7 Best Strategies to Get Leads With AI Lead Generation Tools
Do you ever feel unsure about where to go next with lead generation? Spending hours sifting through data. Or weeks on a cold pitching campaign. All to eventually see disappointing conversion rates? There’s a fix for this.
Artificial intelligence changes how companies identify and engage potential customers. In the latest McKinsey Global Survey on AI, 65% of respondents state that their organizations regularly use generative AI.
These actions are more than just asking ChatGPT a question. For business owners, marketers, and salespeople, embracing AI-powered lead generation is essential to staying competitive. But how can you transform lead generation?
How AI Can Boost Your Lead Generation Efforts
AI offers powerful tools to streamline your process and improve results. But what does that look like in practice? Here are three ways AI supports better lead generation.
1. Laser-focused targeting
AI algorithms transform how we identify and target potential customers. Reaching as many new leads as possible isn’t the goal. It’s all about sending the right marketing messages and getting in front of people who are likely to buy.
Research from Databox shows that 36.1% of industry professionals pinpointed the lack of a strategic approach as their primary challenge, while 33.3% emphasized the difficulties posed by insufficient audience understanding.
AI can help you overcome these challenges. It tracks and analyzes online behavior in real time. After analyzing this information, AI can predict which sales leads are most likely to convert. You can also use lookalike modeling to find more customers like the ones you already have.
Plus, AI doesn't just segment your audience once. Instead, it's constantly refining your target groups based on data like new interactions with your brand and industry shifts.
According to HubSpot, email marketing databases naturally degrade by about 22.5% every year. If your data isn’t clean, much of your lead generation efforts go to waste. Strategic segmentation solves this problem.
2. Automated lead scoring and qualification
Not all leads are created equal. Treating them that way can wreak havoc on productivity and sales. AI can analyze hundreds of factors to assign accurate lead scores.
Traditional lead scoring looks at past behavior. AI-powered predictive analytics looks to the future. As leads interact with your brand, their scores should change. AI makes this happen automatically, so your team can spend less time manually qualifying leads.
3. Personalized outreach at scale
Reaching out to every lead with personalized messaging is no easy feat. Still, it’s a must for the bottom line. Nearly 3 in 4 consumers are more likely to purchase from brands that deliver personalized experiences—and they spend 37% more with those brands.
AI enables you to deliver tailored messages and relevant content to each prospect without sacrificing efficiency.
You can go beyond basic personalization like someone’s first name or job title. For example, imagine that the AI identifies common ground between you and the lead. Or instead of launching into a pitch, the AI asks a relevant industry question. This can encourage organic conversation.
Do you want to experience cutting-edge email automation firsthand? Hire Ava to draft human-like emails for you at scale, focusing on quality leads and quick results.
Strategies to Generate Leads With AI
AI can change how you identify and engage leads, but what does that look like in practice? Explore these seven specific ways AI supercharges lead gen.
1. Identify your ideal customer profile
AI can take piles of data from your CRM, website visitors, and social media interactions, and beyond and connect the dots. This helps you spot patterns you may otherwise miss.
For example, imagine that a B2B tech company. With the help of AI, they could notice that CTOs engaging frequently with cybersecurity content on LinkedIn have a 75% higher conversion rate than the average lead.
2. Automate lead scoring and qualification
Manually sifting through leads can take a lot of valuable time. But artificial intelligence makes it easier to meet your audience where they’re at, so you can hit your goals.
How does it work? Machine learning models discover what behaviors signal a high-quality lead. Then rank your prospects automatically. The result? Your marketing team can take action to keep leads moving and your sales team can reach those ready to buy.
🏆 Real world win:
"We applied AI to decipher the relevant signals for each group. More specifically, we used AI to compare lead attributes to our Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), and harvest and score digital footprints and online behaviors that were mostly unavailable to salespeople.
The AI scores then drive lead routing. Leads are either forwarded to sellers or to nurture marketing campaigns. AI scoring continues to measure lead fit. Then, it automatically forwards leads to sellers when they reach threshold scores.
The technology saves hundreds of hours per month and generates much more timely and accurate scoring."
- Chuck Schaeffer, CEO at Johnny Grow Inc.
3. Create personalized content
How do you speak to everyone in your target audience? AI helps you craft messages that speak directly to each prospect's pain points or interests.
Here are some specific ways AI personalizes your content:
Emails: Tailors subject lines and body copy based on the recipient's industry, role, and past interactions.
Ads: Serves up different versions to match viewer demographics and browsing history.
Landing pages: Dynamically adjusts content, CTAs, and offers based on who's visiting.
For example, an AI-powered system might notice a prospect has been reading blog posts about improving their tech stack. It then automatically sends them a personalized email with a digital transformation while paper.
4. Automate email campaigns to reach more leads
Imagine an AI that's not just smart, but intuitive. It's like having a sales rep with perfect emotional intelligence and knowledge of your prospects. This AI doesn't just personalize. It adapts.
Say you're reaching out to Alex, the CTO who's always first in line for the latest gadget. It could drop in a reference to a new product that should be on his radar. The AI is constantly figuring out which approaches work best for different personas.
