The Drum
Lead Generation Content Marketing
A B2B lead generation case study: turning member insight into an evergreen lead magnet
Challenge
How can listening to members, and giving them a voice, turn into a new lead acquisition strategy?
Insight
The Drum Network needed a new lead acquisition strategy. Members spoke of their frustration with the agency pitching model. So Niki, our lead generation strategist, suggested a white paper showcasing advice from network members and industry experts. Members were keen for this industry problem and solution to reach a wider audience. Experts wanted exposure, and we knew their high-value expertise would magnetise a pipeline of potential new members in need of peer guidance and support. The idea — a member-built lead magnet — struck a chord across the board.
How can a single lead magnet solve an expensive problem for prospects and turn long-form editorial into b2b lead generation?
Niki wrote ‘How to Swerve The Cancelled Pitch’ a gated evergreen white paper. This asset became a core lead magnet, cross-promoted via dedicated editorial articles on The Drum and supported by paid media to ensure maximum reach. By inviting members to provide the expertise, the community provided social proof for network membership. By collaborating with industry-leading experts like Win Without Pitching, The Great Pitch Company, JFDI and the BD100, the content procured additional promotion. Employee advocacy boosted it further. The project acquired a steady pipeline of new membership leads, while simultaneously providing amplified exposure for existing members, increasing retention. Win-win.
Brand
The Drum
Industry
Publishing
Professional Services
Skills
Lead Generation Strategy
Content Marketing
Led by
Niki McMorrough
500+
new leads captured via the gated whitepaper in the first 6 weeks
+30%
rise in member satisfaction by celebrating members voices
+30%
increased retention by expanding members exposure to promo content
Lead generation results: 500+ b2b leads in 6 weeks and +30% member retention
Questions worth answering
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We start by finding the audience’s most acute unsolved problem, then build the content that earns the trade. Add the right social proof and peers attract peers into the inner circle. If you’re ready to make your gated content work harder, let’s talk.
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There’s a model that delivers it all — reach at the top, leads at the depth, retention through listening and involvement — and the calibration is brand-specific. We’ll help you find the balance that fits your audience and your goals. Send us your brief and we’ll map it out.
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The right contributors turn into amplifiers — sharing, defending, recruiting through their own networks. We help you identify who they are and how to activate them. If you’d like your community working as an extension of your marketing, let’s discuss.