B2B Lead Generation Process: The Operating System for Consistent Leads

Goal: Give your team simple, reusable words and assets that sort for fit and turn good conversations into next steps.

What you do

1. Write two short call scripts (A/B). Keep each under ~120 words so they’re easy to say.

• Script A (Direct): opener → one-line value → simple ask with two time options.
• Script B (Consultative): opener → two questions → one-line value → ask. Both scripts should include one Quality check (right role/time) and end with a next step (Outcome).

2. Lock four qualification questions (plain language). Use them on calls and in emails to protect Quality:

• Need: “What made this worth looking at now?”
• Impact: “What happens if this waits a quarter?”
• Authority: “Who else should be in this decision?”
• Budget/Timing: “Is there budget now or a way to plan for it this quarter?”

3. Create three short email templates. 50–90 words, one idea, one ask.

• Warm-up: quick relevance + two time options.
• Voicemail follow-up: “Left a quick VM on [problem]. Here’s the outcome we helped [peer] achieve. Two times work?”
• Close-the-loop: “If this isn’t on your list, I’ll close the loop. If it is, who owns it on your team?”

4. Write one 20-second voicemail. Who you are, the one problem you solve, one outcome, clear ask with two time options.

5. Pick 2–3 proof assets matched to your ICP.

• A one-sentence case result (“With [Product], [Peer] cut [metric] by [X]% in [Y] weeks”).
• A 90-second demo clip that shows the part that solves the main problem.
• A one-pager (plain language, one chart, clear next step).

6. Standardize the calendar invite and confirmations.

• Title: “[Problem] at [Company] — 15-min fit check”
• Agenda: current state; fit check; next step
• Attendees: names/roles; video link/dial-in
• Notes: title, trigger, budget/timing clue
• Confirmations: send same-day confirmation + day-of reminder. One reschedule allowed; then recycle.

7. Build a phrase bank (so calls sound natural). Snippets for opens, transitions, and objections (see below). Keep lines short and in your team’s voice.

8. Add a notes template to your CRM. Required fields: title/department, company size/region, trigger, budget/timing clue, Outcome fields (next step set Y/N; date; owner; one-line problem).

Objection snippets (short and steady)

• “We’re busy.” “Understood—let’s do 15 minutes to see if this is relevant. If not, we’ll close the loop.”
• “No budget.” “Makes sense. Do you plan for this next quarter? We can size it so you can budget correctly.”
• “Send info.” “Happy to. What outcome would make it worth reviewing together next week?”
• “Not my role.” “Thanks—who owns [problem] on your team so we can make this useful?”

Why this matters

Consistent words reduce variance. Short scripts and emails are easier to deliver well. A shared invite template and reminders cut no-shows. Proof matched to the ICP boosts relevance. Together, these assets create steady Activity, protect Quality at booking, and raise the odds that calls end with clear Outcomes.

Quality bar for a bookable meeting (restate inside the toolkit)

• Right company (fits your ICP)
• Right people (working owner/user plus budget or technical contact)
• Right timing (recent change, active pain, or time-bound goal)

If any box is missing, don’t count it. You can still meet for learning, but it’s not progress.

What to avoid

• Over-writing (long scripts, multiple ideas in one email)
• Attachments in first emails (hurts deliverability)
• Clever subject lines that hide the point
• Booking without the checklist (Quality) or a clear next-step ask (Outcome)

What to track in Phase 3

• Pitch-to-meeting rate by script (A vs. B)
• Open and reply rates (watch unsubscribes)
• Appointment-held rate (shows/bookings)
• No-show reasons (fix with better invites/slots)
• Next-step set % (of counted meetings)

Deliverables

• Two call scripts (A/B)
• Four qualification questions
• Three email templates + one 20-second voicemail
• Proof assets (1-liner case, 90-sec clip, one-pager)
• Invite and confirmation templates
• Phrase bank + CRM notes template (with Outcome fields)

Goal: Turn your scripts and rules into clear, confident conversations that protect Quality and end with real Outcomes—without sounding scripted.