5. Use AI-powered chatbots
AI-powered chatbots aren’t just answering FAQs anymore. They're doing lead qualification and helping you schedule demos Always in a timely manner and on-brand for your companies.
Take Artisan's Ava, for instance. Ava's a full-fledged AI sales rep who can handle your entire outbound workflow. She'll research leads, craft personalized outreach, and even engage in meaningful conversations to qualify prospects.
Ready to see Ava in action? She can launch a lead generation campaign for you right now, tapping into a database of B2B contacts to find your perfect prospects.
6. Integrate predictive analytics
Predictive analytics crunches historical data to forecast future customer behavior, helping you stay one step ahead of your prospects. This is one of the best AI solutions to save you time and boost the bottom line.
For example, restaurant supply company could use predictive analytics to identify which purchases correlate with long-term customer retention. From there, they can prioritize potential leads that show interest in those purchases.
7. Get data-driven insights for optimization
Imagine that your team is struggling with their email outreach. Their open rates are decent, but you’re not hitting your numbers. Enter AI-powered data analysis. It could help you discover that emails sent on Tuesdays have higher open rates. And follow-ups referencing a pain point from the prospect's LinkedIn activity were 5x more likely to get a response.
At this point, you’d have a clear roadmap for how to engage. But AI can do more than provide the insights. It can start implementing them automatically. This way, opportunities don’t fall through the cracks.
Top 5 AI-Powered Tools for Lead Generation
Solution | Key Features | Price |
Artisan | 300M+ B2B contact database Email personalization Workflow automation | Varies |
Seamless.ai | Integrations Data enrichment Custom list building | Varies |
Jasper.ai | Writing templates SEO optimization Plagiarism checker | Starting at $39 per month |
Copilot AI | Personalized connection requests Automated Linkedin outreach Campaign tracking | Starting at $234 per month |
Reply.io | Multi-channel sequences A/B testing Analytics | Starting at $49 per month |
Not sure what AI lead generation tools are right for your efforts? We've rounded up the top five solutions.
1. Artisan
Artisan is your AI-powered sales team in a box. At the center is Ava, an AI sales rep that handles everything from lead research to personalized outreach. Specifically, Artisan offers:
300M+ B2B contact database
Automated email personalization
Integrated CRM
Workflow automation
Benefits your organization can expect when using Artisan
80% of your outbound team’s tasks are automated
Reach more people without growing your team
Gain an AI sales assistant that improves based on feedback
Scale outreach without sacrificing personalization
Artisan is priced based on the volume of leads you are doing outreach to. We can split this between BDR & AE seats as required.
2. Seamless.ai
Seamless.ai offers real-time, accurate contact information for your ideal prospects. It includes a Chrome extension for easy prospecting, integration with major CRMs, and custom list-building capabilities.
Seamless.ai is good for sales teams who want:
Up-to-date, verified contact data at their fingertips
A simple way to build a large list of decision-makers
Access to buyer-intent data
Plans have a variable pricing structure, and final pricing is based on business needs. It also has a free trial available. That allows you to get access to 50 leads.
3. Jasper.ai
Jasper is powerful for creating personalized content at scale. It offers copywriting templates, SEO optimization, and a plagiarism checker. It's ideal for marketing teams looking to enhance their content creation process.
Jasper is a good choice for companies who want to:
Craft content quickly
Create a full marketing campaign without having to move between platforms
Maintain a unified brand identity throughout the entire creation process
Pricing begins at $39/month for individuals. There are custom plans and pricing at the business level.
4. CoPilot AI
CoPilot AI specializes in social selling, focusing primarily on LinkedIn lead generation strategies. Its features include automated LinkedIn outreach, personalized connection requests, and campaign performance tracking.
CoPilot helps companies:
Prioritize LinkedIn leads based on their meeting readiness
Execute prospecting campaigns to connect
Follow up with their target audience effortlessly
The tool starts at $234 per month. You can have a private consultation with the team to determine if the solution is the right fit for you.
5. Reply.io
Reply.io is an all-in-one sales engagement platform with AI features. It offers multichannel sequences. It also provides A/B testing and analytics to help you get better results.
Reply.io is a good option for companies who want to:
Instantly engage visitors with AI chat
Convert website traffic into booked meetings
Connect all conversations in a unified inbox
Plans begin at $49/month per user. There’s a free trial available for those interested in taking the platform for a spin.
Getting Started with Artificial Intelligence in Lead Generation
AI is bringing a lot of change to sales, and it’s important to approach it strategically. Follow this process to set your implementation up for success.
Identifying your needs
Before you can get where you want to go with AI, you have to know what you need. Here’s how you can put the pieces together and use AI for better lead gen.
1. Find the pain points
Next, do an assessment of your current lead generation process. Identify the specific challenges and bottlenecks that get in the way of success. For example, ask yourself:
Where are your sales representatives spending most of their time?
Which tasks are repetitive and time-consuming?
