Lead Generation Strategies for Success

Lead generation can often feel like a chore on salespeople’s never-ending to-do lists. A task that has to be ticked off, rather than something we enjoy.

But lead generation is an important part of your sales process. At its heart, it’s about creating new opportunities, starting conversations and building relationships – because if you’re not talking to your future customers, they can’t buy from you. 

If you’ve lost your lead gen mojo, this is the blog post for you. In a recent Ethical Sales Academy masterclass, we asked two lead generation experts to share their insights with us: Laura Greenwood, founder of Your Lead Generation and Michael K. Adonteng, CEO at Ovule Consulting. 

The result is a fantastic overview of lead generation in 2025, the power of the personal when it comes to your strategy, and some clever ways to make it more fun!

Lead generation in 2025

There’s no doubt that lead generation has shifted dramatically in the last two decades. The move from phone-based lead generation to email is a massive one, as is the rise of LinkedIn and, more recently, automation tools. Even covid created a fundamental shift in how we approach lead generation, with the move to online that was necessary during the pandemic still lingering for many.

Buyers in 2025 may be money-rich, but they are time-poor. They have a lot more choice when it comes to solutions. And they’re armed with information: they’ll do their research before they reach out to a company. 

“We need to do a lot more hard work and be more insight-driven to build trust.”
Michael K. Adonteng  

In order to be successful at lead generation, it’s crucial to know about these trends and dynamics. But it’s also important not to make assumptions about buyers. 

Buyers are more open-minded than we think

An oft-believed assumption is that with this wealth of information available, buyers are content to do their research and don’t want to be contacted. Recent research from The Rain Group, however, gives some very interesting insights that challenge this.

• Only 2% of buyers don’t want to be spoken to at all before they buy – which means a staggering 98% are open to being approached. 
• 71% of buyers are happy to hear from sellers at the research stage.
• 62% of sellers are happy to be contacted when they’re trying to fix a problem.

Armed with these statistics, it’s time for a rethink about lead generation.

A more holistic approach to lead generation

The shift in the buyer landscape does mean that lead generation is harder than it used to be – it’s no longer a question of making 100 phone calls and hoping that some of them land. Instead, it’s necessary to take a more multifaceted approach that taps into the psychology of buyers. 

Firstly, consider how your buyers might like to be contacted. Test different methods to see what works, then double down on those that do.

Secondly, as mentioned above, don’t assume you already know the best way to contact your buyers. In The Rain Group research, when buyers were asked how they preferred to be contacted, it showed that email is still the most popular method (80%), followed by a phone call (49%) and direct mail (36%). It may also feel a bit of a surprise that phone calls are so high up the list, above platforms such as LinkedIn.

Be persistent, but aim to add value at every touchpoint

Persistence is also key when it comes to lead generation. The Rain Group research found that it takes between five and eight touchpoints to generate a desired conversion, which is also backed up by other surveys. 

In order to achieve these touchpoints, think about what you can share that’s of value to your prospect, such as a report or a podcast, or inviting them to an event you’re hosting, such as a webinar. These invite interaction and build credibility.

Switch up your contact methods: trial a range of communication channels such as emails, Linkedin messages, voice notes, and phone calls. Consider the time period for those touchpoints, and also what day or time your message will best land. And always remember that each of these touchpoints is about nurturing the relationship and building up familiarity, rather than being pushy and saying the same thing each time.

The power of the personal in lead generation

In a world that’s increasingly built on automation and AI, it’s easy to send thousands of unsolicited messages or emails to vast numbers of buyers. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should. While using email and LinkedIn is an easy way to reach people at scale, be aware that the personal touch achieves better conversion rates. 

“The human has become a novelty, so make them the most important again.” Laura Greenwood, Your Lead Generation

Working with smaller numbers of people allows you to get to know them and build a more nuanced relationship. It’s an opportunity to take a prospect on a journey with you, tailored specifically to their business. 

Take the power of the personal one step further and look at ways to do lead generation face-to-face. In-person networking and meetings took a back seat during the covid years, when people had to retreat behind screens. But because the online world has now become so busy, many people are now craving a return to in-person contact, making it a powerful way to build familiarity and create long-lasting relationships.

Face-to-face networking is making a solid comeback

Networking has lots of benefits. It can be extremely energising, providing a welcome break in the day from your screen and the online world. It’s the chance to learn about other businesses and hear about their problems, which can be great for product or service research. It’s a handy opportunity to test your pitch on real people and see if it lands. And it’s also a great way to position yourself as a ‘good citizen’ who can help refer people to other local businesses, which can have long-term positive effects.

Tracking the success of your lead generation

Of course, there’s no point in doing lead generation if you’re not tracking what works and what doesn’t, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. 

The V2MOM concept can be helpful for this. This stands for:

Vision: what’s the vision behind this sales push?

Values: what are the values that underpin the sale?

Methods: what are the different ways you can find leads, and what numbers can you put on each?

Obstacles: be brutally frank about what might be in the way of achieving these numbers, such as lack of budget, not enough team members, etc.

Measure: track everything so you know what works and what doesn’t.

Useful lead generation data and AI tools

• Large language models such as ChatGPT and Perplexity to come up with ideas and lead generation ideas for industries. If you take the time to set them up with lots of data and then ask very specific questions, you can get some great suggestions. Bring them in as a co-worker to help you write compelling email copy and even act as a potential buyer to help you handle objections.  
• Note-taking and transcription tools such as OtterAI, which also create follow-up emails and can research expansion opportunities.
• Parallel calling platforms such as Nook and Salesfinity. 
• Digital sales rooms to help streamline conversations, such as Trumpet and Aligned.

Five ways to make lead generation easier – and more fun!

The Rain Group research showed that top performers feel more energised after prospecting, enjoy it, and see it as an appealing part of their job. Lead generation is a crucial part of a salesperson’s role, but if you’re struggling at the moment, here are five top tips to help:

1. Block out specific times in your week for lead generation.
2. Make sure you’re getting out there in person to networking and community events, most of us feel energised after meeting peers and friends.
3. Get feedback from clients, then take action based on how they like to be sold too.
4. Join sales communities like the Ethical Sales Academy for shared learning and to remember you’re not in this alone.
5. Celebrate the small wins, such as getting through on a call or getting a reply to an email.

If you can mix up your lead generation with phone calls, networking, email and talking to people IRL, you’ll get more joy and many more opportunities to develop genuine relationships that convert to deals won.

Want some guidance on the next stage of your sales cycle? Read our expert overview on how to successfully navigate your next sales meeting towards a positive outcome. 

For more insights and tips like this, join the Ethical Sales Academy. Get access to our monthly live sales masterclasses and a supportive community of like-minded salespeople. Sign up today and get your first 30 days free!