The 40 Best Lead Generation Companies of 2025

April 24, 2025

Written by Madison Hendrix and Jason Bahnak

Sick of chasing cold leads that never convert? In 2025, B2B sales teams are feeling the heat to fill pipeline fast, without cutting corners on lead quality. The landscape has shifted. AI-driven prospecting, buyer intent signals, and true omnichannel outreach aren’t just trends. They’re the core tactics fueling growth for the most successful companies in the world.

If you’re serious about building a high-performing pipeline and closing more deals in today’s competitive market, choosing the right lead generation partner isn’t optional. It’s essential.

We’ve gone beyond surface-level comparisons: leveraging proprietary research methods, exclusive industry intel, and firsthand analysis of verified client feedback, unfiltered testimonials, PR deep-dives, and in-depth success story audits.

This isn’t just another roundup. It’s a confidential, data-driven shortlist of the 40 best lead generation companies of 2025—a resource built from insights most teams will never access, designed to put you a step ahead of your competition.

Contents

1 Top 30 Lead Generation Agencies to Grow Your Business in 2025
2 7 Things to Consider When Choosing the Best Lead Generation Company
3 Key Questions to Ask Lead Generation Companies Before Hiring Them
4 The 10 Best Lead Generation Companies for Software in 2025
5 Final Thoughts
- 5.1 Let’s Grow Your Pipeline
  - - 5.1.0.1 Madison Hendrix
    - 5.1.0.2 Jason Bahnak

Top 30 Lead Generation Agencies to Grow Your Business in 2025

1. Abstrakt

Best for Full-Service B2B Lead Generation & Appointment Setting

Clutch Rating: ⭐ 4.7/5

Abstrakt (howdy, that’s us 👋) is a full-service B2B lead generation agency specializing in outbound appointment setting, digital marketing, and creative services. With a U.S.-based team, we partner with companies across multiple industries to drive pipeline growth, improve brand presence, and streamline sales processes. Our offering combines SDR outsourcing, content marketing, CRM integration, and creative design to help businesses scale revenue.

Fast Facts & Stats:

500+ full-time employees in the U.S.
1,750+ partners served nationwide
100+ industries supported
200+ awards including 10x Inc. 5000 honoree
$6M+ in client deals generated by our team’s campaigns

Key Features:

Fully integrated appointment setting and inbound marketing services
Dedicated industry-specific teams (e.g., HVAC, SaaS, Manufacturing)
CRM system integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, and more)
Proprietary client portal for visibility into KPIs, appointments, and campaign performance
Sales collateral and content development included through in-house creatives

Appointment Setting Pricing Packages:

Standard – $6,000/month: 750 target dials, 75 KDMs identified, 38 qualified leads, 4,500 touchpoints, real-time reporting.
Advanced – $8,000/month: 1,000 target dials, 100 KDMs identified, 50 qualified leads, 6,000 touchpoints, real-time reporting.
Elite – $10,000/month: 1,250 target dials, 125 KDMs identified, 63 qualified leads, 7,500 touchpoints, real-time reporting.

Awards: Over 180 awards, including multiple Inc. 5000 listings, Telly Awards, Communicator Awards, and recognition from the St. Louis Business Journal.

Case Studies:

Sunland Asphalt: Closed deals worth $1.26M and proposed an additional $6.9M in business.
Schena Roofing: Generated just under $200K in closed business and nearly $500K in proposals.
New England Industrial Truck: Achieved service on two units, three planned maintenance contracts, and four new forklift sales.

Client Testimonials

“Abstrakt is a smart, innovative company that can generate solid leads without the cost of having to hire too many salespeople that don’t produce.” – IFS Group

“We’ve had the pleasure of working with Abstrakt for many years, and we can confidently say that we adore their top-notch service.” – Elijah Hanson, Account Manager, TeamLogic IT

Thank you so much for joining me today, Mariah, from Engineering Excellence. We're here today, and we're gonna talk a little bit about your abstract partnership thus far. Could you talk me first a little bit about your role at Engineering Excellence and how you got introduced to working with Abstract? Coming into this role, it was a bit, you know, going in blind, not necessarily knowing what this local market looks like. No one in our community knew who we were, and we were, you know, a few of our clients are within five minutes of our office. So being able to have Abstract be a part of it and kinda introduce me to the right clients to Target and then land those appointments, really beneficial for me and our branch. How do you think that your abstract team, your your SDRs and account managers, in setting up the appointment and preparing you for the meeting, how does that help you before you go out to the meeting? It helps me tremendously. First of all, it puts us in front of the client before, you know, I even know who it is. They're already getting multiple calls, hearing the name engineering excellence, you know, get just getting our name out there. But then also, you know, before every appointment, I get a little write up on notes, and I can see what's already been talked about. So that helps me in my initial conversation with meeting the client. So I know, oh, this is what you'd like to discuss. This was already touched on, and I kinda just further that, conversation along. What do you think the progress has been in working long term towards a predictable sales pipeline? Wonderful. I'm on track to hit my target this year. Not only that, we brought in, I think it was, about a hundred and sixty thousand dollars in just repairs. We should hear next week if we won a controls project, about seventy five thousand dollars worth of repair work, and it's about forty thousand for PMs because it's more than one location. So it's it's been great. It just sounds that you're relating to these prospects so much too. You're carrying on that conversation that we had and then really building true relationships and that's why you're closing so much. I love to hear it. Yes. What's your favorite part about working with Abstract? I just love working with people in general. So you guys make my job so easy. You know what I mean? You you really, really do. You make it easy. You keep me busy. As much as it's a partnership with these clients, it's a partnership with Abstract too. Too. I love that I can, you know, give Joe or Madison a call and let them know, hey. This is what's going on, and then we work together on a solution to figure out how we can gain the client or overcome whatever issue, you know, has come up. What advice would you give to someone that is considering using our program and signing on as a partner? Be prepared and be open to not being stuck in your procedures because we didn't have a procedure in place to get local clients. Abstract does. So I've even seen it from different salespeople in our market. They just are closed off, not really wanting to see, you know, a little bit outside of their own scope of capabilities and not taking advantage of what a great opportunity it is to work with you guys. So that would be my biggest piece of advice. Just if they say this is what we need to do, you need to do that. Show up to the appointments, you know, close the deal.

2. Sapper

Best for Omnichannel Marketing Outreach

Sapper offers lead generation and appointment setting services built around a highly targeted, omnichannel approach. Combining AI-powered prospecting with direct mail, email, phone outreach, and LinkedIn engagement, Sapper helps B2B companies secure qualified sales meetings. Their process emphasizes warm, relationship-focused follow-up calls and customized outreach strategies that move prospects from interest to conversation. With transparent reporting and a guarantee on booked meetings, Sapper positions itself as a high-value partner for businesses seeking predictable pipeline growth.

Fast Facts & Stats:

2,000+ clients across 80+ industries
Over 125 million records leveraged for targeting
Consistent 5:1 ROI reported by clients in select industries
Largest tech-enabled sales development company in the U.S.

Key Features:

Guaranteed sales appointments or work continues at no charge
Proprietary campaign performance portal for 24/7 monitoring
Integrated direct mail with digital outreach for improved engagement
Dedicated account management with routine progress updates
Access to a full creative team for landing pages, sales assets, and email copywriting

Pricing Packages:

Starter Plan: Begins at approx. $5,250/month with a 13-month commitment
Standard Plan: Approx. $6,700/month
Premium Plan: Approx. $8,750/month+

Pricing varies based on contract length and service level (shorter commitments available at higher monthly rates).

Awards: Recognized in the Inc. 5000 list for rapid growth.

Case Studies:

Professional CPA Firm: Achieved an impressive over 400% return on investment through lead generation from Sapper, with similar results already reflected in their future sales pipeline.
Managed IT Services (TeamLogic IT): Generated 70% of their annual sales via Sapper‑sourced leads, including securing meetings with the two highest‑paying clients.
Insurance Brokerage (Southern Benefit Systems): Booked 3 qualified sales meetings within the first month, outperforming all other outsourced marketing efforts and solidifying Sapper as essential to their marketing strategy.

