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One question we asked in our State of B2B Lead Generation Survey that didn't actually make it into the white paper was about sources of information. Where do B2B marketers get the latest info?

Here are the raw results:

A quick Monday morning nugget for you: the good folks over at the Sales Lead Management Association have a blog post up about our recent State of B2B Lead Generation report with some commentary of their own. Some great thoughts based on their extensive knowledge of the space.

Check it out.

We cover a lot of topics on this blog - and hopefully you're finding the information helpful. But we know that sometimes you want more. More topics, more depth. And that's why we built our Resource Center.

We've compiled whitepapers, an infographic and quick guides that cover important topics in the world of online lead generation. And we're not done yet -- more content and tools will continue to be added.

So head over to our Resource Center and check out topics like:

• The State of B2B Lead Generation: our 2012 report
• Marketing and Sales alignment
• SEO for Lead Generation
• And more...

The BuyerZone Resource Center: when the blog just isn't enough.

What's that you say? You wanted to see me describe some of what we learned in our recent B2B lead gen study in a video? Boy is it your lucky day!



Download the full white paper here. What do you think - should I stick to the written word, or is there a video career in my future?

As we've mentioned here before, we recently surveyed hundreds of B2B companies to find out how they handle their lead generation programs. What technologies are they using? What are their most productive lead sources? How does social media fit into the mix? Well, we've tallied the responses, analyzed the data, and created our State of B2B Lead Generation white paper.

Back in March, we announced the survey here, and subsequently promoted it to current BuyerZone clients, through our partner LeadsCouncil, and using other online channels. Conversation about these findings is flying around Twitter and we're looking forward to getting more in-depth with the results in the coming weeks.

We've also summarized the results in a suitable-for-framing infographic that packs a ton of our major takeaways into one snazzy image. Take a look at the State of B2B Lead Generation infographic - and grab the code at the bottom of that page if you'd like to share it on your own site or blog.

What's your reaction? Do these results reflect what you see in B2B lead gen? What questions should we ask when we redo this survey next year? Let us know what you think below.

In our forthcoming State of B2B Lead Generation report, we confirmed our hypothesis that social media as a lead generation tool is still a great unknown. Though you do see reports of companies (in most cases B2C) seeing modest success - especially when social media is a company priority - in B2B that certainly isn't the case, at least yet.

Our research (from a few hundred B2B lead buyers, mostly our clients) says only 12% are using social media as a core lead generation source. And though another 50% are testing social media, the numbers are quite striking in terms of being able to measure ROI:

So, what does this mean? Companies are willing to give social media a go, that much is for sure. But B2B companies are still struggling with measuring the success, which I suspect is derived from the remaining stigma that it's a B2C play. And while it is easy to see the applications and successes for B2C companies, it can't be an excuse forever. The good news is, maybe that sentiment is changing, as a recent IBM CEO survey indicates "B2B CEOs (are) quick to point out that social media is not just a B2C phenomenon as many in the B2B arena have mistakenly believed".

Time will tell.

Looking for the best sources of B2B advice? We've just published the latest entry in our Best of BuyerZone series: the best B2B blogs of 2012. We recognized 14 great blogs that cover marketing, communications, sales, and more aspects of running a B2B company.

We've shared some reader reviews and opinions from BuyerZone staffers as well, to help you understand why these blogs are the cream of the crop.

Go check out our list of great B2B blogs for some great reading. Or let us know who we missed in the comments below.

As we mentioned a few weeks ago, we will shortly be releasing our first annual State of B2B Lead Generation report. In the meantime, we wanted to share interesting snippets to give you a sense of what we've uncovered.

Today, let's look at the use of CRM software. We've talked previously about some keys to ensuring a successful implementation, but firstly, are B2B companies even using CRM systems? Our data says yes, with more than half of the folks we surveyed indicating they do use the software. But that number still seems a bit low given all the talk about lead tracking and management, lead nurturing and more - don't you think? Seems like total CRM adoption still has a ways to go.

Brian Carroll over at the B2B Lead Roundtable Blog has a good post on the importance of a Universal Lead Definition, a topic we've hit on before. Carroll even goes so far as to alert his readers to NOT begin any lead generation campaign without this defintion in place, something we wholeheartedly agree with.

According to Carroll, a true Universal Lead Definition meets the following criteria:

• Fits the profile of your ideal customer
• Has been qualified as sales-ready
• Spells out the responsibilities and accountabilities of sales and marketing
• Makes marketing and sales more efficient

Read the full post.

Caroll also sites a recent MarketingSherpa study that found that 61% of B2B marketers are sending leads to sales without any qualification. In our forthcoming report on the State of B2B Lead Generation, we too found a similar lack of alignment amongst B2B marketing and sales teams. Our data indicates only 36% of respondents perceive alignment between marketing and sales within their organization as a 9 or 10 (with 10 being extremely aligned). 

These data points underscore that we as B2B marketers have a ways to go until total harmony is reached between marketing and sales.

Do you have a Universal Lead Definition? If so, let us know in the comments below.