How to Generate Leads for B2B SaaS?

Not getting enough leads?

Even after personalising emails, reaching out to prospects, and spending fortunes on different outreach tools.

If I have to be honest 

You don’t need many leads, you just need “Quality leads.” 

Quality leads are the kind who don’t ghost you after a trial, but actually revert to your email, the kind who have a ready-to-buy attitude.

They are your customers who should be nurtured, so ensure you have the right strategies to acquire them.

In this guide, I’ll show you 15 no-fluff strategies you can adapt to maximize your quality lead generation in the B2B SaaS model.

Let’s make an impact!

What is SaaS Lead Generation?

Before we get into any strategies, first let’s understand what SaaS lead generation means.

B2B SaaS lead generation involves attracting businesses that could benefit from your software and making them interested in buying your product.

It’s not just about actively emailing or running ads, it’s about using the right mix of content, outreach, and conversations to connect with people who need what you’re selling.

Typically, the SaaS lead generation process involves:

1. Finding Relevant Leads
2. Nurturing Your Qualified Leads
3. Getting Conversions
4. Retaining Customers

B2B SaaS lead generation is a blend of strategies that involve various heads, including marketing, sales, and customer engagement teams, to build a loyal customer base for your SaaS product.

15 Powerful Strategies for B2B SaaS Lead Generation

Now that we are clear what b2b SaaS lead generation really means. Let’s get to work and decode the top 15 strategies that are capable of turning your prospects into potential customers.

I’ll explain what each strategy is and how to execute it flawlessly with tools and tips.

• Cold Email Outreach with AI Personalization
• Cold Calling
• LinkedIn Outreach
• SEO-Optimized Thought Leadership Blog Content
• Social Selling with Value-Based Content & CTAs
• Free Tools or Calculators (Lead Magnets)
• Live Webinars with Automated Follow-ups
• Podcast Guesting on Niche B2B Shows
• Google Ads for High-Intent Bottom-Funnel Keywords
• Newsletter with Topical Industry Insights
• Co-Marketing with Non-Competing SaaS Tools
• B2B Influencer Micro-Collaborations on LinkedIn/X
• Directory Listings & SaaS Review Site Optimization
• Slack/Discord Community Building
• Participating Trade Shows & Events

1. Cold Email Outreach with AI Personalization

Cold email outreach is more than just mass emailing; it is about sending personalized emails to your listed prospects.

The secret component in cold email outreach is AI, which helps you craft opening lines that feel handwritten and human.

Personalization is no longer a “good-to-have” feature but a “must-have” one. It shows you have done your research well.

This approach boosts your campaign, increasing open and reply rates, which in turn leads to a conversion of warm leads.

Tools you can try:

Saleshandy: A powerful all-in-one platform for cold email outreach. It helps you in-

• B2B Lead Finder:  Access to 700 M+ contact database, so you can build out a prospect list from scratch without having to go searching all over the internet.
• AI Personalization: Tired of writing the same intro over and over? This feature helps you craft personalized, relevant messages at scale, so your emails actually get read.
• Automated Sequences: You can build multi-step email campaigns that send follow-ups automatically, so you never miss a chance to connect.
• Email Deliverability: Ensures your emails land in the inbox, not the dreaded spam folder. Its “email warm-up” tool is a game-changer for this.

Apollo.io: On the other hand, Apollo offers – 

• Contact Database: With over 270 million contacts, you can find almost anyone you need, using super detailed filters to pinpoint your ideal customer.
• Multi-Channel Outreach: Run your entire outreach from one place—email, phone, and even LinkedIn. No more jumping between different apps.
• Data Enrichment: Got a list of leads with missing info? Just upload it, and Apollo.io will automatically fill in the gaps, giving you a complete profile for better personalization.
• Lead Scoring: This is like having a co-pilot for your sales team. It uses AI to tell you which leads are most likely to convert, so you can focus your energy on the ones that matter most.

Pro-Tip: Your first email isn’t a sales pitch—it’s an invitation to a conversation.

Make your call-to-action (CTA) easy and low-pressure, like “Do you also face this issue?”

