In B2B, it is critical that you understand the importance of the industrial buy cycle: the steps buyers engage in when purchasing products and services. While the stages of the process haven't changed over the years, the way buyers navigate through the buy cycle and where they go to get information has changed dramatically.

The online lead generation market is in the early stages of shifting away from the easy money of arbitrage profits to a more value-added model driven by content. Because consumers are getting savvier and the Justice Department is becoming more protective of consumers' privacy, lead generation companies need to embrace the concept of "opt-in" transparency.

As the ongoing and irrevocable shift to digital marketing continues, a new mindset is required to reap the greatest rewards. In the past, marketers often would take a linear path to develop a campaign: nail down the audience, the positioning, the offers, then build the Web site, landing pages and media. While every bit of this process is valid, even the best of us can't always hit the bulls-eye the first time. But here's how to improve your odds....