What you do

1. Kickoff (1 hour).

• • Review the ICP (who we call and why).
  • Walk through the touch pattern and when a lead retires or recycles.
  • Re-state the Good Meeting Checklist and the Outcome rule (next step within 7 days).

2. Tool walk-through (30 minutes). Show the exact clicks: dialer, CRM notes template, invite and confirmation flow, and where the checklist/Outcome fields live.

3. Role-plays, then recordings.

• Practice Script A and Script B out loud.
• Record short reps (2–3 minutes), listen together, tighten openers and asks.
• Build a small phrase bank from lines that sounded natural.

4. Objection reps (10–15 minutes each). Run fast drills on the top four: “busy,” “no budget,” “send info,” “not my role.” Keep answers short; move back to a question or the ask.

5. Shadow → mock → light live.

• Shadow a strong caller for a block.
• Do 5–10 mock calls on low-risk contacts.
• Move to a small slice of the test list with close coaching.

6. Handoff practice.

• Fill the invite template together.
• Say the Outcome ask out loud: “Before we wrap, what’s the most useful next step for next week—demo on Tuesday or budget review Wednesday?”

Certification checklist (pass/fail)

A caller is ready when they can:

• State the ICP in one sentence.
• Use two good questions before any pitch.
• Apply the Quality checklist at booking (and restate it day-of).
• Ask for a next step clearly and offer two times.
• Fill notes with: title/role, trigger, budget/timing clue, and Outcome fields (owner + date + one-line problem).

If any item is missing, keep practicing before scaling.

Coaching cadence

• Daily: Review 2 recordings per rep; give one thing to keep, one thing to fix.
• Twice weekly: 20-minute team clinic on openers, objections, or invites.
• Weekly: Scorecard review (held rate, DM contact rate, next-step %). Cut lines that don’t work; keep the ones that do.

The call quality bar (use this to score)

• Open in ≤15 seconds; plain language.
• Two questions that reveal role/need/timing.
• Short value line tied to the prospect’s words.
• Clear ask with two time options.
• Notes saved before the next call; invite sent with agenda and confirmation.

Why this matters

Training turns a playbook into behavior. Natural delivery raises connect rates, protects Quality (right company, right people, real reason), and increases Outcomes because reps know how to ask for a next step without pressure.

What to track in Phase 4

• Call quality pass rate (percent of calls that meet the bar)
• Decision-maker contact rate (are we reaching the right roles?)
• Pitch-to-meeting rate by script (A vs. B)
• Appointment-held rate (shows/bookings)
• Next-step set % on counted meetings

Deliverables

• Certified caller list
• Call quality checklist + phrase bank
• Two sample recordings per rep that meet the standard
• Updated scripts/objection snippets based on practice and early calls

Goal: Prove the plan with real calls. Confirm titles, messages, invites, and the handoff—then lock the winners.

What you do

1. Work a small test list (e.g., ~200 contacts from Phase 1) for 10–14 days using your touch pattern from Phase 2.

2. Run one change at a time. If you test a subject line, don’t change the opener that day. Keep testing simple so learning is clear.

3. Coach daily. Review 3–5 recordings per rep. Tighten openers, questions, and the ask.

4. Enforce AQO rules.

1. Count shows, not bookings.
2. Apply the Quality checklist at booking and day-of.
3. Give credit only when a next step is scheduled inside 7 days (owner + date + one-line problem in notes).

5. Debrief every held meeting the same day. Confirm checklist, outcome, and any gaps in notes.

Questions you need to answer

• Are we reaching the right roles? What’s the decision-maker contact rate?
• Which script wins? Compare Script A vs. B on pitch-to-meeting and held rate (not just bookings).
• What objections show up most? Which short reply clears them?
• Do invites reduce no-shows? If not, fix title/agenda/confirmations or adjust time slots.
• Are we getting outcomes on the call? % of counted meetings that leave with a next step inside 7 days.
• Are triggers accurate? Do the reasons to talk “now” match what prospects say?