It should first give the impression to the recipient that you want to build a genuine connection rather than just pushing your product/service. Give your email a personal touch and then slowly pitch your product if they seem interested.

2. Cold Calling

Cold calling involves making a direct call to a potential customer without prior contact. It is very effective in building relationships and facilitating real-time conversations to understand the prospect’s needs.

If you are a professional cold caller, you’ll be able to identify the customer’s intention and gather important information. It basically provides you with a quicker route to decision-making.

Tools you can try:

Aircall: Aircall offers superior cloud call center solutions for sales and support teams, enhancing individual representatives’ productivity and streamlining your organization’s cold calls.

Gong.io: To analyze call transcripts and identify what works and what doesn’t.

Pro-Tip: Avoid making a script and reading from it. Use a talk track as a guide, and focus on listening more than you talk. Your goal is to uncover a pain point, not pitch your selling capability.

3. LinkedIn Outreach

LinkedIn is a goldmine for b2b professionals; it helps in identifying, targeting, and building connections with your ICPs (Ideal Customer Profile)

It is a form of “social selling” that lets you build credibility and trust by sending a personalized connection request.

Tools you can try:

Saleshandy’s LinkedIn Email Finder: It is a Chrome extension that gives you access to verified emails and phone numbers of your leads directly from their profiles.

Waalaxy: It helps you optimize your LinkedIn outreach by automating your response. Additionally, it has an AI feature to help you write personalized messages to your LinkedIn prospects.

Pro-Tip: Your initial message should never be a sales pitch. It should be a genuine, value-led comment or question about their recent work or industry trends.

4. SEO-Optimized Thought Leadership Blog Content

A well-written and in-depth blog that answers your target customers’ most demanded questions is the ultimate “attraction” strategy you can adopt.

It creates visibility and positions your brand as a trusted source, which creates a pipeline of potential leads.

Writing good content cannot only push leads for you. It should be SEO optimized to bring organic traffic to your platform. 

Optimizing a website’s content and structure can help businesses improve their search engine rankings and make it easier for potential customers to find them online.

Tools you can try:

Semrush & Ahrefs: These are the two industry giants. They are popular because they provide an all-in-one suite of tools for keyword research, competitor analysis, backlink analysis, and site audits. They are the gold standard for any serious content marketing or SEO strategy.

Pro-Tip: Focus on “long-tail keywords” that are specific to your niche and indicate high intent.

For example, use “B2B SaaS lead gen strategies” instead of just “lead generation.”

5. Social Selling with Value-Based Content & CTAs

It is a very common buying trait that we buy what we see and know about.

By creating a personal brand on platforms like LinkedIn and X, sharing insights, and offering valuable tips with subtle CTAs, you can help spread brand awareness and ultimately lead to a decision.

Tools you can try:

Buffer & Hootsuite: These are the most popular social media management tools. They’re in high demand because they allow you to do multiple activities from a single dashboard.

Pro-Tip: Build a community by engaging with others beyond just posting and asking questions.

6. Free Tools or Calculators (Lead Magnets)

Offering free tools like a calculator, a template, or maybe a lite version of your software in exchange for their contact information acts like a lead magnet for your business.

It provides immediate tangible value to the customers and generates high-intent-based leads for you.

Also, if someone is using your free tool or calculator, that means they are interested in your service, which makes them a perfect fit for your customer.

Tools you can try:

Saleshandy: Once a prospect provides their email through your lead magnet, you can use Saleshandy’s automated sequences to send them a personalized follow-up with a more value-driven message and CTA guiding them towards trying a demo.

Pro-Tip: The tool should be direct and similar, providing value to your paid product. It should solve a smaller version of the problem your complete SaaS model solves.

7. Live Webinars with Automated Follow-ups

Organising live online events on topics that resonate with your potential targets is another strategy to boost engagement and attract high-quality leads.

It clarifies the intention of people attending an hour-long webinar, showing they are interested in what you are trying to pitch. 

This should be followed by follow-ups to keep your brand in their memory for later conversions.

Tools you can try:

Zoom Webinars & Livestorm: These platforms are popular for providing ease of use and professional features like polls, Q&A, and registration pages.

