Cold outreach is unpopular but can be effective. Many deals I’ve closed originated from cold calls. The problem often lies in the industry’s malpractice, ranging from scripted calls to unstrategic approaches.

Focusing only on lead generation ignores underlying business issues that can sabotage success. Generic approaches fail to capture unique offerings, potentially damaging your brand. Effective lead generation requires a complete sales support system, including strategic positioning and skilled personnel.

A client of mine in B2B branding and lead generation for tech companies exemplifies this. Their indiscriminate prospect list and generic messaging yielded poor results. We refined our approach by targeting specific segments, like software companies with Series B funding, and crafted messages highlighting our client’s unique strengths. This strategic shift led to a successful branding project closure.

Many lead generation firms lack a cohesive messaging strategy. They may identify market segments but often miss the core message alignment. A lead generation company we replaced at a telemedicine client focused on quantity over quality, resulting in no sales despite high meeting numbers. We repositioned the client’s offer, targeting CEOs of self-insured companies and emphasizing how telemedicine reduces absenteeism and benefits costs. This approach led to successful closures, illustrating the importance of a comprehensive strategy beyond just lead generation.

The takeaway is that lead generation alone is insufficient. Successful sales strategies require deep positioning, messaging work, and skilled teams to convert leads into revenue, especially if your brand isn’t already well-known.