Simple A/Bs to run (one at a time)

• Email: subject line, first sentence, the ask (two times vs. open question)
• Call: opener (direct vs. question-led), day/time of first call, voicemail wording
• Invite: title (“Fit check” vs. outcome-based), agenda wording, reminder timing

Targets for a healthy test (use these as guides)

• Appointment-held rate: ≥ 60%
• Pitch-to-meeting: 10–20% (on real conversations)
• Next-step set (of counted meetings): ≥ 50%
• Decision-maker contact rate: rising week over week

If you’re below these, adjust one variable and keep testing before you scale.

Decision point (end of test)

• Go Live: If held rate, next-step %, and DM contact rate meet your targets, lock the winning script, titles, invite, and confirmation flow.
• Re-test: If one metric drags (e.g., no-shows, weak outcomes), fix the cause (slot timing, invite clarity, checklist use) and run another short test.

Why this matters

A short test protects your calendar. It keeps Activity focused, proves Quality rules in the wild, and confirms you can end good meetings with clear Outcomes. Scaling after this step means adding volume to something that already works.

What to track in Phase 5

• Decision-maker contact rate
• Pitch-to-meeting rate (by script/message)
• Appointment-held rate, plus top no-show/reschedule reasons
• Referral paths (who points you to the DM)
• Next-step set % (of counted meetings)
• Short notes on the prospect’s stated problem/trigger

Deliverables

• Test Report: winner (A or B), best-performing titles, top objections + working replies, invite/confirmation tweaks, and any list filters to tighten
• Go/No-Go call: move to Phase 6 with the locked pieces—or run one more micro-test with a single change

Goal: Turn the proven test into steady results. Hit weekly targets without lowering Quality and make sure counted meetings end with real Outcomes.

What you do

1. Lock the winners from Phase 5. Scripts, titles, invite/confirmation flow, time slots, and the checklist language. No new experiments this week.

2. Set simple weekly targets (per rep).

• Activity: cap of 6–8 held meetings (shows only).
• Quality: checklist hit rate ≥ 90% on booked meetings.
• Outcomes: ≥ 50% of counted meetings leave with a next step inside 7 days.

3. Stand up a clean dashboard. One screen with: held meetings, checklist pass rate, decision-maker contact rate, pitch-to-meeting %, next-step % (counted only), and top no-show reasons.

4. Enforce the calendar rules.

• Standard invite title: “[Problem] at [Company] — 15-min fit check.”
• Agenda: current state → fit check → next step.
• Confirmations: same-day send + day-of reminder. One reschedule allowed, then recycle.

5. Run the handoff the same way every time. Round-robin, territory, or 1:1 pairing—pick one and stick to it. Notes must include title/role, trigger, budget/timing clue, and Outcome fields (owner + date + one-line problem).

6. Coach daily, adjust weekly. Review calls, fix the lines that don’t land, and tune time slots if no-shows spike. Save experiments for the next phase.

Cadence that keeps you moving

• Daily stand-up (15 minutes): blockers, one quick win, one coaching cue.
• Daily call review: 2 recordings per rep; one thing to keep, one to fix.
• Weekly review (30–45 minutes): dashboard walk-through; decide one change for next week (max one variable).

Targets to guide a healthy Go Live

• Appointment-held rate: ≥ 60%
• Pitch-to-meeting (on real conversations): 10–20%
• Decision-maker contact rate: trending up week over week
• Next-step set (of counted meetings): ≥ 50%
• Checklist pass at booking: ≥ 90% (anything lower means you’re letting weak meetings onto the calendar)

If one metric falls, fix that first before adding volume.

Why this matters

Go Live is where teams drift—activity rises and quality slips. These rules stop that slide. The cap protects Activity from flooding calendars. The checklist protects Quality before time gets booked. The next-step rule locks Outcomes so progress shows up in the forecast, not just on a call recording.

