convert website visitors into leads through targeted messaging and chatbots.

Pros
Real-time engagement. Intercom allows businesses to engage with website visitors in real-time through live chat, automated messages, and chatbots, increasing the chances of capturing leads.

Personalized conversations. The platform offers personalized messaging based on user behavior and attributes, enabling businesses to tailor their communication and lead nurturing efforts.

Lead qualification and segmentation. Intercom’s features help qualify leads based on their interactions and behavior allowing businesses to segment leads effectively and prioritize high-potential prospects for targeted follow-up.

Cons
Integration complexity. While Intercom offers various integrations, setting up and managing these integrations may require technical expertise. This can be an issue for teams with limited technical resources.

Website dependency. Intercom’s effectiveness relies on website traffic and interactions., If your website has low traffic or poor engagement, it may result in limited lead gen opportunities.

14-day free trial available
Pricing details

What is it?
Clearbit offers enrichment and data intelligence services to help B2B marketers identify and understand potential leads better.

Pros
Data enrichment. Clearbit’s data enrichment capabilities allow businesses to get comprehensive and accurate information about their leads, including company details, job titles, and social media profiles. Records are automatically refreshed as soon as a change is detected.

Lead segmentation. Clearbit’s data can be used to segment leads effectively, enabling businesses to target specific audiences with personalized messaging and content.

Sales and marketing alignment. By providing valuable insights into lead characteristics and behaviors, Clearbit helps align sales and marketing teams. This alignment results in better collaboration and more targeted lead-generation strategies.

‘First AI native data provider’. This helps users to enrich their records, reveal buying intent, and connect with ideal customers. Constant improvements are made to its offering, powered by machine learning and highly-trained QA.

Cons
Dependency on external data sources. Clearbit’s services depend on external data sources to enrich customer information. If these data sources experience issues or are unavailable, it may affect the reliability and timeliness of data enrichment.

Integration complexity. Integrating Clearbit’s services into existing workflows or
systems might require some development work or technical expertise. This could be a hurdle for some businesses.

Free account option
Pricing details

What is it?
Unbounce is a landing page builder that enables businesses to create and optimize custom landing pages for lead capture.

Pros
Easy landing page creation. With Unbounce’s user-friendly and intuitive drag-and-drop interface, you can create customized and high-converting landing pages without extensive design or coding skills. You can build landing pages in two ways – Classic Builder (the original drag-and-drop landing page builder with advanced coding and customization options), and Smart Builder (the AI-powered landing page builder with data-backed recommendations that help you build fast). Both options are included with every Unbounce plan.

AI-recommended page improvements in real-time. Use conversion intelligence to apply copy and design insights as you build, so you’re optimized even before you hit “Publish” when using Smart Builder.

Integration with marketing tools. Unbounce integrates with various marketing and CRM platforms, streamlining lead capture and management and facilitating smooth data transfer for more efficient lead nurturing and follow-up processes.

Cons
Limited customization. While Unbounce offers a user-friendly interface for landing page creation, some users may find the level of customization options limiting compared to fully custom-built landing pages.

Dependency on external platforms. Using Unbounce means relying on a third-party platform for hosting and managing landing pages. This dependency might be a concern for businesses that prefer to have more control over their website and landing page infrastructure.

14-day free trial available
Pricing details

What is it?
OptinMonster is a lead generation tool that allows businesses to create and display many types of opt-in forms to convert website visitors into leads.

Pros
Lead capture and opt-in forms. OptinMonster allows businesses to create attractive and customizable lead capture forms, pop-ups, slide-ins, and other opt-in forms that effectively engage website visitors and capture leads.

Exit-intent technology. OptinMonster’s exit-intent technology detects when a visitor is about to leave the website. When this happens, they’re shown a targeted pop-up or offer, giving businesses a last chance to convert potential leads before they leave for good.

Advanced targeting and personalization. The platform offers advanced targeting options so you can personalize offers and messages based on user behavior, demographics, and other criteria. This results in more effective, relevant lead-generation campaigns.

Cons
Learning curve. While OptinMonster provides a range of features, setting up and optimizing campaigns might require a learning curve for marketing automation or conversion optimization newbies.

Website load time. The use of pop-ups and other opt-in forms can sometimes affect website load time, potentially leading to a negative user experience and impacting SEO rankings. Careful implementation and optimization are needed to strike a balance between lead generation and site performance.

OptinMonster offers users a 100% refund if they don’t like it over the first 14 days, no questions asked.

Pricing details

What is it?
Drift is a conversational marketing platform with chatbots and live chat capabilities to engage and qualify leads in real-time.

Pros
Real-time engagement. Drift’s live chat and chatbot enable real-time engagement with website visitors, allowing businesses to capture leads at the right time and increase conversion rates.

