To effectively generate B2B prospects, you need to know the different types of B2B prospects well and the places to find them. But first, let's go back to the concept of prospect in B2B marketing.
1- What are B2B prospects?
Before we get into the details, let's start with the basics. In B2B, a lead is an individual or organization interested in what you sell through a business-to-business interaction. A lead can express their interest in a variety of ways. Typically, they do this by engaging with some aspect of your business. If they share their contact information with you, it shows they're at least somewhat interested in your company. However, keep in mind that only 25% of B2B leads are legitimate , at least according to some statistics.
Of course, not all tracks are identical . There are different ways to measure the degree of engagement of a person or a company with regard to your company. Knowing the differences and knowing how to classify them can allow you to adjust your approach to the sale, and by extension your conversion rate
A prospect can enter several categories, it is therefore useful to understand the different types of leads .
2- hot b2b prospects and cold b2b prospects
This is one of the most important distinctions to make when it comes to qualifying prospects . A cold prospect is a prospect who does not know that he will be contacted by you. This is the case, for example, of a call that comes from nowhere and aims to sell a product or service. A warm prospect , on the other hand, is a person who has already expressed interest in your business. He will also have taken measures to engage with you, for example by registering for your list of electronic addresses.
3- B2B PROSPECTS Qualified in terms of information- Information Qualified Lead (IQL)
IQLs are essentially people who know very little about your business . They are unlikely to take action. They appear towards the top of the sales funnel.
4- B2B prospects qualified for marketing- marketing qualified lead (MQL)
The next level of the sale funnel is that of B2B prospects qualified on the marketing level . MQLs take additional measures to get involved with your business, for example by registering for a free course or by downloading a PDF. Concretely, a prospect whose interest in your offer tells you that it can potentially become a customer .
5- SRL prospects – Sales Ready/Accepted Leads
An SRL is a prospect who is ready for sale. It's near the bottom of the sales funnel . They may have asked to speak to a sales representative from your company and be willing to talk about doing business with you.
6- Qualified B2B prospects- Sales Qualified Leads (SQL)
A prospect is a person who has left the MQL stadium and who is ready to make a decision . She probably had a conversation with a seller, and there is a potential for sales . A qualified prospect for sale can be a precious asset.
7- MSR leads – Member Service Request Leads
A lead MSR is a lead-consumer generated when a new member registers at your service. He gives you the opportunity to immediately initiate dialogue with him.
8- Inputing B2B prospects
An prospect is a person who contacts you, either directly or through one of your recommendation channels . For example, a person can read information about your business on LinkedIn and decide to contact you.
9- Outgoing B2B prospects
The leads are the ones you develop by contacting them. These are generally cold B2B prospects that have not opted for marketing communication with you, which makes them more difficult to reach.
Complete classification grid of B2B prospects (+ type approach scripts)
📊 Matrix of the 6 types of B2B prospects (2024)
| Kind | Features | Identification signals | Conversion Rate | Sales cycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The curious | Information search, no emergency | Download ebooks, visit the blog | 5-10% | 3-6 months |
| The comparator | Assesses several solutions | Demos request, compare prices | 15-25% | 1-3 months |
| The emergencyist | Problem to solve quickly | Looking for “quick [problem] solution” | 30-50% | 1-4 weeks |
| The strategist | Plan a long -term project | Participate in strategic webinaries | 10-20% | 6-12 months |
| The internal champion | Influential but non-decident user | Engages on professional networks | 20-35% | 2-5 months |
| The blocker | Change resistant | Short responses, avoid appointments | 2-8% | N / A |
✉️ Type approach scripts (customizable models)
1. For the “Curious”
Subject : “{{First name}}, here is how [problem] is solved by [sector]”
Body :
*”Hello {{First name}},
I see you have consulted our guide on [topic downloaded]. Did you know that 72% of [his sector] encounter this challenge?
I am sharing with you an exclusive study on [solution] → [Personalized link]
Enjoy reading,
[Signature]”*
2. For the “Comparator”
Subject : “{{Company}} vs [Competitor]: 3 key criteria for choosing”
Body :
*”{{First Name}},
You are probably evaluating several solutions for [problem]. Here is a neutral comparison:
- [Criterion 1]: how we approach this differently
- [Criterion 2]: Our unique advantage
- [Criterion 3]: Customer testimonial similar to {{Company}}
Available to discuss for 15 min? [Calendly link]”*
3. For the “Emergency Physician”
Subject : “Fast solution for [specific problem]”
Body :
“{{First Name}},
Your search for [identified keyword] suggests an urgent need.