Client Testimonials

“The Sapper team has been great to work with. They provide a steady flow of quality contacts, excellent follow-through, and are quick to adjust to realigned target priorities.” – Alan Miller, President of TransportGistics

“Sapper is really a terrific partner for us. They put us in front of decision-makers at the kind of organizations we want to talk to: big consumer brands and big sales-based organizations.” – Rory Cutaia, CEO of NFUSz

3. Belkins

Best for Outbound Lead Generation

G2 Rating:⭐ 4.8/5

Belkins delivers fully managed outbound lead generation, including cold outreach, SDR teams, and LinkedIn lead generation.

Industry Focus: SaaS, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Marketing Services, E-commerce, Hospitality, Finance, and Startups.

Awards: Clutch Top Lead Generation Company 2024, Clutch Top 1000 B2B Service Providers 2024, Clutch Top Appointment Setting Company 2024, Corporate Vision Most Innovative B2B Lead Generation Agency 2024 – East Coast USA, Inc. Regionals 2024: Mid-Atlantic.

Case Studies: Increased pipeline by 200% in 3 months for a client; generated 330 appointments in 15 months for a startup investment platform.

Client Quote

“Their team was able to understand our target marketing and generate leads that were highlight relevant to our business.” – CMO of an Advertising & Marketing Agency

Pros:
✔ Omnichannel outreach
✔ Fast pipeline impact
✔ Industry-specific strategies

Cons:
✘ Outbound-focused
✘ Pricing not listed upfront

Pricing: Custom, based on project size.

5. Cience

Best for AI-Driven Lead Generation
G2 Rating: ⭐ 4.8/5

CIENCE is a U.S.-based B2B lead generation agency known for combining human intelligence with proprietary AI and machine learning tools. Their GO Data® platform provides access to over 140 million verified global contacts, enabling highly targeted outbound campaigns. CIENCE delivers scalable solutions through multi-channel outreach, inbound and outbound SDR teams, and advanced sales intelligence.

Industry Focus: Technology, Finance, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Professional Services.

Awards: 2024 Most Reviewed Lead Generation Company on The Manifest; 2023 SourceForge Spring Leader Award for GO Data and GO Digital.

Case Studies: Generated over 4,000 qualified leads in four months for a marketing agency; successfully conducted lead generation campaigns for companies like Blueprint and Magna5.

Client Quote

“CIENCE has been a great tool for us to quickly scale up our sales and marketing efforts as an early-stage startup!” – CEO of a Hospital & Healthcare Company

Pros:
✔ AI-powered data and targeting through GO Data®
✔ Full-cycle SDR solutions for inbound and outbound
✔ Trusted by 2,500+ clients across 263 industries

Cons:
✘ Requires tech stack alignment for full AI integration
✘ Best suited for mid-market and enterprise budgets

Pricing: Custom, based on campaign scope, data access, and SDR deployment.

Hi, everybody. My name is Amy Milner. I am the EVP of Marketing here at Abstract. Today, I have with me Eric Watkins, is our president of Abstract. Eric has led our enterprise sales team. He's seen firsthand how outbound can transform businesses and people's lives. We're super excited to do a side by side comparison and essentially SWAT analysis of ourselves versus all of the other top lead gen companies. A lot of them are publishing these lists of top lead gen companies, and we've noticed a couple of things. One of them being that we are not on any of them. Lead generation is a big, ugly mystery box, and everybody makes claims and says things, and it's hard to sift through and find out what's true. And we're gonna do pros and cons. There's pros and cons to our organization. There's pros and cons to other organizations out there. So from what we know and our experience, we'll talk about that. We want it to be educational for anybody out there watching. We wanna give Fast facts about not only ourselves but about all of these other companies and really wanna make it so that if you're choosing a growth partner right now, you know all of the side by side comparisons, and you're able to make a really, really informed choice on who you want to be your partner in growth. Alright, Eric. Today, we're gonna talk about science. First off, what do you know about them? Yeah. Super reputable company. They've been around a while. Hear the name a lot. Kudos to them for being in the sales development space. It's not easy what we do, and to do this and stay in business. There's a lot of people that are fly by night and go out of business. My understanding is a couple years ago, they switched from really more of the similar approach to what we took to really full tech. And I don't know if that works so well, and I think they're sort of getting back into the human elements. What have you found in your Your research. I was looking at their website earlier, and there is definitely AI is everywhere. But, yes, they are touting human expertise now. But really, really backed up with a ton of AI. So that it looks like they're doing both again, but a lot of AI on the website. You think the AI is BS? I see that everywhere on everybody's website. Like, how much of it do you think is real? I don't think that the cold call is ever going to die. Like, absolutely not. I guess I I will have to die before the cold call dies. But, I would love for AI personally with me running our internal sales development team and and all of the sales pitches for our own sales team. I think AI should take over inbound leads. That would be really nice. But also, you know, just recently, I've started doing our own live chat myself as I'm sitting there doing other tasks. We had AI doing the responses for our live chat. All of our responses this year, like, we programmed, we wrote them. They're good responses, but it kinda died on the vine as a a channel. And so I just happened to decide to pick it up, and I'm like, I'm gonna play Rob with this live chat. And we started saying hi, comma, real human here, and we have What? You have four proposals from live chat in the past week. It's been pretty incredible. You can try to make it easy. It's not. You have to have conversations with real people over time consistently and build the brand and build awareness. So when they come into the consideration phase, you're the company to think about. No. I I agree. You have to have that human element, and you can absolutely be backed up by AI. And, you know, to make things more cost affordable for your business, you're going to have to use AI at this point in a lot of your automations. But I think, per se, when you close the deal or get the yes on the actual sales appointment, it should be absolutely orchestrated by a human having a conversation because text can't pick up on emotion, trust, intent, reason why you're calling. It just can't do that as well as a human. So the reason we were talking about science today is they made a list of top two hundred lead gen companies, and we didn't make the list. Right? But Sapper Consulting, the company we we acquired did. The company we acquired did. Yes. Yes. So they did. So they made the list and resurrected it. So we're only, you know, we're only doing this for seventeen hundred and fifty partners, seventy plus million revenue. Yeah. We're we're doing it since two thousand nine. Why do you think we keep not making these lists? I mean, I'm sure there is some sort of competitive aspect. I mean, when you when you Google abstract, I mean, we are showing up. We were doing some things right in that space. So I'm I'm honestly really not exactly sure. I saw on their website a lot of claims that they have the best data, targeted data, precision data. And we got we have to call a spade a spade. We do the same thing. I actually do feel like we have the best data. But I but I know why we do. Like, we have it because we make a million calls a month and we aggregate all this data. But I I hope they're at least doing what we're doing where they're aggregating all of their data. I'm assuming they are. And that's better than if I'm starting in an office trying to do this myself and buying a list from a provider. How much of their process do you feel like is digital versus calling? The look and feel of the website, obviously, is very tech focused. Like you said, I think they've added back in the human approach a little bit more again. You know, probably seeing that I feel like the whole market is shifting a tiny bit that way. You're seeing a lot on LinkedIn of cold calling isn't dead. It's not going to die. So that's interesting. But, yeah, I would be curious to know how many of their their leads for themselves are coming in every month from their website versus do they have their own team of Old callers, you know, actually out in the outbound space bringing their message to potential prospect. I I think you're right. I think that the they're probably leaning a little bit more digital. You think their callers are, like, full time, part time? You think they're in person? No. I mean, not necessarily. I mean, it it feels like their enterprise approach, they talk about being able to deploy hundreds of SDRs. So I would guess if if they're doing that kind of approach for their enterprise clients, they probably do have a lot of remote STRs. So I'm just guessing at that point, but, you know, we have all five hundred team members, pretty much ninety eight, ninety nine percent US based here on the landing right near the arch. But I can't know for sure. I know you can click the dial button remote. I know you can put the notes in the CRM remote. I just do not know how you can manage and develop SDRs remote. I just I'm not a big believer in it. I know there's tools out there to get them in a digital room to do it. I just I don't see it. So more power to them if they're able to make that work. Overall, you know, looking at the website, they obviously have have poured a lot of money into their technology. And so, like, kudos to them staying on the cutting edge, and it looks like they're adding back in a little bit more of the human approach. But, yeah, overall, I I I do still have a sense that it's it's very, very tech based. Hopefully, they can fit us on their list next time if they have some room on there for the top two hundred. I I feel like we should be in the top two hundred at least. I you know, if people leave us out of the top ten, that's a little bit more understandable, but I really think we're first. So I'm a little biased. Really what matters most is finding the right partner for your business. And no matter who you choose, you say it time and time again, the most important thing is that you do something with outbound, no matter who you're choosing. And then I also think that we personally believe it's super important to able to trust that the partner you pick is also growing themselves. At Abstract, we've been able to grow and thrive for more than sixteen years by practicing the same outbound processes that we run for our clients alongside all of our other marketing efforts, of course. Alright. There you have it. Thank you, Eric, for that. And if you liked what you saw today and you found it helpful, be sure to stay tuned for our next side by side comparison.