What to track in Phase 6

• Held meetings (shows only)
• Checklist pass rate (at booking and day-of)
• Decision-maker contact rate
• Pitch-to-meeting % (by script/message)
• No-show and reschedule reasons (and which slots cause them)
• Next-step % on counted meetings
• Time from first meeting to next step (demo, pilot, budget review, etc.)

Deliverables

• Live dashboard + weekly summary (targets vs. actuals, one change for next week)
• Updated phrase bank (keep the lines that win; cut the ones that stall)
• Confirmed routing logic and invite/confirmation checklist
• Short “Go Live SOP” your team can follow without a meeting

Goal: Grow qualified Activity while protecting Quality and Outcomes. Add people and segments only when the core numbers hold steady.

What you do

1. Freeze the winners. Keep the script, sequence, invite, and confirmation flow that worked in Phase 6. No new experiments during the first scale step.

2. Pick one scale path (not two).

• Add capacity: 1–2 more qualification specialists to the winning segment, using the exact same play.
• Add scope: One adjacent title or one adjacent industry. Don’t expand both at once.

3. Use a pod model for control. Pair 2–3 specialists with 1 closer. The pod meets weekly, reviews the AQO dashboard, and shares wins/obstacles.

4. Keep the weekly cap. Hold the 6–8 held meetings per rep cap for closers. If calendars crowd, add pods—not meetings per person.

5. Standardize ramp. New specialists pass the Phase-4 certification checklist before full volume. First two weeks = 50% list load with daily coaching.

Guardrails (pause if tripped)

• Held rate drops below 60% for two straight weeks → pause new adds; fix invites, slots, or list quality.
• Checklist pass at booking falls below 90% → re-train on the Good Meeting Checklist.
• Next-step set on counted meetings falls below 50% → coach the close of call; add calendar slots before wrap.
• Any metric moves >5 points in the wrong direction after a scale change → roll back that change and review calls.

Capacity math (simple and useful)

• One trained specialist reliably supports 1–2 closers at the 6–8 held/week cap.
• Add 1 specialist → expect +6–12 held meetings/week across the pod (once ramped).
• Maintain a manager-to-10 ratio: one coach for every ~10 specialists to keep QA and training tight.

How to expand scope safely

• Adjacent title first. If Directors of Operations work, try VPs of Operations before jumping to Finance.
• One region at a time. Keep time zones simple so no-shows don’t spike.
• Clone the proof. Match case studies and the 90-second clip to the new title’s problem.
• Re-validate Quality. Run a micro test (one week) to confirm held rate and decision-maker contact rate before full rollout.

Keep the AQO credit rules tight

• A — Activity: Count shows, not bookings. Keep the per-rep cap.
• Q — Quality: Apply the checklist at booking and day-of. If any box is missing, it doesn’t count.
• O — Outcomes: A counted meeting ends with a next step inside 7 days (owner + date + one-line problem captured).

Early warnings to watch

• More reschedules/no-shows after adding a segment → bad slots or unclear invites.
• Meetings with “helpful” people but not the buyer → adjust account path (middle-up vs. top-down) and tighten the referral ask.
• Outcome drift (“send info” endings) → coach the last 90 seconds; have 2–3 calendar slots ready on every call.

What to track in Phase 7

• Held meetings per rep (shows only)
• Decision-maker contact rate (by segment/title)
• Pitch-to-meeting % (on real conversations)
• Checklist pass rate at booking and day-of
• Next-step set % (of counted meetings)
• Revenue per held meeting (by segment)
• Ramp time to steady performance for new specialists

Deliverables

• Scale plan: who/what you’re adding, start date, ramp targets, coach responsible.
• Updated dashboard: split by segment, title, and pod so drift shows fast.
• QA schedule: sample size per rep/week and who reviews.
• Rollback rule: the exact condition that pauses new adds and triggers a fix.

