Use case · prospect
B2B lead nurturing: accompany prospects over months and hand them over at the right moment
In B2B, a decision often takes a year. If you stay silent during that time, you will be forgotten. If you call too early, you get in the way. The PBM Campaign Platform accompanies prospects with content that suits their role and notifies sales when interest rises measurably.
Lead = prospect with contact details
Example
Definition
What is B2B lead nurturing?
B2B lead nurturing is the systematic accompaniment of business prospects over a longer decision period. The aim is for the prospect to make an informed decision and for sales to approach them at the right time. Unlike a newsletter, the journey responds to the behaviour of each individual prospect.
Typical mistakes
Why do B2B leads get lost between marketing and sales?
Most leads are not lost because the product does not fit. They are lost at the interface:
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01
Everyone gets everything.
The buyer reads performance data, the engineer reads pricing arguments.
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02
Handover based on gut feeling.
Sales calls every trade fair contact – or none.
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03
No end.
Contacts without a response keep receiving content for years.
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04
No consent.
Even in B2B, promotional emails need a legal basis.
Sample journey · example
What does a B2B lead nurturing journey look like?
Example: the fictional Muster Maschinenbau GmbH accompanies prospects for a new generation of equipment, such as the purchasing department of Beispiel Kunststoff GmbH. All values are example values.
Profile · equipment generation guide
- Trigger
Registration on a landing page for a specialist guide or import of trade fair contacts with consent.
- Segment
Prospects with marketing consent, no open quote yet.
- Two journeys in one campaign
‘Purchasing’ role (cost-effectiveness, lifetime costs) and ‘Engineering’ role (performance data, integration). Both contribute to the same goal.
- Lead score
Points per response, with time decay. Threshold for handover: 60.
Steps · ‘Purchasing’ journey
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Four checks before entry.
Routing by role, consent in place, no previous run, no higher-priority campaign.
PurchasingEngineering
-
Registration
Landing page
-
Send
Confirmation
-
Wait for event
confirmed (7 days)
-
Send
Guide
-
Loop · wait
14 days
-
Send
Content n
-
Condition
Lead score ≥ 60
- Rule
- Lead score ≥ 60
- [Property]
- [Value]
-
Task
Notify field sales
-
Wait for event
CRM feedback (21 days)
Example · demo data[Caption per page] -
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Confirmation of registration (double opt-in).
An email with a confirmation link. Wait for the ‘confirmed’ event (up to 7 days). Without confirmation, no further emails are sent.
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Guide.
Download link on a dedicated landing page; the sender is the contact person in inside sales.
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One piece of content per role.
Case example, cost-effectiveness calculator, webinar invitation. Every email leads to a dedicated landing page. Every response earns points.
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Condition after each piece of content: score of 60 or more?
Yes → step 6. No → next piece of content.
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Handover to sales.
Field sales receives a task with context: ‘Used calculator twice, attended webinar, role: purchasing.’ From now on, the nurturing sends nothing more.
Purchasing · Beispiel Kunststoff GmbH
[Campaign name]Waiting · sales feedback
- Registration confirmed
- Guide downloaded
- Calculator used (2×)
- Webinar attended
- Lead score 64 ↑
Example · demo data[Caption per page] -
Waiting state: ‘waiting for sales feedback’ (up to 21 days).
If the CRM reports ‘quote requested’ via API, the macro goal has been reached. If it reports ‘still too early’, the contact exits and can re-enter after 30 days.
waiting · up to 21 days
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Reduce frequency when there is silence.
If the score remains low for 90 days, the contact switches to a monthly rhythm.
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Exit after 180 days without a response.
The journey ends – with no further promotional emails.
PurchasingEngineering
-
Registration
Landing page
-
Send
Confirmation
-
Wait for event
confirmed (7 days)
-
Send
Guide
-
Loop · wait
14 days
-
Send
Content n
-
Condition
Lead score ≥ 60
- Rule
- Lead score ≥ 60
- [Property]
- [Value]
-
Task
Notify field sales
-
Wait for event
CRM feedback (21 days)
Purchasing · Beispiel Kunststoff GmbH
[Campaign name]Waiting · sales feedback
- Registration confirmed
- Guide downloaded
- Calculator used (2×)
- Webinar attended
- Lead score 64 ↑
Goals
Micro goals: registration confirmed · guide downloaded · calculator used · registered for webinar. Primary macro goal: quote requested.
Exit paths (exactly one reason per exit)
- Converted: quote requested – via landing page form or CRM notification.