4. Callbox

Best for Global Lead Generation

G2 Rating:⭐ 4.5/5

Callbox offers multi-channel lead generation using email, phone, social media, and webinars. They specialize in appointment setting, database management, and ABM for the U.S., APAC, and EMEA markets. With AI-driven tools and human SDRs, they help businesses fill pipelines and expand into new markets.

Industry Focus: IT, Software, Telecommunications, Healthcare, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Logistics, eLearning.

Awards: Top Lead Generation Service in the United States by The Manifest; recognized among the top B2B Lead Generation Companies in 2024 by FirstPageSage.

Case Studies: Secured 200+ qualified leads in 12 months for an IT services provider; helped a software firm expand its SEA reach in six months.

Client Quote

“Callbox team was very clear in explaining how Callbox worked with case studies. They also provided accurate ways to shortlist target industries and accounts.” – CTO of a Hardware & Storage Company

Pros:
✔ Global reach and multilingual support
✔ Multi-channel outreach
✔ Extensive industry experience

Cons:
✘ Some services may require a longer ramp-up
✘ Higher pricing for premium packages

Pricing: Custom, based on scope.

Hi, Eric. How's it going, Amy? Good. It's great. It's a great Monday. I'm excited to be here today. Everyone, I'm the EVP of Marketing here at Abstract, and I'm joined by Eric Watkins, our President of Outbound. In this series, we are looking at some of the major players in the lead gen space, and today we're talking about Callbox. Couple of fast facts. They've been in business over twenty years, which is incredible. They talk a lot about combining people and technology, that AI plus human approach to help companies grow their pipeline, and then they're really focused on global outreach. They worked with thousands of businesses, and they make a big point that four of the five largest companies in the world trust them with their outsourced sales development. So Eric having run sales, run pipeline, how have we run up against Callbox, and what's your understanding of them in this space? Funny story. Callbox is actually the first competitor that I ever heard of here at Abstract. So they've been in the space for a really long time, just like us. Respect the hell out of them for that. They're very big in the enterprise space. They work with some really large clients. They do a lot of big calling projects. They also work globally in a lot of different countries, so I think they have a big reach there. Little bit software focused as well, from what I've seen and heard over the years, but really big player and big competitor of ours. One of the things that I love the most about Callbox, I was looking at their website and we just went through a massive upgrade and redo of our own web site and just thinking about that user experience. And if someone's looking for a growth partner, I love their CTAs that pop up all over their site, and they're just super interesting. One of them says your next fifty sales conversations could start this month. I just think that they do a really good job of following you across their website, but not being book a meeting, book a meeting. Like, they're framing it in a more, unique way. So what do you think about user experience when you're looking for a growth partner? What would you like a website to look like? I want as much information as I possibly can right away at my fingertips. I do a lot of demos. I talk with a lot of companies evaluating different products. And one of the things that frustrates me the most is I have to wait for the call to get access to a lot of information and then find out that I'm not interested or that it's not going to be a fit. So I think it's crucial to have that information right up front in the beginning, and I think they do a really good job when I look at their website. Transparency on pricing. I thought this was super interesting on their website too. A lot of consumers and prospects love the pay per lead model, or maybe they've been burned in the past, and so they're they're not as excited about a retainer model and Callbox just does a really good job calling attention on their website to we do not do pay per lead and being transparent about that. What do you think the pros and cons are of that? I frankly I appreciate the transparency. I think they're similar to us when you've been doing this for so many years. You probably did that at one point, and you saw all the cons of doing a pay per lead model. So they're just tired of having those conversations, and they put it right up front on their website. I will say I've been in some sales conversations where it started that way. And then once they saw the value in what we did, they were able to change their tune on that. But I can appreciate being transparent. I think it's important to be as transparent as possible on your website because you're just gonna have a better experience when you ultimately get them on the on the call. I know we show our pricing on our website. I know they don't necessarily, but I also know they're potentially doing bigger projects, but we do those projects as well. And I think it's okay to have these are our standard packages. And then if you want something a little out of scope, we can create a custom quote for you. Service scope and reach. Speaking about that. They emphasize this global outreach. They talk about helping companies expand into North America, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and they really position themselves as the global partner for both startups and enterprise companies. What do you think about global versus regional outreach and specialization when it comes to comparing outbound partners? We have to hire people that maybe don't speak the same language as you. There's different regulations. There's different policies. I think it's really hard to be good at both. So more power to them if they're able to do that on their end. I do think, however, local is its own beast. I think it's important to know the arch is right down the street. I think it's important to know the courthouse is a block away when you're calling on behalf of these clients. And, you can research and do things to come across as as if you're local, but you really need the experience. If you've been calling in San Francisco for twenty years, you're going to know a lot of the things that you need to talk about when you're calling on behalf of San Francisco, and and I feel like that's hard to replace. So a little skeptical on being able to do both well, but, obviously, global comes with a lot of challenges and part of the reason why we've only done it in a few instances versus, for all the partners that are interested in our service. Yeah. They seem very focused on the the global first, so it it looks like they've they've really taken a lane in specializing in that, so that's awesome. Client results. This is an interesting one. So Callback sites metrics like helping clients see a hundred and twenty percent uplift in new business revenue and over fifty million in annual revenue increases. At Abstract, we talk a little bit more about expectations in the first year, that outbound is a process. We want you to at least break even in the first year, and you could see ROI in the first year, but we're we're talking about year two and beyond. And then we tout about a a ninety six percent retention rate with our clients. What do you think the the pros and cons are of using those different types of metrics as results, and what would you be looking for in a growth and lead gen partner? Yeah. You always wanna use the best stories you have in the sales process. And so when I see fifty million dollars in business close, I also caution that I don't want every client thinking they're going to come on and see fifty million in business close. And I also don't want them thinking they're going to need fifty million in business close for this to be a good investment. I I think we like to talk about breakeven sort of worst case scenario because then we know they know it makes sense and they can do this for the long haul, but also every client is different. Every client has a different average deal size. Every client has different margins. Every client has a different close rate. And so it's really hard to bucket and say, on average, we increase customers' revenue by a hundred twenty percent. I just feel like that's really hard to be able to justify. Maybe they average them all out to come to that. But, yeah, I think ultimately, you know, when it when it comes to results, it takes two to tango. So here's the process. Here's what we're going to to run. Here's how it's worked for others just like you. Here's what you're gonna need to do for in order for it to be successful. And, you know, here are a couple clients you can talk to that have seen some results. Well, Eric, thank you for today. I think it's super clear as we're doing this that there are a lot of strong players in the Legion space. It's fun talking about all of them, and they each have a little bit of different flavor with their own model. The most important thing, though, that we believe is as a business, you need to choose some sort of outbound partner. Because without outbound, you're leaving revenue on the table. Anything else to add? Use us. Use somebody else. Do it yourself. Just do it. Outbound or Nike. Just do it.

5. Martal Group

Best for B2B Tech Industry

G2 Rating:⭐ 4.6/5

Martal Group is a North America-based lead generation agency offering SDR-as-a-service. They provide tech companies with outsourced sales teams that specialize in prospecting and booking qualified meetings. With a focus on SaaS, IT, and technology sectors, Martal Group helps companies scale their outbound sales with experienced SDRs and multi-channel outreach.

Industry Focus: Technology, Education, Healthcare, Logistics, IT, Fintech, Manufacturing, Cybersecurity, HR Tech, Consulting.

Awards: Ranked #3 in Business Services for 2021 by Clutch in Canada; recognized as the top outbound B2B lead generation company in Canada.