Goal: Make each touch produce more value. Tighten targeting, reduce no-shows, improve message fit, and raise the meeting-to-next-step rate—while keeping the same or less volume.

What you do

1. Refresh the ICP with real outcomes. Pull the last 60–90 days of closed-won and advanced opportunities. Note title, industry, company size, and the problem stated in the prospect’s words. Update Phase-1 filters (titles, regions, size bands) to reflect where meetings turned into next steps and revenue.

2. Clean the list and the domain. Remove hard bounces, stale titles, non-ICP accounts, and duplicates. Keep unsubscribe and complaint rates low by trimming non-responsive segments. A clean list and healthy domain lift reply quality and held rates.

3. Tune the sequence where the signal is weak. Look at each step’s yield: opens → replies → conversations → meetings → held → next steps. Cut or rewrite steps that don’t move anything forward. Keep the sequence short, clear, and consistent with your voice.

4. Fix no-shows with slot and invite tweaks. Review which days/times hold best. Standardize your invite title and agenda, and add a same-day confirmation plus a day-of reminder. Offer two alternative time slots at booking. If a stakeholder is missing, reschedule and add them rather than taking a thin meeting.

5. Match proof to the problem. Swap in the case result or 90-second clip that fits the title and the pain you’re hearing. If Finance is now a frequent attendee, add a concise ROI example; if Ops is primary, show speed/throughput outcomes.

6. Light multi-threading on important accounts. If a good meeting lacks a budget owner or technical contact, ask to add them before the call or book a quick follow-up with all three. This protects Quality and raises your chance of landing a clear Outcome.

7. Coach the last 90 seconds. Most “nice calls” die here. Practice a plain close: “Before we wrap, what’s the most useful next step for next week—deeper demo Tuesday or budget review Wednesday?” Always offer two slots and confirm ownership.

Guardrails (optimize inside the lines)

• Don’t raise the weekly cap—protect Activity quality.
• Keep the Good Meeting Checklist in the scheduler and enforce it at booking and day-of.
• Credit only meetings that set a next step within seven days (Outcomes).

Small experiments that compound (one per week)

• Subject line or opener (don’t change both).
• First call timing (morning vs. afternoon) while keeping day constant.
• Invite title (“Fit check” vs. outcome-based title).
• Referral ask wording for top-down vs. middle-up paths.
• Proof swap (Ops-focused case vs. ROI mini-story).
• Two-slot offers (“Tue 10:00 / Wed 2:30”) vs. “What works for you?”

Change one variable, run the same touch count, and compare held rate and next-step %.

Why this matters

Optimization isn’t “more activity.” It’s removing waste and sharpening signal. Cleaner lists and better-matched messages lift Quality (more right rooms). Stronger closes and clearer invites lift Outcomes (more next steps). Together, you get more progress from the same effort.

What to track in Phase 8

• Reply quality: % of replies that become real conversations (not OOO or unsubscribes).
• Step-level yield: which email or call step actually books held meetings.
• Appointment-held rate by slot/day and by segment/title.
• Decision-maker contact rate (trend this weekly).
• Next-step set % on counted meetings and the most common next-step type (demo, pilot, budget, technical).
• Time from first meeting to next step (shorter is better).
• Meeting-to-opportunity conversion and revenue per held meeting (by segment).

Deliverables

• Updated ICP and filter list (with a one-paragraph rationale).
• Cleaned master list and a short domain health checklist.
• Revised 10–14-day sequence with one-line notes on why each step exists.
• Proof-to-problem mapping sheet (which asset for which title/pain).
• “No-show SOP” (slot guidelines, invite template, confirmation cadence).
• One-page experiment log (variable, hypothesis, result, decision).

Goal: Prevent drift, catch problems early, and feed learning back into Activity, Quality, and Outcomes so results hold quarter after quarter.

What you do

1. Run a monthly pipeline review. Sort last month’s meetings into two buckets first: Counted (held, passed the checklist, set a next step) and Not Counted. For the Counted bucket, trace what happened next: which titles and industries turned into opportunities and revenue. Update your ICP and proof points based on what actually moved.