What aspects of your process are prone to human error
💡 Pro tip: Many teams are bogged down by time spent searching for the information they need. If your team is dedicating hours to prospect research, that's a clear opportunity for AI intervention. Tools like Artisan can automate this research process, allowing your sales team to focus on high-value activities. Things like relationship building and closing deals.
2. Evaluate your data
The effectiveness of AI is directly tied to the quality and quantity of your data. You need to consider what data you have and how accurate it is. According to Gartner, poor data quality costs organizations an average of $12.9 million every year.
You can start solving this problem by asking the right questions. Are you collecting the information you need? Are there any gaps that will keep you from maximzing the value of AI?
“Before diving into AI when it comes to B2B lead generation, the first thing you should make sure to have is accurate data that mimics your target audience. Without quality data it is very difficult to use AI. This is because AI tools rely on accurate data sets to provide analysis and recommendations on how to generate leads,” said Ryan Doser, VP of Inbound Marketing at Empathy First Media.
For example, let's say you're a B2B software company targeting mid-size enterprises. Your current customer relationship management solution might contain basic information like company names and phone numbers. But you might be missing important information about your contact’s preferences.
Don't be discouraged if your data isn't perfect. Many AI tools offer data cleaning and enrichment capabilities. Start where you are and develop a plan for ongoing data improvement.
Consider data hygiene practices like:
Regular data audits
Standardized data entry processes
Integration of data across sources
3. Set clear metrics
Define what success looks like for your team. Are you aiming to increase conversion rates by 20%? Cut lead response time in half? Reduce cost per lead by 30%? These Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) guide your AI implementation.
And remember, some benefits of AI (like freed-up time for your sales team or a better customer experience) might not be directly quantifiable right away. But they're still valuable. Keep track of both hard metrics and qualitative improvements.
Choose the right AI tools
At this stage, you can select the AI tools that will transform your lead generation process. Consider these factors before you do that.
Specific needs and use cases
Align your tool selection with the pain points and goals you indentified for the sales process. If personalization at scale is your primary challenge, prioritize tools with advanced content customization capabilities. If you're struggling with lead quality, look for solutions with predictive scoring.
You may also choose to break this down by sales funnel stage.
Top of funnel: Look for AI tools specializing in prospect identification and initial outreach. These might include advanced web scraping capabilities or AI-powered social media listening tools.
Middle of funnel: Consider solutions that excel at lead nurturing and engagement tracking. AI-driven content recommendation engines or predictive analytics tools could be valuable here.
Bottom of funnel: Focus on tools that aid in closing deals. Things like AI-powered proposal generators or conversation intelligence platforms that provide real-time coaching during sales calls.
Features and functionality
Does the AI lead generation solution you’re looking for provide the features you’ll benefit from? Think through these aspects to find the answer.
Reporting and analytics: Look for tools that provide valuable insights and actionable reporting. The ability to translate AI outputs into strategic decisions is important.
Data security and compliance: Your contacts care about their privacy, and many industries have strict regulations. Understand how any solution you use manages the data. Both customer data and your intellectual property.
Future capabilities: Switching up your tech stack can be stressful. The features you need today should come first. However, don’t overlook how a solution may be able to help you in the future too.
Request demos, watch tutorial videos, and use free trials. Also take some time to look at reviews or case studies. This will empower you to find the option with the best feature set for your team.
Integrations
The AI solution you choose needs to work with your existing tech stack for you to get the most value. Does it integrate with your CRM? Your marketing automation platform? Your analytics tools? Seamless integration is the difference between an efficient workflow and a frustrating experience.
Think about long-term scalability too. As your needs evolve, can the AI tool grow with you? Look for platforms with APIs and a track record of continuous feature development.
Usability
Even the most powerful AI tool is useless if your team can't or won't use it. Salesforce research shows that of those who said they plan to use generative AI, almost 60% said they don’t know how to do so using trusted data sources.
Look for solutions with intuitive interfaces and user-friendly designs. Some platforms, like Artisan, use AI assistants that guide users through complex processes.
Think about administration too. How easy is it to set up campaigns, adjust settings, or pull reports? A tool that requires a data scientist to operate might not be the best choice. The goal is to make your team more efficient, not to add confusion to their workflow.
Customer support
Evaluate the level of customer support each vendor offers. Do they provide training resources? Is there a responsive help desk for when you get stuck? This level of support is endlessly valuable, especially if your team is new to AI technology especially.
The right vendor should be a partner on your path to AI. They’re not just a software provider. Remember, the success of your AI implementation depends on the support you receive.
Using AI to Improve Your Lead Gen
AI can support the qualities that make visitors turn into customers. It makes it possible to free up time and build good relationships. It also helps you close deals. Empower your team to make every interaction count.
Now, lead generation is personalized and efficient. The businesses that succeed will be the ones that use AI. They’ll connect with their prospects in more meaningful ways. With the right tools, your organization can be one of them.
Are you looking for an all-in-one solution to transform your outbound workflow? Hire Ava now, and watch her automate 80% of your outbound cycle using best-in-class tools.