Case Studies: Generated 971 leads, 808 MQLs, and 84 SQLs in 15 months for a software development company; helped MAX USA Corp increase sales in the US market.

Client Quote

“Working with Martal Group has been an absolute pleasure. Their team is collaborative and transparent, and consistently delivers on their commitments with professionalism and expertise. From the start, it was clear they are passionate about building meaningful and lasting business relationships.” – Outreach Manager of a Marketing & Advertising Company

Pros:
✔ Experienced in tech and SaaS markets
✔ SDR teams based in North America
✔ Multi-channel sales development

Cons:
✘ Limited to outbound SDR services
✘ Higher costs for short-term engagements

Pricing: Custom pricing based on scope and target market.

Welcome back to our competitor series breakdown. I'm Amy Milner, EVP of Marketing, and I'm with Eric Watkins, president of Abstract. How's it going, Amy? Good. Good. How are you doing? I'm doing great. Perfect. Well, the reason we're doing this series, again, isn't just to talk about competitors. It's to educate business leaders on why outbound is absolutely crucial to your business. If you want predictable, consistent growth, you need an outbound approach. That's what separate companies who are gonna scale and continue to grow and those who are gonna plateau. So getting into it today, we are talking about the Martell Group. Martell Group. Martell Group. Fifteen years in business. They really pride themselves on proprietary AI outreach system powered by humans. I'm seeing some similarities in these we're talking about. Yeah. Core services are appointment setting, sales outsourcing, end to end sales, LinkedIn lead gen, cold email, cold calling, and then they have an entire AI sales platform. They primarily work through email, the phone, and LinkedIn, and they highlight two hundred plus onshore sales executives and thousands of qualified leads generated. What do you wanna talk about for us today? Yeah. So this is a competitor that we come up pretty frequently against. And I would say on brand, they're what you look for in a sales development company. Just, you know, giving the being honest upfront, they do multiple channels and they are heavier on cold calling, which we have seen adds more predictability through the process. So this will be a good one today because I feel like they are one of the legitimate people that are out there doing this work. I agree. I agree. And I have to say thank you also because we started this series with talking about us not being on any lists, and they actually did feature us on their list. So Oh, did they? Yes. Okay. Well, I'm glad I said something nice. Yes. Yes. Yes. Alright. What about lead quality? We're gonna start with that. What does lead quality mean to you in the sales development lead generation company space? And how do you think we're comparing and contrasting? Yeah. Pretty simply, lead quality to me, because everybody has a different definition, is right company, right person, and they clearly agree to me to talk about your services. And a lot of people talk about being qualified or somebody that's all the way down the funnel. And we do that for some customers, and obviously you get less opportunities Yeah. Than we would without. But ultimately, what we believe in and what we use as a business is I wanna talk to the right companies, and I wanna talk to the right person at a company. And, I think that's a a really important item to clarify when you're looking at these companies of what exactly is their definition of an appointment. And if it's they talk in a circle and it's long winded, then they probably don't have a good answer for it. Alright. So how do you think the human element of your actual SDR team and then being onshore could impact the league quality of doing just completely AI or offshoring all of your SDR team? Sure. Yeah. And I look at offshoring similar to remote, and I know there's an accent barrier and, what what your first language was, etcetera. But ultimately, to me, it's hard to really have high quality when you're not sitting on a team with someone coaching you every day. So it looks like a benefit they have is they have resources all over Latin America and Canada and the US and so they can probably service a lot of different parts of the world. The downside to that would be, they probably can't get very hands on with their coaching and development. And for someone who has been doing this for thirteen years, it's really hard to train and develop somebody remotely. And then also if you're remote, you're kind of just doing your job every day and not necessarily always focused on how you can improve because there may not be a lot of room for upward mobility. The camaraderie of a cold call team is incomparable, so I could totally see how people looking in, you're gonna have a more motivated team by being able to be coached in person, being around your team. I think we we like to say here that you're putting that client's team jersey on For sure. When you walk in the door every day. And so being able to do that as a team too and not just as an individual, I think has a direct impact on the quality of our leads. Well, about yourself. Right? How many times have you pulled up the chair alongside an SDR and been able to hear something that makes you allows you to make a tweak right there on the spot. You can Frantically message them on Teams. Say this. Yeah. And you and you not it's not just you could say, oh, well, I can listen to their call recordings remotely, but it's it's body language. It's everything. It's how confident they feel with the message. I think that's super critical. Lead quality, really takes me into our hot button topic today, exclusivity. Exclusivity. So that's something that we're gonna really dive into today that we tout, and and not a lot of other, if any, lead gen sales development companies out there doing that. So tying it into lead quality, do you think a lead can even be considered quality if it's being shared with multiple other companies in the same metro? I guess you could say yes, but I would say no. And I there's two there's two ways to look at this. You can work exclusively with a partner and then every lead you generate is theirs and only theirs. And then there's a lot of other models, and I'm not sure of their exact model, where they may be working with five people that do the same thing. They generate some somebody that's interested in their service, and then they give them to all five. So I look at it as you took the quality of the lead and you divided it by five. If it was a hundred percent, now it's twenty percent because now I'm competing against five other people. And to run a true outbound process, I feel like it's competitive and you know, it's almost predatory on the on the market that you're going after in a good way. And if you're sharing that with one another, think it's less it's less effective. Right? Because it's the consistent message over and over and if they're hearing that from other companies, I don't I'm not a huge in that. The if you're diluting the lead. Like, the lead might be and they're gonna get tired of meeting with the same type of company Yeah. One after another if they're being set up on all of these meetings. Well, and you I get it. I get why they do it. They make more money. Right? Yeah. We're probably leaving money on the table Yeah. By by doing exclusivity, but I sleep a little better at night knowing what we're doing for partners. And I think we're more effective because that and have quite higher quality meetings. And retention too. When people are dominating the market by themselves, they're gonna stay year after year because they end up scooping up all of the business. Guarantees. Guarantees and accountability. So they have a myriad number of different programs, and you can add in a hybrid pay per lead. We are obviously a pay per month model, and then we don't take a dime out of any commission that our clients sell. So what's your thoughts on guarantees and and what's on their their site in terms of pricing? Guarantees are important, and I think they're important because it shows how confident the company is in in achieving the results that that they want to on your behalf. I would be careful on like too good of a guarantee. If it's too good of a guarantee, it's a sign that nobody's buying it and they may be trying to get you in the door and and scam you. But like for for us, for example, we have an annual guarantee and if we don't hit that, we work for free until we do. And it doesn't happen very often, but when it happens, we do it. And I I think that helps, especially if I was in the sales process knowing at the end of the day, like I'm going to get these meetings. It's just, you know, if it takes a couple extra months, then it takes a couple extra months. So I think that's really important. And, I know they do some end to end selling as well. So I'm curious what types of guarantees they offer from that perspective. I actually am a little jealous that they do that. I think that's something that I have always been interested in. I've done the account management role. You have too. And I know there's been times where we wanted to take even more of the reins for our partners and help them with their sales. For sure. Especially the ones that don't have a sales process in place. So what do you think about that? I think that's something that I don't know how it works there exactly and what results they're getting, but I do envy that they're doing that as a product. First off, to your point, I like that they're doing it. I think it shows that they're credible and confident enough as an organization of, hey, we'll take the leads we're setting for you and we'll we'll some deals and sell them. To me, it there's there's a lot of red flags in that. I just think about myself. Say, I know we would never do this because we have we are a sales organization, but let's say we outsource our sales to them. I think about just our own sales team that's in the building working with our implementations team and how many questions and things come up of what was said in the sales process and what. I think it really reduces continuity And I think it could lead to some churn issues on the back end. Yeah. And then the the other side of that is I think every business, you know, it's kind of like a Sales is like a muscle. And if you don't use it, you lose it. And so when you become so dependent on somebody else to sell your service, let's say they can't figure it out, What have you you've set yourself back as a business a lot of months and and years frankly and I think it's a it's a slippery slope. Now it sounds great in theory. I and if it works, great. More power to you. But I think it's tough and I guess the last thing I would say, I'm no one going long here, it's a big topic. Complexity of the sale. If you expect for some of the clients that we work with to expect that we could sell their service is insane. Yeah. There's so many intricacies just to be able to come up with a quote for some of the services we offer. I don't see how they're gonna train a rep probably remotely on how to sell these services and have them do all that. Sounds like a little bit of a headache. So congratulations to them for at least figuring out where they can offer it but Yeah. Not not a huge fan of it. That's the one time I think I've disagreed with you on this. But, no, I totally could see the perspective of the continuity. I just I do think that it's cool that they're they're owning up to the accountability of the lead. It is pretty cool. Being fascinated by that with being in charge of sales development and providing the leads, so being able to stand up to that. And I heard a quote one time on a podcast that said sales enablement and sales development's job isn't done until the first two invoices You know, of a client are collected and and through, and they're really on their way to the partnership. So I've always just been fascinated by the full end to end sales. That is true. And maybe we need to dip our toes Yeah. In it and figure it out because I do know that's that's the downside of what all of us do is you are completely reliant upon the partner that you work with. It takes two to tango. We have some incredible sales reps here that are selling in our core niches and the partners we work with, and I think we've talked about sometimes of, like, having sales consultants. Sure. Maybe we don't do the full end to end sales, but they buy a package of x amount of sales calls that our sales team could attend with them. But Yeah. It's just an just an idea. They they inspired me by that. Okay. A guarantee means nothing without accountability at the end of the year. So what would you say about our accountability to our guarantees and then what you think what else is out there? Yeah. So I think there's a lot of different models. There is a very, like, you know, cancel whenever you want and there's probably not much of a guarantee associated with it because they're guaranteeing their service, you know, through you having the ability to exit. Then there's the annual guarantees and that's what I typically see with the more established firms like ourselves where they're they've run the data, they don't give those numbers out lightly, they may even be less than what you've what some other people quote. Yeah. But they know they're very confident they're gonna they're going to hit those because they don't ever wanna work for free. Right? And then you have the pay per appointment model. And I know you mentioned they offer like a hybrid pay per appointment. I'm sure that's like a small base fee Yep. And then pay per appointment from there. I hate that. And the reason why I hate that is it takes the focus off of sales, which is what it's all about at the end of the day in closing business. It puts it on what counted as an appointment, what didn't. And I find that, you know, because we did it at certain points in our career and I just found we were just working against each other. It wasn't a true partnership. And so I know that's not Some people don't go for anything that's not pay per appointment, but I think they're constantly churning vendors because of that reason. I'm on their website and I just saw they they do b to b sales training. So Yeah. Do. They have like ten people on their team that are actually training their clients to become top sellers, so that's really cool. One thing I guess we do have though in the era of sales training is we have our sales toolkit. So that is one service that I don't see that they provide. They have the LinkedIn, they have the omni channel, but we have something called a sales tool kit that we offer to our clients and that's all of the materials that they would need to go out on these appointments. So could you talk to me a little bit about that and why think that's so important? Sure. We sort of lucked into this. Our, our owners who started the company did this before. They created, direct mailers and, did marketing for the automotive industry. So at our core, we've always had a marketing and branding aspect to make sure that we're being represented. Know, if you saw us when we started out, we looked like we were a ten million dollar company and we had fifty thousand dollars in revenue. And so we always knew that played a huge part in the sales process. And so now we have an established agency. We work with three of the largest five companies in the world and we our clients get the benefit of that. And so you see on a lot of these sites of people running inbound campaigns and different things. And so they do the SEO and the pay per click and but but they might you can't just really do Google anymore. You have to venture out into AI and YouTube and all these other channels. At the core of all Direct mail. Yeah. Direct mail. And at the the core of all that is a strong brand. And so having a company that cannot just get something out the door, but it also look appealing and market your organization is critical. And it's just not just them. I haven't seen it on a lot of sites, frankly. Softening the ground for the actual Sure. Cold call and the hardware. Yeah. Yep. No. Because they usually don't go hand in hand. Right? No. You got people who are really good at sales, then you have people who are really good at marketing. And there's agencies and then there's sales development companies. So, that is a a little mix that we have that's is sales. Marketing sales. Marketing sales. Thank you again, Eric. I love doing this series with you. And just again, a reminder, it is crucial for your business to do something with outbound. You need an outbound predictable approach for your sales pipeline. Abstract has been in business over fifteen years. We've been on the Inc. Five thousand list over ten times. We have over eighteen hundred clients, and we're a leader in the space. And we make marketing sales here and sales marketing, and we blend it together. So just use something. Right, Eric? Yeah. Use us. Use somebody else. Do it yourself. Nike, just do it. Just do it.