2. Close the win/loss loop. After every deal (won or lost), the closer logs a 60-second note:

• Stakeholders involved (by title)
• The problem in the buyer’s words
• Trigger/timing signal (why now)
• What moved it forward or blocked it
• Next step taken (or missing) Roll these notes up monthly to sharpen messaging, invites, and the checklist.

3. Audit call quality (QA) on a schedule. Sample a set number of calls per rep (e.g., 10/month). Score against the Phase-4 quality bar: quick open, two good questions, short value line tied to the buyer’s words, clear ask with two time options, and clean notes with Outcome fields.

4. Enforce stop rules. Define the lines you won’t cross. If any trigger fires, pause changes and fix root causes before adding volume:

• Held rate < 60% for two weeks in a row
• Checklist pass at booking < 90% for a week
• Next-step set (of counted meetings) < 50% for two reviews
• Decision-maker contact rate falls for three straight weeks
• Deliverability warnings (bounce or complaint spikes)

5. Keep scorecards simple and visible. Per rep and per pod, show: held meetings, checklist pass rate, decision-maker contact rate, pitch-to-meeting %, next-step %, meeting-to-opportunity, and revenue per held meeting. Review weekly; pick one change only.

6. Maintain data hygiene. Each month: remove hard bounces and bad domains, merge duplicates, fix titles/roles, archive non-ICP accounts, and re-verify key contacts at your top targets. Healthy lists protect reply quality and held rates.

7. Protect invites and calendar flow. Spot-check that every invite uses the standard title and agenda, includes the right attendees, and has both confirmations (same day + day-of). If a key stakeholder is missing, reschedule with them rather than taking a thin meeting.

8. Refresh training where the work slipped. Use QA findings to run short clinics: opening lines, objection reps, last-90-seconds (the next-step ask), and notes quality. New joiners must pass the Phase-4 certification checklist before full volume.

9. Control experiments. One variable per week (subject line, opener, slot, invite title, proof swap). Log the hypothesis, result, and decision. Roll back any change that moves a core metric more than five points the wrong way.

Review cadence that works

• Weekly: Pod stand-up + AQO scoreboard (held, checklist pass, DM contact, next-step %). Choose one change.
• Monthly: Pipeline review, win/loss roll-up, ICP tweak, sequence/asset refresh, QA results, and stop-rule check.
• Quarterly: Segment health (titles/industries), revenue per held meeting trend, ramp and coaching plan.

QA checklist (use to score calls)

• Open in ≤15 seconds; plain language
• Two questions that confirm role/need/timing
• One-line value tied to the buyer’s words
• Clear ask with two time options
• Notes saved before the next call (title/role, trigger, budget/timing clue, Outcome fields: owner + date + one-line problem)

What to track in Phase 9

• Activity: Held meetings (shows only) by rep/pod/segment
• Quality: Checklist pass at booking and day-of; decision-maker contact rate; no-show/reschedule rates by slot
• Outcomes: Next-step set % (counted meetings only); time from first meeting to next step
• Progress: Meeting-to-opportunity and opportunity-to-win; revenue per held meeting; cycle time
• Hygiene: Bounce %, unsubscribe/complaint rates; duplicate and stale-contact counts
• QA: Pass rate per rep; coaching actions taken and resolved

Deliverables

• Governance pack: monthly review deck (AQO metrics, decisions, and changes)
• QA schedule and scorecards: sample size, reviewers, and themes
• Updated ICP snapshot: titles/segments to prioritize next month
• Experiment log: variable tested, result, keep/kill decision
• Training plan: clinics to run next month based on QA and win/loss

Why this matters: Governance keeps the guardrails tight. You continue to count Activity as shows, protect Quality with the checklist, and award credit only when Outcomes are set. That’s how the system stays reliable as you add people, segments, and months of work.