B2b Small business owners
Why B2B Small Business Owners Struggle To Generate Leads
John Welch
Owner | IAD Growth
In This Post
1. Why Lead Generation Doesn't Work
Small business owners are more familiar than anyone with the challenges of generating leads. It's the never ending struggle that comes with owning and operating a small business.
"Where is my next customer coming from?" Is a question that keeps many small business owners up at night. And, while many profess to know the answer, nothing really ever seems to work.
The real reason lead generation doesn't work for small business owners is because they never do anything long enough to get results. And the reason for this is because lead generation takes much, much longer thana business owner thinks it should or wants it to.
I can hear you right now "yeah, there's no way it's that simple."
Yes, it is.
How Long It Really Takes To Generate Leads
It took me 10 years to figure out that the reason I wasn't generating leads is because I wouldn't give anything enough time to actually work. My time horizons were 30 days, 90 days, maybe 6 months if I was insanely committed.
But when I finally got things to start working, it had been 4 years since I started.
It took me 4 years to figure out how to consistently generate leads for my business. And, even then, "consistently generate leads" was not what I thought it was going to be.
What no one ever tells small business owners is that it's not tactics that generate you leads, it's grit. It's the ability to stomach spending money on something that looks like it isn't working, sometimes for years.
Generating leads is like building muscle. Year one is just getting the habit and the discipline in place. Year 2 is where you maybe start to see some results. Year 3 things start to pick up. And year 4 you can't believe how things are going.
But year four is a long way off when you're at year zero.
Why Time Is Important For Lead Generation
After I started getting success generating leads for my business, I began to see why time is so important. It's the one thing that almost no one is willing to invest. I've worked with owners who are happy to throw $20K at lead generation if it was going to generate them results in 30 days.
Those same people are completely unwilling to spend $20K over the course of a year to consistently do lead generation for long enough to make it work.
"It's a number's game" is true, but everyone looks at the wrong number. The number is time, not volume.
Time is important because it's what allows you to build the muscle you need to stay consistent. Lots of business owners have the cash to throw at lead generation. But high volume, short-lived lead generation will never work.
What works is committment to the process. Taking small steps, one day at a time. The slow burn. This allows a small business owner to make mistakes without hurting themselves. It allows them to test different approaches and make adjustments, a little bit at a time.
Lead generation is never a hit on the first try. So if your first try some massive push and then you quickly give up, of course it's not going to work...
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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
Customer experiences
We have partnered with over 100 small businesses and startups
See what our customers have to say about us.
"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
"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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