Saleshandy: After the webinar, you can upload your list of attendees to Saleshandy. Their automated sequences allow you to send targeted emails with the webinar recording, a free resource, and a soft CTA to book a demo. This is an important step to ensure your webinar leads don’t go cold.

Pro-Tip: Your webinar shouldn’t be a product demo. It should be a masterclass that provides immense value and positions you as a thought leader. The product should emerge as a clear solution to the problem you’ve just discussed in later stages.

8. Podcast Guesting on Niche B2B Shows

Podcasts are a great way to engage with your potential customers. People who are listening to your podcasts are aware of what type of content they are consuming without any scrolling or ads.

It builds trust and brand value for your business by engaging active listeners and introducing you to a new audience that already trusts the host.

Tools you can try:

Podchaser: It’s popular because you can find shows by specific topics, guests, and even audience demographics, which ensures you’re getting in front of the right people.

Pro-Tip: Always have a memorable web address to share at the end, like yourwebsite.com/podcast. It makes it easy for people to find you without having to remember a complicated address.

9. Google Ads for High-Intent Bottom-Funnel Keywords

This is the most direct way to get a lead who is actively looking for solutions. They’ve already done their research and are ready to compare options to find the ones that suit their requirements.

By showing up at the top of the search results, you’re getting a warm lead right when they’re making a decision.

For Example, when someone searches for phrases like “Best cold email outreach software,” Google ads show Saleshandy as one of the top three options.

That will directly impact the decision-making of the person.

Tools you can try:

Google Ads (Native Platform): The native platform is the most popular tool, and for good reason.

It gives you the most control and the most data. Working directly with the source is how you get the best results. 

Pro-Tip: The ad you run and the page it leads to have to be a perfect match. If they search for “pricing,” they should land on your pricing page, not your homepage. That’s how you avoid confusing people and letting them exit.

10. Newsletter with Topical Industry Insights

Newsletters are a great way to share interesting news, insights, and expert tips about your industry. It’s about educating your audience, not just pitching your product.

It keeps your brand image as a trusted source in front of your audience.

They relate to your insights and make decisions based on your recommendations since you are helping them for free.

Tools you can try:

• Zapier: It’s an “all-in-one” platform designed specifically for creators, so you don’t have to put things together by yourself. You write your content in a clean, easy-to-use editor.

You can send it out to your subscribers, create a simple website for your newsletter, and even sell paid subscriptions to make money —all from one dashboard.

Pro-Tip: Don’t be afraid to share other people’s content. The best newsletters curate the most interesting stuff from around the web and add their own expert commentary. It’s about being a helpful guide, not just a publisher.

11. Co-Marketing with Non-Competing SaaS Tools

Co-marketing with non-competing SaaS tools involves collaborating with other businesses in the same space, offering complementary products or services to reach a wider audience.

Think of this as teaming up with a company that sells to the same audience as you, but isn’t a competitor. You may sell cold email outreach software, while they specialize in email warmup software.

It’s a win-win situation as you instantly get access to a brand-new audience of potential customers who are already a perfect fit.

Pro-Tip: The key is to find a partner whose customers are a mirror image of yours. That way, every lead you get from the collaboration is a high-quality one.

12. B2B Influencer Micro-Collaborations on LinkedIn/X

Micro collaborations involve finding individuals with a small but targeted following on LinkedIn or X.

These experts are not celebrities but possess a strong fan base in their specific domain.

You work with them to create content that naturally highlights your product.

This has a significant impact on the number of leads you can generate.

Pro-Tip: Look for people with high engagement and expertise, and not just a high follower count.

13. Directory Listings & SaaS Review Site Optimization

When a potential customer is looking for products or comparing your software with your competitors, the first thing they look for are reviews.

So, ensuring you have appropriate listings and reviews across the internet for your prospects is a must.

This includes having a complete profile and, most importantly, getting your happy customers to leave reviews.

Tools you can try:

• G2 & Capterra: These are the two biggest names in this space and are popular for their trustworthy sources of information. It’s an advantage for a b2b SaaS company to have a strong profile on these sites.

