Lead Generation FAQ
Lead Generation FAQ: What It Is and How It Works
You’ve got questions about lead generation. Founders, sales managers and marketers ask us the same ones every week, so here are our answers, the way we’d give them to you on a call.
Start with the basics, see how lead generation compares with demand generation, or skip straight to how working with us works.
The basics
Lead generation basics
Let’s start with the questions everyone asks first, even if they’ve been in sales for years.
What is lead generation?
Lead generation is the work of finding people who could buy from you and opening a conversation with them. In B2B, that means finding the companies that fit your offer, then the people inside them who actually make the buying decision. If you want a one-line lead generation definition: it’s how you keep your sales pipeline full of the right people, not just more people.
What does lead generation mean for a small business?
The lead generation meaning is the same for a five-person startup and a big company, but the stakes are different. When your team is small, you can’t afford to spend half the week chasing the wrong contacts. For you, good lead generation means a steady list of real prospects your team can reach out to this week, without having to research every name yourselves.
How would you define lead generation in B2B?
If we had to define lead generation for B2B in one sentence, we’d say: finding the companies that match your ideal customer profile, and the decision-makers inside them, with the details you need to reach them. That’s exactly what our B2B lead generation services do.
What's the difference between a lead and a prospect?
A lead is anyone who might fit what you sell: the right kind of company, the right job title. A prospect is a lead you’ve checked and qualified, someone with a real need and the authority to buy. Good lead generation gives you leads that are already close to being prospects, so your sales team wastes less time.
What's the difference between inbound and outbound lead generation?
Inbound lead generation waits for buyers to find you, through search, content, ads and referrals. Outbound lead generation goes out and reaches them first, through email, LinkedIn and phone. Most of our clients use both: keyword research helps the inbound side, and our lead lists power the outbound side.
Which lead generation channels work best?
The best channel is the one your buyers actually use. For most B2B companies, that’s a mix of LinkedIn, email and phone, backed by a website that shows up in search. The channel matters less than the list behind it: a great email sent to the wrong person still goes nowhere.
Is lead generation sales or marketing?
It sits right between the two. Marketing usually owns the budget and the targeting, and sales owns the follow-up and the close. Lead generation works best when both teams agree on who the ideal customer is before anyone starts building lists.
How does the lead generation process work?
It starts with knowing who you want to reach. From there, you find the companies that fit, find the decision-makers inside them, check their details, and hand the list to whoever does the outreach. Then you learn from the replies and adjust the targets. If you’re not sure who your best buyers are yet, start with an ideal customer profile.
Demand vs lead
Demand generation vs lead generation
These two get mixed up all the time. Here’s how we explain the difference to our clients.
What's the difference in demand generation vs lead generation?
When people compare demand generation vs lead generation, the simplest way to see it is this: demand generation makes the market aware that a problem and a solution exist, through content, brand and education. Lead generation finds the specific people who could buy, and gets you in front of them. One creates interest, the other captures it.
Lead generation vs demand generation: which one do I need first?
In the lead generation vs demand generation debate, the answer depends on your buyers. If they already know they have the problem and are looking for a fix, start with lead generation and go straight to the people who decide. If they’ve never heard of your category, you’ll need some demand generation first. Most small and growing B2B companies see faster results from lead generation, because it puts real names in front of the sales team right away.
Can demand generation and lead generation work together?
Yes, and they work best that way. Demand generation warms up the market, so when your outreach lands, the person on the other end already recognizes the problem, or even your name. Lead generation makes sure that outreach reaches the right people in the first place.
Working with us
Working with CLG
The practical questions: what you get from us, how we work, and what it costs.
What do you actually deliver?
A clean spreadsheet of leads built around your ideal customer profile. A typical record includes the company name, website, industry, size and location, plus the decision-maker’s name, job title, LinkedIn profile and business email. Company phone numbers are added free on request. Personal emails and direct phone numbers take more research, so we quote them separately.
How do you find and check the contacts?
Our researchers use paid databases, LinkedIn, company websites and manual checks. Every record is reviewed by a person on our team before it reaches you, and if we can’t confirm a detail, we mark it clearly instead of guessing.
Do you provide personal emails and phone numbers?
Yes, on a custom quote. Business emails are our standard. Personal emails and direct phone numbers take more research, so we price them separately. Company phone numbers are added free on request.
Which countries and industries do you cover?
We research leads for almost any market. Most of our clients target the US, the UK, Europe, Canada and the Middle East, across industries from technology and healthcare to construction and professional services.
How long does it take to get my leads?
It depends on how many leads you need and how specific your targets are. We’ll agree on a clear delivery date with you before we start, so you’re never left waiting without an answer.
How much does lead generation cost?
Our B2B lead generation plans start at $99 for 1,000 leads, with 3,000 leads for $249 and 6,500 leads for $499. Every plan comes with a free ideal customer profile, and bigger or unusual projects get a quote. The easiest way to start is our 1,000-lead starter deal.
What's cheaper than lead gen agencies?
If you’re asking what’s cheaper than lead gen agencies, the answer is usually a research partner like us. Big agencies charge monthly retainers for campaigns, software and account managers. We do the part most teams actually need, which is finding the right companies and decision-makers, and hand you the list. You only pay for the research, and you stay in control of your outreach.
Can you help with more than lead lists?
Yes. Alongside lead generation we run market research, ICP and buyer persona research, competitor research, product research and keyword research. You can see them all on our services page.
Can I talk to someone before I order?
Of course. Book a free strategy call and you’ll speak with someone from our team about your goals, your targets and whether we’re the right fit. No pressure, no hard sell.
Still have a question?
Ask us directly
If your question isn’t here, ask us. Book a free strategy call and we’ll answer it, along with any others you have about your market and your targets.
