B2b Small business owners
10 Signs The "Guru" Playbook Crippled Your B2B Lead Generation Strategy
John Welch
Owner | IAD Growth
In This Post
1. You're constantly feeling like you're not doing enough
The easiest mistake to fall into is the trap of "more." More activities and more volume means more leads. It makes sense on a surface level, but in B2B lead generation, more is not better.
What makes B2B lead generation work is quality, not quantity. If you constantly feel like you're not doing enough, it's probably because you're doing too much. Activity for the sake of activity is stressful. It also makes it difficult to tell if anything is working.
Instead of doing more, try doing better. Write less emails, but write better ones. Focus your calling targeting, but make better calls. Write fewer blog posts, but write better blog posts.
Quality in B2B lead gen is about specificity and professionalism. Clearly stating who you work with in a professional way is what generates B2B leads.
2. You keep adding service offerings instead of focusing on a core offer
It's an easy trap to fall into. More services means more potential leads, right? Wrong. More services means more things to get wrong and more complexity to your business. Both of these are the enemy of lead generation for small businesses, startups, and solopreneurs.
Focusing on a core offer allows you to get really clear on who you work with and what you do for them. This clarity translates into very specific messaging that makes it easy to stand out and for potential customers to find you.
The more services you offer, the more you increase your chances of confusing potential customers or missing out on quality leads because you weren't specific enough for them to find you.
3. You're trying to serve too many different markets or buyers
It's tempting to work with more markets and buyers because it feels like a bigger market would mean more leads. This isn't how it works. Business owners in $1M-$5M businesses are dealing with very different problems than CFOs in mid-market companies. While your product may serve both of them, you can't reach them both with the same campaigns.
For most small businesses, getting incredibly focused on a very specific customer is the fastest route to successful lead generation. Knowing exactly what problem you are solving and exactly who you are solving it for will streamline your messaging and allow you to build highly relevant offers.
The more markets you try to serve, the more diluded your messaging gets. Opening up your branding to incorporate wider audiences is something you do once you've grown past the lead generation stage. When every lead counts, you can't afford to dilute your messaging or alter your focus.
4. You're scrambling after big deals instead of getting good at closing small ones
Base hits are the lifeblood of a small business. And, they're what keep lead generation efforts going. Big deals are great, but they take a long time to close and are risky because they can still fall through, leaving you with 9 months of lead gen costs that end up amounting to nothing.
Lead generation is most effective when it's focused on bread and butter deals for your business. Winning consistently is much more important than winning big. It gives you the revenue you need to keep doing lead generation and that's what allows you to have the freedom to foster those bigger deals.
The purpose of lead generation is to get as many "at bats" as you can. Focus on the customer profile who is most likely to have the problem you solve and speak to as many of those people as you can.
You will find big deals along the way, but focusing on big deals is likely to make you miss the small ones. Small deals keep you alive and pay the bills. Big deals are the gravy on top. Don't confuse them.
5. You don't have a clear and repeatable offer
Offers in B2B can feel gimmicky sometimes because they're commonly modeled on B2C marketing. This is a mistake because B2C marketing operates on a fundamentally different model than B2B. Business-to-buisness companies can't afford to give away free services on a regular basis, or offer money-back guarantees. B2B business is inherently more risky and much more expensive than B2C services.
A great B2B offer is something that allows your customers to get a taste of your services in a low-risk way. This doesn't mean you cut your rates or devalue your service. It means your put a package together that allows your customer to experience your quality of service and get a feel for the kind of results you can produce, but at a low cost and in a short amount of time.
An example of this would be my phone-call lead generation pilots. They're $750 and provide 2 calling blocks, 300 mobile phone contacts, and a targeting and messaging consultation. I'm charging full price for my services, but I'm allowing the customer to get a taste in a low-risk way. If they like what I do, we can keep working together. If they don't, then they're only out $750.
And, there's a real chance that I generate a lead on that pilot, I've done it many times. Which means the full potential of value is there, even in that small engagement.
This is how you structure a great B2B offer.
6. You tried all the lead gen channels at once, did them all poorly, and then gave up on lead generation
"We tried that and it didn't work for us." This is one of the most common things I hear from small business owners and founders. What this actually means is that they gave a half-hearted attempt at a whole bunch of things and when they didn't work, they gave up.