Pro-Tip: Do ask your best customers for a review. You can make it easy for them by sending a direct link. And make sure to respond to every review you get, good or bad, to show that you’re an active and engaged company.

14. Slack/Discord Community Building

A strong community not only keeps your customer base strong but also advocates for your brand so effectively that when a new person joins and sees the community, they are motivated to be a part of it.

Creating Slack/Discord communities builds a channel where everyone can ask questions and share tips.

Slack and Discord are two of the most popular community-building servers, offering a high level of accessibility and all the necessary features for building a community.

Pro-Tip: The key is to make the community a place for people to help each other, not just a sales channel for you.

15. Participating Trade Shows & Events

This may sound like an obsolete strategy, but it’s the fastest way to build relationships, especially in b2b businesses.

Not only attending trade shows or events, but you can also give a live demo and answer their questions on the spot to get to know the person better.

It’s the fastest way to build trust and generate a high volume of leads in a short amount of time.

Pro-Tip: The biggest mistake people make is not following up fast enough. Send a personalized email with the help of Saleshandy’s follow-up feature within 24 hours, while the conversation is still fresh in their mind.

How to Choose the Best Lead Generation Strategy for your B2B SaaS Business?

Choosing the right strategy doesn’t mean finding a new tactic for lead generation. It’s about understanding our current position as a business and implementing strategies that can deliver higher results.

Strategies vary based on the stage your business is in, like-

1. Early-stage: Focus on Outbound + Founder-led Outreach

When you are just starting, your main goal should not be generating tons of leads, but rather good ten leads who will give a boost to your company with honest feedback and valuable insights.

• Founder-led outreach means the person who built the product is the one reaching out, which is incredibly powerful. The founder knows the problem better than anyone, and prospects can feel that authenticity.

• Outbound is a must here. You have to create a brand image for yourself, so waiting for the right people to approach you is a waste of time.

You need to be proactive in finding your ideal customers. This is the perfect time to master sending personalized cold emails and LinkedIn messages.

2. Growth-stage: Add Content, SEO, and Referrals

You’ve found your first few customers and got a product that also works. Now you have to be consistent with increasing your brand value, along with outreach, you should also focus on :

• Content and SEO help you in building a genuine brand by engaging with your customers and sharing information in the form of blogs and other types of content.

• Referrals are often your most valuable leads. Your early customers are your biggest supporters. 

Create a simple referral program and ask for introductions.

3. Scale-up: Layer in ABM, Ads, and Webinars

Now you are at the stage where you have to scale by creating a solid customer base and acquiring market share.

This is also the stage where you can afford high-end strategies and have a workforce solely focused on that.

Along with outreach and high-intent content, now you can also focus on:

• Ads and Reviews that help you maintain your online presence and build a trusted customer base.

• Events and collaborations to attract high-end leads and build meaningful relationships.

Choosing the right strategy is a continuous process of learning and adapting, and it can only happen by aligning your strategy with the growth of the organization.

The Right Lead Gen Strategy Doesn’t Just Attract—It Converts

Lead generation is not just about filling pipelines; it’s about slowly building your SaaS model with quality and sustainable leads.

A huge list of leads is pointless if they never buy anything. The goal isn’t to just attract eyeballs; it’s to attract the right people who will become long-term paying customers.

Your lead generation strategy isn’t just a to-do list. It’s the heart of your business. When you pick a strategy that fits your growth stage and you focus on solving your customers’ real problems, you’ll stop chasing leads and start building a business that grows on its own.

FAQs on B2B SaaS Lead Generation

1. What is the B2B lead generation process?

B2B lead generation starts by attracting potential prospects into leads and eventually driving sales. It involves identifying ideal customers, engaging them with relevant content, and nurturing them through the sales funnel and ultimately converting them into paying clients.

2. What is the fastest way to generate b2b leads?

The fastest way to generate leads in a b2b SaaS model is:

• Ranking on search engines
• Social selling
• Collaborations with influencers on LinkedIn or X
• Offering a free tool or service

3. How can I effectively measure my lead generation KPIs?

To measure KPIs effectively, it’s important to track lead volume, conversion rates, cost per lead, and customer acquisition cost. Use analytical tools to set up regular reporting.