How to Generate High-Quality B2B Leads in Vietnam

Struggling to crack the Vietnamese B2B market? You’re not alone.
For many foreign businesses, Vietnam is a fast-growing, digitally connected, and rich industrial land of promise. Yet, turning potential into profits is rarely straightforward. What works in your home country might fall flat here, where local relationships and business culture play an outsized role in decision-making.

Whether you’re launching a new product, setting up operations, or expanding your partner network, the real challenge lies in one thing: generating high-quality B2B leads that convert.

So how do you break through the noise in Vietnam’s competitive market? Let’s explore.

7 Proven Strategies to Generate High-Quality B2B Leads in Vietnam

1. Localize Your Value Proposition

Your product or service may be globally competitive, but is it relevant to Vietnamese businesses? Every market requires specific hands-on approaches. Here are a couple of tips to give you an upper hand against competitors:

  • Don’t settle for just localizing language. You also need to adapt the context.
  • Highlight how you solve local pain points. Emphasize how your services deal with supply chain delays or regulatory compliance.
  • Use local success stories or case studies where possible.

Pro tip: Partner with a local consultancy firm like Double M to fine-tune your messaging.

2. Leverage Vietnamese B2B Platforms

While LinkedIn is growing in Vietnam, it’s not the only game in town. Explore other B2B platforms to maximize your potential presence in the market, such as:

  • MuaBanNhanh, BizViet, and VietnamBiz are widely used by local companies.
  • Zalo, Vietnam’s top messaging app, is increasingly used for B2B communication and advertising.

Optimize your company profile on these platforms and explore native ad placements.

Pro tip: A/B test ad creatives localized in Vietnamese and monitor CTRs closely. Local language significantly boosts engagement.

3. Attend Trade Shows and Industry Events

In-person interaction still reigns supreme in Vietnam’s B2B culture. Attend major events like Vietnam Expo, VietBuild, or Vietnam Manufacturing Expo. Consider sponsoring a booth or hosting a workshop to showcase your company’s thought leadership. Try to focus on relationship-building over hard selling.

Face-to-face meetings can fast-track decision-making and establish trust much faster than cold outreach.

Pro tip:  Don’t wait for walk-ins. Use exhibitor lists and LinkedIn to schedule meetings ahead of time with target attendees.

4. Build a Strong Local Partner Network

If you’re not “in the circle,” your outreach may fall on deaf ears. That’s why partnerships matter. Work with local distributors, consultants, or B2B service providers who already have market access. If all else fails, consider joint ventures to pool resources and contacts.

Warm introductions carry significant weight in Vietnamese business culture.

Pro tip:  Ask partners to personally introduce you to key stakeholders via Zalo or email. Cold intros are far less effective in Vietnam.

5. Invest in Vietnamese-Language SEO and Content Marketing

Google Search still dominates, and Vietnamese-language search terms are key to visibility. Optimize your site for Vietnamese keywords relevant to your niche. Commit to publishing locally-relevant content: white papers, blog posts, or explainer videos in Vietnamese. Local backlinks from reputable Vietnam domains (.vn) can boost your rankings.

Content that educates rather than sells tends to generate better B2B engagement.

Pro tip:  Use native Vietnamese writers with industry knowledge to craft content that actually resonates. Avoid Google Translate or artificial translators at all costs.

6. Use Targeted LinkedIn Outreach

LinkedIn is gaining popularity among Vietnamese professionals, especially in tech and manufacturing. Here are a couple of proven tips to excel in this area:

  • Use Sales Navigator to segment decision-makers by industry, role, and region.
  • Personalize every message; referencing industry challenges or recent local news goes a long way.
  • Avoid aggressive tactics; relationship-first still applies.

Pro tip:  Focus on decision-makers in high-growth sectors like logistics, manufacturing, and tech.

7. Run Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Campaigns

ABM is a strategic marketing approach that targets high-value individuals to build stronger customer relationships. ABM works especially well in Vietnam’s B2B space, where individual relationships matter more than volume. Here are the steps for a successful ABM:

  • Identify 10–50 high-value companies you want to work with.
  • Create customized landing pages or campaigns tailored to each company’s needs.
  • Use paid ads on Google and Zalo to remarket to decision-makers.

ABM helps cut through the noise and speak directly to your ideal leads.

Pro tip:  For top-tier accounts, send localized welcome kits or company swag via a local partner. Physical touchpoints work wonders in Vietnam.

Common Mistakes Foreign Companies Make

Now that you know the do’s, let’s quickly address the don’ts and some pain points foreign companies often encounter:

  • Cold outreach falls flat: Mass emails or LinkedIn blasts often get ignored, especially if there’s no prior relationship.
  • Language and cultural barriers: Miscommunication can easily derail a promising lead.
  • Poor local visibility: Without a strong online and offline presence in Vietnam, even great offerings go unnoticed.
  • Lack of local trust: Vietnamese B2B buyers value long-term relationships, not transactional sales.

Understanding these pitfalls is the first step. The next? Adapting your strategy through an expert local consultancy.

How Double M Can Help Generate Quality Leads

As a market entry consultant, Double M has a lead generation service tailored for your benefit. Like we’ve covered above, and through our extensive experience in the Vietnamese market, here’s the formula you need to generate quality leads and achieve B2B success:

Patience + Localization = B2B Success in Vietnam

Generating high-quality B2B leads in Vietnam isn’t about blasting your message, it’s about earning attention, building trust, and showing that you understand the market. It takes time, cultural sensitivity, and a local-first mindset. But here’s the catch: You can’t rely on generic, global strategies. Vietnam demands a more nuanced, localized approach.

If you’re ready to invest in relationships, adapt your approach, and play the long game, Vietnam could become one of your most valuable markets in Asia. Need help getting started? Double M can help you bridge cultural gaps, craft localized campaigns, and generate leads that actually convert.