We helped [similar customer] resolve this in [timeframe].
Available today for an express diagnosis? Simply reply 'OK' for a slot.”
🔍 Low signal identification sheet
(To be integrated into your CRM)
| Signal | Probable type | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
| Consult the “Prices” pages | Comparator | Send a sector benchmark |
| Participate in a webinar | Strategist | Invite a private LinkedIn group |
| Like of technical posts | Internal champion | Offer a free prolonged trial |
| Ignore 2 reminders | Blocker | Break and try back in 3 months |
📌 Adaptive scoring template
*(On 100 points - example for a SaaS B2B)*
| Criteria | Curious | Comparator | Emergency worker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email opening | +5 | +10 | +15 |
| Consultation Case Study | +10 | +20 | +30 |
| Demo | +0 | +40 | +50 |
| Visit Page Pricing | +5 | +30 | +10 |
Thresholds :
- 0-30 pts → cold lead
- 31-70 pts → Lead lukewarm (nurturing)
- 71+ pts → hot lead (immediate call)
💡 Expert advice for use
“This grid must be alive: adjust the scores each quarter according to your actual conversion rate.”
— Lucie Montel , Data Scientist specializing in CRM
Expert opinion and user feedback on B2B prospects
👔 Testimonials from B2B professionals
Marie Gagnon – Acquisition Manager (SaaS Publisher)
“We distinguish four profiles: the 'curious' who download content, the 'comparators' who request demos, the 'urgents' with an immediate need, and the 'strategists' who plan for the long term. Our scoring in HubSpot helps us adapt the follow-up to each one.”
Mehdi El Kouri – Founder of an ABM agency
*“An enterprise prospect has nothing to do with an SME. We have created specific engagement matrices: for a major account CFO, 7 to 12 multichannel contacts are necessary before the first meeting, compared to 3 to 5 for a startup.”*
Sophie Lavigne – Business Developer (Cybersecurity)
“Technical leads (CTO, CISO) want something concrete right away. Our playbook includes technical use cases from the first email and access to API documentation. General salespeople often fail with this profile.”
🎓 Expert analyzes in generation of leads
Prof. Alexandre Dumont – B2B Marketing Specialist (HEC)
“The modern typology must integrate the level of digital maturity: the 'digitally mature' engage via chatbots and self-service trials, the 'traditional' still favor the telephone and physical events. Ignoring this dichotomy is costly in terms of conversion rates.”
Camille Stern – Senior Inbound Marketing Consultant
“Since 2024, I recommend also categorizing by type of intent data: 'active' (recent searches), 'passive' (content views) and 'dormant' (former customers). Our study shows 5x more effectiveness when we adapt messaging to these signals.”
Dr. Hugo Martins – Expert in Decision-Making Psychology
“Our neuroscience identifies three archetypes: 'analysts' (need for data), 'followers' (customer references), and 'visionaries' (disruptive storytelling). The same argument cannot convince all three profiles.”
Nathalie Beaulieu – Managing Director of a Lead Scoring Platform
*”The big trend for 2024 is micro-targeting: subcategories such as internal champions (influential but non-decision-making users) or blockers (reluctant middle management). These nuances change the entire approach strategy.”*
🚀 Concrete victory cases
• FinTech Partners (Payment Solution)
“We segment our banking leads into: regulators (need for compliance), innovators (UX research) and optimizers (ROI focus). Each group receives a specific journey, with an average conversion rate of 22% vs. 8% with a generic approach.”
• GreenManufacturing (Industrial Equipment)
“Our factory buyers are either 'crisis' (urgent replacement) or 'evolution' (3-year project). For the former, we use email and telephone in immediate solution mode. For the latter, we use webinars and facility visits.”
💡 The word of the experienced prospector
“A good B2B lead is not a target, but a potential partner whose decision-making journey you need to understand. The ideal typology? One that reflects their priorities, not your products.”
— Édouard Lefèvre , Founder of B2BLeaders Academy
