Congrats! You've created a terrific whitepaper, and now you're adding a download link to a free copy of it on your landing page. All your prospects have to do is enter their email addresses, and voila! Instant whitepaper! Perfect B2B lead generation, right?

Well, not quite so perfect, says Michele Linn in a recent post at the Savvy B2B Marketing blog. Linn says it's far better to send a whitepaper download link in an email to prospects once they've provided their e-addresses at your site. Among her reasons for adding this extra step:

• People are more likely to provide a valid address if they know they will receive the offer in an email.
• You can use email tracking software to tell if and when someone has downloaded the offer, and if the email was forwarded.
• The email provides a second touch to your company. And the email will likely sit in the person's inbox for a bit, reminding them of you.
• The email provides your contact information, which is a great reference for the reader.

"These types of emails have very high open rates," Linn concludes, "so they're a great way to start a dialogue with your prospects and provide them with more information about your solution."

The Po!nt: Reach out and send that download. Adding this one simple step to a free offer adds an all-important touch point, and increases the chances your B2B prospect will touch back.

Source: Savvy B2B Marketing. Read the full post here.

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