6. LeadGenius

Best for Data-Driven Lead Research and Enrichment

G2 Rating: ⭐ 4.5/5

LeadGenius focuses on delivering highly targeted, enriched lead data for B2B teams. Their platform and services combine human research and AI to provide accurate, up-to-date contact and account information.

Industry Focus: SaaS, Technology, Enterprise, Mid-Market

Awards: Recognized as a top B2B data provider by Clutch

Case Studies: A partner unlocked $600K+ in pipeline with LeadGenius.

Client Quote
“There’s no more guesswork and ambiguity involved in where opportunity lies or where to allocate resources from a business standpoint.” – eCommerce Business

Pros:
✔ High-quality, human-verified data
✔ Custom research projects

Cons:
✘ Less focus on outreach execution

Pricing: Custom

7. Sopro

Best for Email Prospecting and Nurture Campaigns

G2 Rating: ⭐ 4.9/5

Sopro specializes in building high-converting email campaigns, combining verified contact data with personalization and nurture sequences.

Industry Focus: Technology, Consulting, B2B Services

Awards: Clutch Top Lead Generation Company

Case Studies: Increased qualified meetings by 120% for a consulting firm; reduced CPL by 35% for a SaaS provider.

Client Quote
“It’s really opened the door to some significant companies we’d previously struggled to reach… The ROI from the Sopro campaign has been very, very positive.” – Commercial Director for Insurance Company

Pros:
✔ Excellent email outreach and personalization
✔ GDPR-compliant data practices

Cons:
✘ Email-heavy, less multi-channel

Pricing: From $1,500/month

8. SalesRoads

Best for Complex Sales Cycles

G2 Rating:⭐ 4.9/5

SalesRoads is a U.S.-based B2B appointment setting and SDR outsourcing provider. They specialize in custom outbound calling campaigns and full-service SDR teams to help clients generate qualified meetings and scale pipeline. SalesRoads is known for its white-glove, fully managed programs with dedicated SDRs.

Industry Focus: SaaS, Manufacturing Tech, Industrial Tech, Logistics, Construction, SLED Market.

Awards: Multiple-time Inc. 5000 honoree, recognized among Clutch’s Global Top 1000 Companies, and ranked No. 3508 on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list for fastest-growing private companies.

Case Studies: Secured meetings with major US retailers for Rudholm Group; increased year-over-year sales by over 250% for Safecor Health.

Client Quote

“I hired the SalesRoads team to develop B2B leads for my 100-person sales team. SalesRoads jumped right in with training, developed talk tracks, and immediately began developing leads for the team.” – VP of Sales for Agility Recovery

Pros:
✔ 100% U.S.-based SDR team
✔ Custom sales development programs
✔ Proven track record in multiple industries

Cons:
✘ Premium pricing for smaller businesses
✘ Focused solely on outbound phone outreach

Pricing: Custom, based on campaign size and SDR needs.

9. SalesAR

Best for AI-Powered Multi-Channel Outreach

G2 Rating: ⭐ 4.9/5

SalesAR helps companies automate outbound campaigns by combining AI-driven tools with expert SDR support. They manage personalized campaigns across email, LinkedIn, and phone to increase connection rates.

Industry Focus: Technology, Startups, SaaS, Agencies

Awards: Clutch Top B2B Service Provider

Case Studies: 22,000+ contacts researched, 875 replies, and 75 appointments scheduled for a transportation and logistics company.

Client Quote
“Working with the team allowed us to scale targeted outreach quickly while maintaining a high level of personalization. The event campaigns especially helped us reconnect with relevant buyers at just the right time.” – Advertising Services Client

Pros:
✔ Multi-channel capabilities
✔ AI personalization at scale

Cons:
✘ Requires close collaboration for best results

Pricing: Custom

10. Leadium

Best for Customized Sales Development
G2 Rating: ⭐ 4.3/5

Leadium is a boutique B2B lead generation agency specializing in tailored sales development strategies. Focusing on high-performance prospecting and appointment setting, they offer services including outbound email, cold calling, LinkedIn prospecting, and data sourcing. Their team emphasizes human-sourced and validated contact data, ensuring quality over quantity in lead generation efforts.