Every lead generation channel is it's own entire ecosystem. The nuances of how the channel works, how audiences behave, what kind of strategies make sense and which don't. These things take time and experience to understand.
When a company "tries lead gen," this usually means they're doing the most basic things that are talked about by popular books or content online. These are all the exact strategies and tactics that don't work because everyone is telling you to do them.
It usually takes time and trial and error to figure out your way of making a lead gen channel work. This can't be "hacked" by looking up a couple videos online and then copying what someone else is doing. You may get a couple of successes, but you won't actually understand what works and you won't be able to create consistent results.
Every lead generation channels needs it's own investment, testing, and time to figure it out. It's much more effective to pick a channel that you are going to master and then do whatever it takes to get results in that channel. If you do this, and it still doesn't work, then you can say that specific channel doesn't work.
But, the point where you can disqualify a channel is way beyond where most people stop. A full year is a good time frame to test a lead gen channel to figure out if it can work for you or not.
7. You're not testing or using a lead generation channel because someone said "it's dead"
Depending on where you look, you'll find someone telling you that every lead generation channel is "dead." People on LinkedIn love to talk about everything being dead. The email folks say the phone is dead. The phone folks say email is dead. The ad folks tell you both email and phone are dead. The website people say everything is dead and inbound web leads are the only thing.
The truth is that nothing is dead. All lead gen channels can work if you work them. In some cases, there are real barriers that make certain lead gen channels more or less effective for certain businesses. This is why testing is so important.
When you rule out a channel as "dead" because someone said it is, you're potentially missing out on a very effective and successful lead generation channel. Only rule out channels that you have tested legitimately and have enough data to show that investing in that channel will not yield a profitable result.
8. You decided not to pursue a lead gen channel because "I would never respond to that"
Business owners and entreprenuers have strong opinions. It's usually one of the reasons they're successful in their business in the first place. Have a clear point of view and taking decisive action on that view are the only way to build any kind of business. When it comes to lead generation, this is the exact opposite of a successful mindset.
Personal preferences or "gut checks" have no business in lead generation. How your audience likes to buy is not something you can predict or decide for them. "I never answer my phone" says the Founder who refuses to do phone call lead generation. "I delete 20 emails like that every day" says the business owner who doesn't believe in emails. "I would never fill out a form on somebody's website," says the entreprenuer who refuses to optimize their site for SEO or work on any blog content.
These are blind spots that are hurting your lead generation. All lead generation channels should be explored and tested. Ignoring a channel or refusing to try it because "I would never respond to that" is only hurting your business.
9. You expect results to happen immediately
Another common personality trait for entreprenuers is wanting things immediately. It's a powerful tool when it comes to moving fast, learning quickly, and staying productive. It's a massive liability when it comes to lead generation. Lead generation takes time, consistency, and quality. The combination of these three things can often make it the bane of a business owner.
A full year is a minimum amount of time if you want to realistically understand a lead generation channel. Six months is just getting started. 90 days is the first step.
Most business owners will try something for 30 days and give up. This is like eating one salad, stepping on the scale immediately, and then declaring "healthy food doesn't work."
In B2B services and software companies, time is your ally. The bad news is that it takes time, the good news is that it takes time. If you can be the one founder or owner that sticks it out, you can beat your competition just by holding on.
Lead generation is more about continuing than it is about results. The results come when it's done consistently for a long time.
10. You're focusing on "blue ocean" strategies instead of offering what people are buying right now
It's extremely tempting to focus on the next shiny thing as your lead generation strategy. It makes a lot of sense. If you talk about the thing no one is talking about, well then you're the only one talking about it. The problem is that if you're the only one talking about it, that's probably beacuse there aren't a lot of buyers for it yet.
"Blue ocean" strategies can make you feel like you're targeting a huge audience that no one is talking to. In reality, you're targeting a tiny audience and you don't even know if they're real.
The best way to do lead generation is to find what people are already buying and start your lead generation there. "Blue ocean" strategies only work for highly innovative products that solve a problem no one is solving, or huge companies that have the money and time to invest in creating a new market and influencing buyer behavior. For small businesses, the best thing to do is pick an obvious problem that is easy to talk about. Then talk to as many people as you can and find people who are looking for help.