Lead qualification. Drift’s chatbots can ask qualifying questions and gather information from visitors, helping to identify high-potential leads and fast-track them for follow-up.

Personalized conversations. Drift’s chatbot sends personalized messages and content based on visitor behavior and attributes, enhancing the user experience and making lead nurturing more effective.

Cost: Compared with other tools, Drift is a lower-cost option. This makes it more appealing for small businesses or those with limited marketing budgets.

Cons
Dependency on website traffic. Drift’s effectiveness as a lead-generation tool relies heavily on website traffic and engagement. If your website has low traffic, it may limit lead capture.

Implementation complexity. Setting up and configuring Drift’s chatbot and other features can be technically tricky. If you’re a team with limited technical resources, this might cause problems.

Chatbot limitations. While Drift’s chatbot can handle many interactions, it may not fully replace human interactions for complex inquiries or lead qualification.

Preview the Driftbot on your website for free
Pricing details

What is it?
Pardot is a B2B marketing automation platform by Salesforce, offering lead management, email marketing, and analytics tools. Create landing pages, conduct A/B testing, capture leads, integrate Google Ads, set up email automation, and more.

Pros
Robust lead nurturing. Advanced lead nurturing allows businesses to create personalized, automated email campaigns and lead scoring models to nurture leads through the sales funnel.

Integration with Salesforce. Because Pardot is part of the Salesforce ecosystem, you can easily integrate with  Salesforce CRM. This integration ensures a smooth flow of lead data between marketing and sales teams, facilitating better lead management and follow-up.

Advanced analytics and reporting. Pardot provides detailed analytics and reporting on lead generation activities, email performance, and campaign effectiveness.

Cons
Learning curve. The platform’s robust features and functionalities may require a learning curve for users who are not familiar with marketing automation or the Salesforce ecosystem.

Dependency on Salesforce. While the integration with Salesforce is a benefit, it also means that businesses using Pardot must be committed to using Salesforce CRM as their primary customer relationship management platform.

Free demos available
Pricing details

What is it?
Outreach is a sales engagement platform that helps B2B sales teams create and close more pipeline.

Pros
Efficient sales engagement. Outreach’s automation features streamline the sales engagement process, allowing sales teams to scale lead outreach, personalize communication, and manage follow-ups more efficiently.

Multi-channel communication. With outreach, you can hit up leads across channels, including email, phone, social media, and more. This multi-channel approach increases the chances of connecting with leads and nurturing relationships through their preferred communication channels.

Analytics and insights. Outreach provides data-based insights and analytics on prospect engagement. With this info, sales teams can track the effectiveness of their outreach efforts, optimize campaigns, and focus on high-potential leads for better lead generation outcomes.

Cons
Complex setup. Implementing and configuring Outreach takes time and technical knowledge. This can slow up getting lead gen campaigns off the ground.

Risk of over-automation. While automation can improve efficiency, excessive automation in outreach efforts may lead to impersonal and generic messaging. Finding the right balance between automation and personalization is crucial for effective, engaging lead gen.

Outreach offers standard discounts based on user volume, edition, and length of contract, and customized quotes.

Pricing details

What is it?
ZoomInfo is a B2B contact database and sales intelligence platform that offers accurate and up-to-date contact information for potential leads.

Pros
Vast database. ZoomInfo gives access to an impressive database of B2B contacts and company information, allowing businesses to identify and target their ideal prospects accurately.

Data accuracy. It’s also known for its focus on data accuracy and regularly updates its database, ensuring businesses have reliable information for their lead generation efforts.

Advanced search filters. The platform provides advanced search filters (such as industry, job title, etc.) and targeting options, making lead prospecting more efficient and targeted.

Cons
Scaling cost. Zoominfo’s pricing structure may be based on the level of access, the number of users, and the extent of data needed, which could add up quickly.

Data coverage limitations. ZoomInfo’s data coverage is more extensive for certain industries or regions compared to others. Depending on your target audience, some areas or sectors will have limited data available.

Data privacy. When it comes to using B2B contact databases for lead generation, many organizations understandably have concerns about collecting and using contact information without direct consent.

However, quality and conscientious companies in this arena work hard to adhere to privacy regulations and use data ethically. For example, ZoomInfo works to comply with all applicable regulations, including GDPR. They’ve been awarded multiple third-party attestations such as  ISO 27701 Certification, TRUSTe GDPR Practices Validation, TRUSTe CCPA Practices Validation, and TRUSTe Enterprise Privacy & Data Governance Certification.

Free trial available
Pricing details

What is it?
It’s a premium sales tool offered by LinkedIn that provides advanced search and lead discovery features so sales professionals can easily find and engage potential prospects.