Industry Focus: Cybersecurity, SaaS, Freight Logistics, Marketing Services, Digital Transformation.

Awards: Recognized for excellence in B2B sales development and lead generation.

Case Studies: Achieved 4x pipeline growth and real-time lead delivery for Mitek; drove revenue opportunities for Amplitude Digital in the Marketing & Advertising industry.

Client Quote

“Leadium gives us exactly what we need: solid, accurate data that actually lets us reach the right people. They’re making it way easier for us to expand across EMEA and APAC without getting bogged down by data-checking.” – Head of Global Demand for a Cybersecurity Company

Pros:
✔ Customized outbound campaigns tailored to client needs
✔ Emphasis on human-verified, channel-optimized lead data
✔ Flexible month-to-month agreements with performance guarantees

Cons:
✘ Limited public information on pricing structures
✘ Structure may not be ideal for businesses seeking rapid, large-scale lead volumes

Pricing: Custom pricing based on campaign scope and specific client requirements.

11. LevelUp Leads

Best for Data-Driven Outbound Lead Generation

G2 Rating: ⭐ 4.9/5

LevelUp Leads helps companies scale outbound lead generation using verified contact data, personalized outreach, and multi-channel campaigns.

Industry Focus: SaaS, Technology, Marketing Services, Professional Services

Awards: Clutch Top Lead Generation Agency

Case Studies: Delivered 30 meetings, facilitated 882 conversations, and improved 110% KPI performance for an IT services and consulting company.

Client Quote

“LevelUp is a reliable, involved, and thoughtful partner in the lead generation process. They ask detailed questions about our target audience and the goals of each campaign, then fine-tune the process to achieve the desired results.” – CEO of a Tech Company

Pros:

✔ Strong data hygiene and enrichment

✔ Custom targeting

Cons:

✘ No inbound services

Pricing: Custom

12. MoreMeetings.com

Best for Both B2B and B2C Cold Calling

G2 Rating: ⭐ 4.9/5

MoreMeetings.com specializes in B2B appointment setting, helping clients turn cold outreach into confirmed meetings with decision-makers.

Industry Focus: Technology, Manufacturing, Professional Services

Awards: Recognized as a top appointment setting firm by Clutch

Client Quote
“I highly recommend them to any company seeking to streamline their sales processes. They go above and beyond.” – CMO of an IT Services Company

Pros:
✔ Appointment-focused
✔ High-level decision-maker targeting

Cons:
✘ Limited marketing services

Pricing: From $2,500/month

13. JumpCrew

Best for Hybrid Outsourcing + Technology-Driven Lead Generation

Clutch Rating: ⭐ 4.6/5

JumpCrew combines outsourced SDR services with in-house marketing and technology solutions to help mid-sized companies scale sales faster. Their team integrates with client CRMs, handles outbound prospecting, and supports inside sales teams.

Industry Focus: Healthcare, Publishing, Technology, B2B Services

Awards: Clutch Top B2B Company

Case Studies: JumpCrew launched a dedicated sales team of over 100 sellers to increase active advertisers and revenue for X’s US SMB advertising business (190% increase in unique advertisers and 10,000 sales demos).

Client Quote
“I vetted multiple sales companies and a few that solidified my choice was the management structure, coaching, continuing education, and the joy of each staff member I spoke with showcased.” – Director of Business Development of a SaaS Company

Pros:
✔ Integrated sales + marketing
✔ Fast ramp-up times

Cons:
✘ Less focus on inbound marketing
✘ Requires CRM alignment

Pricing: Custom

14. Prialto

Best for Virtual Assistants and SDR Support

Clutch Rating: ⭐ 4.9/5

Prialto provides managed virtual assistant services, including SDR and lead generation support, to help busy teams stay focused on closing deals.

Industry Focus: Technology, Consulting, Financial Services

Awards: Clutch Top Virtual Assistant Company

Case Studies: Provided 12 assistants, leading to 660 hours saved per month, enabling sales teams to spend more time selling.

Client Quote
“They do such a fantastic job finding qualified prospects,” Rob said. “We can track the number of closed opportunities to the PAs prospecting.” – VP of Enterprise Solutions for a Global Payments Provider

Pros:
✔ Managed assistants trained for sales
✔ Scalable staffing model

Cons:
✘ Less strategy, more execution

Pricing: From $1,200/month

15. GenSales

Best for Customized B2B Lead Campaigns

Clutch Rating: ⭐ 4.8/5

GenSales provides highly customized B2B lead generation and appointment setting campaigns, with dedicated U.S.-based calling teams.

Industry Focus: Manufacturing, Professional Services, Technology

Awards: Clutch Top B2B Service Provider

Client Quote
“Compared to using previous in-house sales reps, the number of qualified/viable appointments with potential customers more than doubled when we started with GenSales.” – Telecom Client

Pros:
✔ U.S.-based calling teams
✔ Custom scripts and targeting

Cons:
✘ Limited international reach

Pricing: From $4,000/month

16. Lead Cookie

Best for LinkedIn Lead Generation

Lead Cookie focuses exclusively on LinkedIn outreach to help B2B companies build relationships and book meetings with target accounts.

Industry Focus: Professional Services, Technology, Consulting

Awards: Featured in top LinkedIn lead generation lists by Clutch

Case Studies: Helped an accounting firm land a six-figure client and grow their connections with their target audience to over 7,000.

Client Quote
“Prior to working with Lead Cookie, we were struggling to find the appropriate prospects and leads in order to open conversations and start relationships with new potential clients.” – CEO of a Health Company

Pros:
✔ LinkedIn specialists
✔ Strong personalization

Cons:
✘ Single-channel focus

Pricing: From $2,000/month

17. SalesBread

Best for Boutique Lead Generation

SalesBread offers personalized, boutique-style lead generation services, delivering small but highly qualified lead lists through multi-touch outreach.

Industry Focus: Startups, Professional Services, Agencies

Awards: Recognized as a top boutique lead gen firm by industry experts

Case Studies: Helped an IT company generate 294 leads with a 41% average reply rate.

Client Quote
“Jack is incredible to work with, and within two months of getting started, we had generated over 100 new leads for our business.” – Co-Founder of a Wellness Company

Pros:
✔ Boutique attention
✔ Highly personalized

Cons:
✘ Lower volume, not for high-output needs

Pricing: Custom

18. 360 Leads

Best for International Lead Generation Campaigns

G2 Rating: ⭐ 4.0/5

360 Leads is a Canada-based lead generation agency providing integrated B2B marketing and sales support to companies looking to grow globally.

Industry Focus: Manufacturing, Technology, Industrial Services

Awards: Recognized as a top international B2B agency

Case Studies: Expanded a manufacturer’s pipeline into three new continents; increased leads by 250% for a logistics client.

Client Quote
“360 Leads consistently delivers meaningful content for our marketing initiatives while driving our PR efforts through marketing-leading publications.” – VP of Sales & Marketing for a Commercial Refrigeration Provider

Pros:
✔ International reach
✔ Integrated marketing + sales

Cons:
✘ Smaller domestic focus

Pricing: Custom

19. Beyond Codes

Best for Enterprise Technology Companies

G2 Rating: ⭐ 4.5/5

Beyond Codes specializes in B2B appointment setting and lead generation for enterprise IT and technology firms worldwide.

Industry Focus: IT Services, Cloud, Software

Awards: Clutch Top IT Lead Generation Company

Case Studies: 50% leads generated with CXOs and VPs, 30% semi-qualified leads, 80% client retention rate.

Client Quote
“Beyond Codes consistently delivers meetings with the right influencers and decision-makers–globally and with agility.” – Marketing Leader

Pros:
✔ Enterprise-ready
✔ Global delivery teams

Cons:
✘ Narrow industry focus

Pricing: Custom

20. SalesHive

Best for Tech-Enabled SDR Teams

SalesHive combines tech-enabled SDR outsourcing with a marketplace model, giving companies flexible, on-demand lead generation.