- Completed, negative: 180 days without a response – deliberately ended.
- Not confirmed: no double opt-in confirmation – no marketing.
- Back to nurturing: sales reports ‘still too early’.
- Left segment: quote already open or has become a customer.
- Withdrawal / unsubscribe: stops everything immediately.
Lead score
How do you build a lead score that sales trusts?
The lead score in the PBM Campaign Platform is a rule-based points model. You define which response earns how many points. Older responses count for less. Every sales representative can understand why a contact is considered ‘warm’.
| Response | Points |
|---|---|
| Guide downloaded | 10 |
| Case example read | 10 |
| Cost-effectiveness calculator used | 20 |
| Webinar attended | 25 |
| Landing page pricing page visited | 15 |
| 30 days without a response | Points decay gradually |
The score is kept at two levels: per campaign and for the contact overall. Optionally, an AI AI forecast supplements the points model; it can be switched off.
Example
Variants
How does lead nurturing work in dealer networks and in the fleet business?
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SMEs, B2B industry & wholesale
SMEs & B2BAs in the example. Content per role, handover to field sales or inside sales.
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Manufacturer and dealer networks
Branch, dealer & franchise networksThe manufacturer generates leads centrally; the nurturing runs in its brand. On handover, the responsible dealer receives the task – and sees only its own contacts.
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Automotive
Fleet customers
Automotive & car dealershipsBusiness customers with a vehicle fleet receive content on lifetime costs and electrification. Handover to the dealership’s fleet adviser.
Personalisation
What can be controlled individually in B2B?
‘Individual for every recipient – but only with data approved for that purpose.’
- Role (purchasing, engineering, management)
- Prospect’s industry
- Sender fixed contact person
- Frequency based on response
- Landing page per piece of content
- Handover to the responsible sales team by territory
Measure
Which KPIs show whether lead nurturing is working?
| KPI | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Confirmed registrations | How many leads have a basis for marketing |
| Micro goals per piece of content | Which content generates interest |
| Time to handover | How long your sales cycle really is |
| Handovers to sales | How many warm leads are generated |
| ‘Still too early’ feedback | Whether the threshold is set correctly |
| Quote requests (macro goal) | The contribution to revenue |
| Exit after 180 days | How many leads do not mature |
No benchmarks without evidence.
Campaign [CAMPAIGN]
- Brand All
- Channel All
- Period 30 days
- [KPI][VALUE]
- [KPI][VALUE]
- [KPI][VALUE]
- [KPI][VALUE]
Funnel · micro → macro
- confirmed
- Guide
- Calculator
- Handover
- Quote requested
Channel comparison · LP logins
- Muster Maschinenbau GmbH
Explain your Campaign
- [AI EXPLANATION]
Preparation
What should you prepare for B2B lead nurturing?
Data
- Company
- Role
- Industry
- Territory and responsible sales team
- Consent with date and source
- Status from the CRM (quote open, customer)
Interface
- Feedback from the CRM via API (‘quote requested’, ‘still too early’)
Consents
- Double opt-in for registrations
- Proof of consent for trade fair contacts
- Unsubscribe link in every email
Content
- four to six pieces of content per role
- Landing pages
- Webinar invitation
- Handover text for sales
Rules
- Points model with time decay
- Handover threshold
- Frequency
- Exit after silence
Frequently asked questions about B2B lead nurturing
When should marketing hand a lead over to sales?
When interest rises measurably, not after a fixed period. In the PBM Campaign Platform, a rule-based lead score condenses a prospect’s responses. If it exceeds your threshold, the responsible sales team receives a task with context, and the nurturing pauses.
Do I need consent for promotional emails in B2B?
Yes, in principle. Section 7(2) UWG requires the prior express consent of the recipient for email marketing – including when addressed to companies. For prospects who have not made a purchase, the existing-customer exception does not apply. As of September 2026, not legal advice.
How does the lead score work?
You award points per response, for example for a download, using a calculator or attending a webinar. Older responses lose weight. The score is kept per campaign and for the contact overall. Optionally, an AI forecast that can be switched off supplements the points model.
What happens if sales says the lead is still too early?
The feedback comes from your CRM via API. The contact leaves the journey with a fixed reason and can re-enter the nurturing after a blocking period. This lets your team learn whether the handover threshold is set correctly.
How long should you accompany prospects who do not respond?
Not indefinitely. In the example, the frequency drops to a monthly rhythm after 90 days without a response, and the journey ends after 180 days. You set the timings yourself.