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About Us
Honest and transparent phone call lead generation for B2B companies
IAD Growth provides phone call lead generation services to startups and small busineses. Our primary focus is transparent, sustainable lead generation services that give small businesses and startups the opportunity to generate real business results through a low-risk, no pressure lead generation partnership.
John Welch | Owner
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"I've worked with lead generation companies in the past, but the quality of phone call leads we’re receiving from IAD Growth is on a different level.
Most phone call lead generation partners use call centers to make lots of calls and try to pressure prospects into taking meetings that are never going to show. IAD Growth takes the time to build high quality lists of likely prospects and use the best data to increase chances of reaching the right people. They're approach to the call is different as well, they don't pressure or push, they deliver your value proposition in a professional manner and book meetings with prospects that have expressed real interest in your service. On top of all of that, they are fully transparent in their business model, tracking, and reporting of all conversations and dial metrics. I can't recommend IAD Growth enough."
Ian Illig
Co-Founder | Stompbox
"I came up using the phone to grow my business, so I know it works. The real trick is finding a company you can trust to do the real work of phone call lead generation without harming your brand reputation or having to worry they're pressuring potential customers or using questionable "tactics."
IAD Growth provides professional phone call lead generation. They help you build high quality lists, they make targeted phone calls, and they deliver your value proposition in a respectful and firm manner.
I would recommend IAD Growth to any businesses that provides a B2B service or product and needs a sustainable way to start high quality conversations with potential customers in their market."
Don Pelham
Founder | Global Dealer Solutions
"Highly Recommend -
I have been involved with cold calling and business development for more than 25 years, and John Welch at IAD Growth is doing it differently than anyone I have worked with before.
They are using technology, data, and constant testing to bring a much more scientific approach to phone calls and email outreach. They provide all the data, dials, connects, conversation time, etc., so that we can test and make adjustments.
What I liked best about IAD is that there was no BS sales pitch. John is straightforward that cold calling works for some products and markets and not for others. For a $750 trial, I think it would be silly not to give IAD Growth a shot."
Rob Martorana
Head of Partnerships | Theo AI
"If you want a lead generation partner who actually moves at the speed of your business, John is the person you hire. He brings an incredible, infectious energy to every campaign, but backs it up with a highly structured, professional approach. What sets John apart in the tele-lead gen space is his ability to listen—he doesn't just run a standard playbook; he deeply understands our target audience and adapts in real-time. He is fast, relentless, and a total professional. I couldn’t recommend him more highly."
Todd Sabath
Chief Commercial Officer | PromptWrx
"I worked with John this year on some outbound calling campaigns and he gave me a ton of insight into how to better approach our target market. He did everything he said he would do plus more. I really appreciated his straightforward approach to outbound calling. No fluff, just real conversations and solid follow through. If you’re looking for someone to do outbound calling on your behalf, I would absolutely recommend working with him. I plan to keep working with him going forward. "
Josh Varner
COO | A Couple of Gurus
"John is awesome. We've talked for years about business and when we finally had a need for his services, he absolutely delivered as promised. He's booked so many calls that if we didn't have great processes, we would have become overwhelmed quickly. Truly a master of his craft, and beyond that he's just a good dude."
Ryan Grimes
President | My IT Indy
"I’ve worked with John twice now, and both engagements delivered solid results. He brings discipline, structure, and persistence to outbound prospecting, and understands that cold outreach is about execution and continuous refinement.
John knows how to navigate conversations, challenge objections, and turn cold calls into real opportunities."
Wagner Lopes
Executive Director | Luby
"John has actually been a consultant for me, almost like a board advisor working with me and my executive team.
What you pay to John, you get a return on investment, you brand is held to a high degree in the market, and he gets results quick and is a nice, ethical guy.
John can converse at shop floor and the boardroom level. I've been very happy with John's work. I don't give testimonials and put my name out there unless I mean it. So if you're looking for a partner to help you with setting up appointments, it will not be a waste of time and money working with John."
Luke McCormack
CEO | Roofing Talent America
"I can't recommend John highly enough.
One of the biggest challenges with hiring someone to do outbound or your company is being able to trust them to do what they say they are going to go.
This integirty - along with his skill - is what separates John from the rest."
Chris Caldwell
Founder | Sell As You Are
IAD Growth has been generating leads for small businesses and startups since 2022.
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