Pros
Accuracy. Advanced search and filtering options, company insights, and personalized lead recommendations help to identify and connect with the right prospects.

Speed. You can quickly identify decision-makers, track engagement, and build relationships.

Lead recommendations and insights. Users get relevant suggestions for potential prospects based on their existing network, previous interactions, and saved leads. These insights help sales professionals discover new opportunities and tailor their outreach strategies for better engagement.

Real-time sales signals. Sales Navigator provides real-time sales signals, notifying users about important events or activities related to their leads and accounts.  Signals like job changes, company news, or updates offer valuable opportunities for timely and personalized engagement.

Cons
Limited access to certain features. Some features available on the main LinkedIn platform may not be included in Sales Navigator. For example, certain groups or content-sharing options might not be accessible, limiting some aspects of networking and engagement.

Data accuracy. While LinkedIn has a vast user database, the accuracy of the contact information and user details can vary. Users may encounter outdated or incomplete data, affecting lead generation efforts.

Dependency on LinkedIn’s ecosystem. LinkedIn Sales Navigator is primarily useful for lead generation within LinkedIn’s ecosystem. Depending too heavily on a single platform may limit your reach and overall lead-generation strategy.

Privacy and compliance concerns. When using LinkedIn Sales Navigator for lead generation, it’s crucial to be aware of LinkedIn’s terms of service and privacy policies. Overstepping LinkedIn’s rules or engaging in overly aggressive outreach may result in account restrictions or penalties.

Free trial available
Pricing details

Aside from Sales Navigator, is there another way that B2B businesses can use LinkedIn as a platform for lead generation? Yes. Two words: LinkedIn Advertising.

As we know, LinkedIn’s targeting capabilities and professional audience make it a powerful platform for B2B lead generation. LinkedIn advertising can be an effective lead generation tool, as it follows a strategic process to attract and capture potential customers. Simply start by defining your target audience based on factors such as:

• Job title
• Industry
• Company size
• Location

You can then create compelling sponsored content, such as sponsored posts, sponsored InMail, or lead gen forms, to engage the target audience. These ads drive prospects to a landing page or lead capture form, where users provide their contact information in exchange for valuable content or offers. Any lead magnets on your website you’re looking to promote to a specific audience? This could be just what you need to drive some quality traffic its way!

As of Feb 2023, there are over 61 million companies listed on LinkedIn, with the number of current members over 900 million. With three new members signing up every second, the platform is your oyster!

Budget-wise, LinkedIn advertising costs are based on the type of activity you’re paying for, and the ad auction. You’ll start your campaign by placing a bid when it launches.  LinkedIn ads are sold through the ad auction, where your bid competes with other advertisers who want to reach the same target audience.

Who put that there? (😁)

But in all seriousness, our content platform can increase lead generation by up to 60%. With reads, comes leads – it’s that simple. The Turtl content platform helps you to launch engaging, data-fueled content. The more insights you funnel back into your content to personalize it for the reader, the more engaging it will be (84% more in fact!).

We appreciate that the proof is in the pudding, so here are three puddings for you:

Turtl user: Guidant Global

Click to read Guidant Global + Turtl | Case study | Turtl

Result: Captured more leads and improved sales cycle

• 60% of the entire document read on average
• 1 in 5 readers sign up
• Leads read for 8.5 minutes on average
• Readers from 23 countries

Turtl user: Kantar

Click to read Kantar’s Worldpanel Division + Turtl | Case Study

Result: 1 in 3 readers converted into leads

• 37% of readers signed up and became leads
• Average read time of 4 mins 38 secs (27 days in total)
• Read in 102 different countries
• 440 engagements with interactive elements (polls, videos, etc.)

Turtl users: Telenet and LeadFabric

Click to read Telenet + LeadFabric + Turtl | Case Study

Result: 10x more subscribers and 4x more meetings booked by putting customers in focus

• 88% conversion rate
• 11% bounce rate
• 4-minute average read time
• 1400 leads generated in 2 months

Our list is just a sample of the many incredible B2B lead gen tools on the market. What’s important to keep in mind during your free trials, how effective the tool would be for your business needs, industry, and target audience. It’s crucial to do your research to find the best tech stack for your B2B lead generation strategy in 2023.

Additionally, keep an eye out for new lead generation tools and tech that pop up. Your lead-gen tech stack should move with the times to make the most of cutting-edge offerings on the market.

What connects the best lead gen tools and platforms are the ones that generate more leads by offering in-built analytics that show you how well your lead gen efforts are doing. And if they aren’t performing as planned? Change tactics! The ability to analyze content and adapt as you go will be the difference between flying and flopping.

Establish the right mix of lead gen tools and platforms for your business and before you know it, your sales pipeline will be flowing with quality leads.