Industry Focus: SaaS, Startups, Agencies

Awards: Clutch Top Sales Outsourcing Company

Client Quote
“Working with SalesHive has been a fantastic experience. Not only have they set almost 200 meetings for us, but we’ve also been extremely impressed with their expertise in developing our outbound strategy as we’ve grown internally.” – COO of a Computer Software Company

Pros:
✔ Flexible model
✔ Fast onboarding

Cons:
✘ Marketplace approach requires clear management

Pricing: From $2,500/month

21. Vendisys

Best for AI-Powered, Meeting-Ready Lead Generation
G2 Rating: ⭐ 4.8/5

Vendisys is a B2B lead generation company that uses AI-powered tools (like LIA & EMY) and proprietary outreach strategies to deliver meeting-ready leads (MRLs®) and “Powerful Actionable Leads (PALs®)”. They focus on helping clients reduce sales cycle time, improve conversion rates, and expand into new verticals.

Industry Focus: Technology, SaaS, enterprise B2B companies adopting outbound & account-based strategies.

Case Studies: One client decreased its sales cycle by 50% and increased its conversion rate to 70%. Another company increased its pipeline by 35% and expanded its footprint in the cloud integration market.

Client Quote

“I have gotten everything out of this experience that I expected and more. Our team is really excited about the opportunities that we have on deck. Vendisys is truly a great replacement for hiring a full-time inside sales force.” – Owner of a 3PL

Pros:
✔ Very high conversion rates from PALs to meetings in case studies
✔ Excellent customer satisfaction on G2; great feedback on quality and support
✔ Strong in speed and scaling, particularly for companies needing to build pipeline fast

Cons:
✘ Some clients report challenges in the initial targeting or message refinement phases
✘ May require clear ICP (ideal customer profile) & internal alignment to get the full benefit (message, outreach, follow-up)

Pricing: Custom based on campaign scope, number of leads, outreach channels, etc.

22. Televerde

Best for Full-Lifecycle Demand Generation & Social Impact Lead Gen
G2 Rating: ⭐ 4.6/5

Televerde is a B2B marketing, lead generation, and revenue acceleration agency founded in 1995. They combine contact data, teleservices, marketing automation, and data analytics, with a mission-driven workforce (including second-chance hiring).

Industry Focus: Large enterprise B2B clients, technology/software/SaaS, companies that need robust demand generation, pipeline acceleration, and customer engagement.

Awards: Certified as a Most Loved Workplace® in 2024 by Best Practice Institute. Recognized in Forrester’s Revenue Development Services Landscape Report, Q2 2023.

Case Studies: Manufacturing company generates $63M in pipeline with Televerde.

Client Quote

“They are the ‘full package’ — organized, pleasant, and skilled. Any organization looking for a partner that can “check all those boxes” should consider Televerde.” – Owner of a Technology Company

Pros:
✔ Strong measurable ROI in large engagements.
✔ Mission-driven company culture; second-chance employment adds to employee and stakeholder commitment.
✔ Reliable performance in outbound/inbound combined, good reporting, professional service.

Cons:
✘ Ramp-up and onboarding phases are sometimes slower or more complex, per reviews.
✘ Prices tend to be higher; clients sometimes remark that they “get what they pay for.”

Pricing: Custom; dependent on scope (pipeline size, outreach channels, labor, data, etc.).

23. A-Sales AB

Best for Appointment Setting in Global Markets
Clutch Rating: ⭐ 5.0/5

A-Sales AB is a Sweden-based (global reach) B2B lead generation and sales outsourcing firm focusing on outbound prospecting, appointment setting, ABM, and SDR services. They serve clients in multiple languages and have strong reviews for responsiveness and results.

Industry Focus: SaaS, technology, enterprise clients; companies wanting to outsource parts of their sales development and outreach in global or multilingual contexts.

Case Studies: Client experienced five meetings secured with Fortune 500 companies within the first month of outreach. One enterprise deal was closed and initiated entirely via this ABM campaign. Strengthened pipeline and account visibility for Google among key enterprise buyers.

Client Quote:

“Everything was handled with consistency and reliability.” – Co-Founder of a Video Editing Company

Pros:
✔ Very high scores on Clutch for quality, cost, schedule, and willingness to refer.
✔ Strong ability to deliver volume of appointments/meetings in short periods.
✔ Multilingual / global reach; good flexibility and responsiveness.

Cons:
✘ Onboarding feedback indicates potential for smoother initial alignment (some clients mention wanting quicker ramp).
✘ For smaller clients, minimum project sizes or custom scope may make pricing/engagement less accessible.

Pricing: Custom, project-based.

24. Atlantic Growth Solutions

Best for Lead Generation Consulting
Clutch Rating: ⭐ 4.9/5

Atlantic Growth Solutions (AGS) is a Canadian B2B lead generation, sales recruiting, and consulting firm. It specializes in helping clients with outbound and inbound lead generation, training, sales process optimization, and building repeatable pipelines.

Industry Focus: Technology / SaaS / other B2B sectors; companies looking to improve or build their sales process from scratch.

Client Quote

“Atlantic Growth Solutions consistently delivered what they promised on time and were responsive to our needs.” – Inside Sales Manager of a Biotech Company

Pros:
✔ Strong culture values and clarity in team roles; emphasis on people & quality of service.
✔ Broad service scope: from lead generation to process/training and recruiting.

Cons:
✘ Lack of published detailed performance data/case study numbers makes it harder to compare directly with peers.
✘ No visible awards or third-party recognitions in my findings.

Pricing: Custom; depends on services (lead generation, training, recruiting, etc.), campaign size, outbound vs inbound mix.

25. Blue Valley Marketing

Best for Publisher-/Ad Partner-Focused Cold Calling
Clutch Rating: ⭐ 4.9/5

Blue Valley Marketing is a U.S.-based outsourced call center specialising in performance-based models, especially working with publishers and advertising channels. They help clients build lead generation programs where fees are tied to lead quality, with a very strong ROI in certain published examples.

Industry Focus: Publishers / Ad networks; companies wanting performance-based lead gen; businesses leveraging digital advertising & data-driven lead quality tiers.

Case Studies: In a published example, they describe a lead generation program for publishers that delivered “as much as 450% ROI” where lead quality and payment tiers were tied to lead qualification (e.g., BANT leads).

Client Quote

“I highly recommend this company for its excellent BPO and call center services! Their team of еxpеrts is extremely knowledgeable and is always ready to answer any questions or concerns.” – Google Review Contributor

Pros:
✔ Very high potential returns when lead quality is well defined.
✔ Transparent models: performance-based, payment based on quality.
✔ Strong experience with publishers and ad channel partners.

Cons:
✘ Less publicly visible detailed case studies with company names, sample volumes, or outcomes beyond ROI percentages.
✘ For clients unfamiliar with performance-based models, risk/perceived risk may be higher.

Pricing: Payment is structured based on lead quality; examples show up to $150 per record for highly qualified leads in some programs. Custom for each campaign.

26. CoDev

Best for Offshore Sales Development
Clutch Rating: ⭐ 4.7/5

CoDev is an international sales & marketing outsourcing agency specializing in remote SDR (Sales Development Representative) staffing, outreach, and pipeline generation. They operate across multiple offices (notably in the Philippines) and serve over 100 global clients, helping scale sales teams offshore with flexible SDR models.

Industry Focus: B2B SaaS/enterprise clients; companies wanting to augment or outsource sales development; technology, IT-BPM sectors.

Awards: Great Place to Work® Certification — third consecutive year. Named among the Philippines’ Best Workplaces in IT-BPM 2025, ranking #26.

Case Studies: DesignRush shows that CoDev delivers 200+ projects annually, supports $5B+ in customer valuation, and has generated $500M+ in client revenue through its services. They claim that their SDRs produce “8× more meetings than in-house teams,” as a typical benefit vs internal SDR models.

Client Quote

“They have always been good communicators and easy to work with.” – Engineering Manager at a Software Company

Pros:
✔ Strong employer reputation/culture, which supports continuity and quality of service.
✔ Large output of projects; ability to scale quickly with remote SDR capacity.
✔ Competitive rates vs in-house US SDR expense, and ability to maintain performance via established structure.

Cons:
✘ Some employee reviews cite trade-offs in benefits/perks or workload vs expectation.
✘ As with many offshore models, potential challenges in alignment, time zones, and communication for some clients.

Pricing: Custom, usually based on the number of SDRs, scope of outreach, level of support, etc.

27. Factur

Best for Precision Lead & Sales Generation for Manufacturing Suppliers

Factur is a B2B Growth Agency built specifically for manufacturing. They help manufacturing suppliers build and sustain pipelines via targeted lead generation, sales development, business development, and demand marketing. Their services include cold email, cold calling, appointment setting, content marketing, SEO, PPC, website design/hosting, and more.

Industry Focus: Contract Manufacturing; Automation Solutions; Equipment Solutions; Industrial Distribution; Engineering & Prototyping; Manufacturing Support; Facility & Industrial Services; Advanced Manufacturing / Industry 4.0; Maintenance, Repair, & Operational Services (MRO); B2B OEMs.

Case Studies: Five months into a partnership, $150,000 in sales won, and $280,000 in outstanding quoted opportunities.

Client Quote

“They were quick to respond and seemed to really care about our success. Very open to ideas, yet had data to back up their recommendations. Very professional.” – CEO of a Plastics Company

Pros:
✔ Deep specialization in manufacturing / industrial sectors brings relevant domain knowledge.
✔ Broad service offering (lead generation, sales development, business development, marketing, content, etc.), allowing for end-to-end growth support.
✔ Strong testimonials with specific outcome metrics (e.g., “24 real opportunities in 6 months”), and repeat client engagements.

Cons:
✘ No specific named awards discovered so far; recognition seems more in client testimonials.
✘ Pricing or standard packages aren’t clearly presented on the site, so custom quotes are likely needed.

28. EBQ

Best for Multi-Channel B2B Campaigns

Clutch Rating: ⭐ 4.8/5

EBQ provides outsourced sales and marketing teams that cover every stage of the funnel: prospecting, appointment setting, marketing automation, and CRM admin.

Industry Focus: SaaS, Technology, Professional Services

Awards: Clutch Top B2B Company

Case Studies: Achieved an 11% increase in open rate, 45% increase in click-through rates, and 97.92% average email deliverability rate for an event services company.

Client Quote
“EBQ has been the most plugged-in partner out of any vendors we’ve worked with. The amount of engagement that we get from EBQ’s team makes EBQ a true extension of us. Now, we can pursue campaigns that previously weren’t viable. To me, EBQ is now part of the team; they can act as our internal representative.” – Marketing Coordinator at a Health Services Company

Pros:
✔ Full-service approach
✔ Flexible team scaling

Cons:
✘ Higher costs for small businesses
✘ Requires longer onboarding

Pricing: Custom

29. Global Response

Best for Large-Scale Customer Engagement
Clutch Rating: ⭐ 4.5/5

Global Response is a business process outsourcer/customer engagement provider offering services that include customer service, virtual assistance, telemarketing, chat/email support, and lead generation. They work globally, helping large brands streamline support, improve customer experience, and generate and convert leads via multichannel contact.

Industry Focus: E-commerce, Retail, Consumer Products, Footwear / Apparel, Sporting Goods, Fashion Brands—among others; clients include FILA, Lacoste, ASICS, Rack Room.

Case Studies: One client increased online sales by 25%, and Global Response helped boost performance by more than 130%. Another client saved 84% on social media monitoring while expanding coverage by 110%.

Client Quote

“We are seeing an increase in existing and repeat customer business. There was a transformation from people contacting customer service … to now becoming repeat loyal customers thanks to Global Response.” – VP of E-Commerce for Sportswear Brand

Pros:
✔ Well-suited for clients that need both customer support + lead generation, so you get engagement + potential conversion together
✔ Strong performance improvements: conversion increases, monitoring cost savings, expanded coverage.

Cons:
✘ Public data on their lead generation output (e.g., number of leads, cost per lead, lead-quality metrics) is less detailed than for some pure lead generation agencies.
✘ Employee and internal reviews (Glassdoor, etc.) show mixed feedback on work environment/pay/management in some regions.

30. Hit Rate Solutions

Best for Affordable B2B Appointment Setting

G2 Rating: ⭐ 4.3/5

Hit Rate Solutions offers cost-effective appointment setting and lead generation services tailored for SMBs and mid-sized companies.

Industry Focus: IT Services, Healthcare, Insurance

Awards: Clutch Global Leader in Lead Gen

Case Studies: 550% increase in quarterly sales for a shed kit company, rising from 300 sales to 1950 sales. A non-profit experienced a 400% boost in associates, enabling greater outreach and pre-qualification of senior customers.

Client Quote
“The sales process went smooth with clear talks, explanation of offer and without pressure.” – Security System Provider

Pros:
✔ Budget-friendly options
✔ Scalable campaigns

Cons:
✘ Limited marketing services
✘ Smaller global footprint

Pricing: From $1,200/month

7 Things to Consider When Choosing the Best Lead Generation Company

When you’re evaluating an outsourced lead generation company, there are a few non-negotiables to keep in mind. These aren’t just checkboxes; they’re the factors that determine whether the partnership will actually drive pipeline and help you hit your revenue goals.

1. How do they approach outbound lead generation in today’s market?

The game has changed. Outbound lead generation isn’t about cold calling a list and hoping for the best. The strongest partners use data-backed outreach, AI tools, and precise targeting to cut through the noise and spark real conversations. If a lead gen company isn’t evolving with the market, it’s falling behind. Look for a team that personalizes at scale, leverages smart tech, and understands how to create engagement that actually converts.

2. Are their strategies keeping up with industry trends and your growth goals?

Trends shift fast, and the best lead gen companies don’t just keep up; they stay ahead. You want a partner who tracks the shifts in buyer behavior, adjusts their tactics accordingly, and brings new ideas to the table. That kind of alignment means your campaigns stay relevant and competitive. Bonus points if they’re involved in industry events or thought leadership spaces.

3. Do they provide a complete lead generation strategy or just fill in the gaps?

Every business has different needs. Maybe you’re looking for a full-service growth engine, or maybe you need a partner to fill specific gaps in your funnel. Either way, the key is clarity. Are they building and executing full-funnel strategies? Do they specialize in outbound, inbound, or both? The right partner should meet you where you are, whether that means handling the entire lead gen ecosystem or plugging into your existing efforts with precision.

4. Do they have experience working in your industry?

Context matters. A lead generation partner with industry-specific experience brings more than just outreach skills—they bring insight. They understand your buyers, your competition, and the messaging that resonates. That familiarity translates into better conversion rates, shorter sales cycles, and campaigns that hit harder. It also means they can pivot quickly when the market shifts, keeping your pipeline filled with qualified, relevant leads.

5. Do they have the people, tools, and processes to support your growth?

A larger agency may offer deeper resources, access to better tools, and dedicated teams across every stage of the sales funnel. A smaller firm might give you more flexibility and hands-on attention. The key is to find a partner with the right balance and someone with the firepower to scale your efforts and the structure to support your unique goals. Make sure they can deliver what you need when you need it.

6. Does their pricing model work for your budget and your long-term goals?

Budget is always part of the equation, but so is ROI. The goal isn’t just to spend less; it’s to spend smarter. A strong lead gen partner will offer pricing models that make sense for your goals and your growth stage. Ask how their fees tie into performance, and make sure you understand the full scope of what you’re getting. Sometimes, a higher upfront investment brings better returns, better leads, and a stronger pipeline in the long run.

7. How well do they collaborate with your sales and marketing teams?

The best lead gen partners don’t operate in a silo. They integrate directly with your sales and marketing teams to ensure leads are qualified, nurtured, and converted efficiently. Look for a company that communicates clearly, collaborates regularly, and aligns with your internal goals. That tight connection between teams allows for faster feedback loops, stronger campaigns, and a sales funnel that moves with precision. When everyone’s rowing in the same direction, growth follows.

Key Questions to Ask Lead Generation Companies Before Hiring Them

Dating teaches you one thing quickly: the wrong match wastes your time. The same goes for outsourced lead gen. You’re not looking for someone who says all the right things—you’re looking for someone who follows through and fits your goals.

These days, most people find dates with a swipe. So we’re applying the same idea here. We’ll walk you through the questions to ask and help you spot the right swipe signals from the left swipe red flags.

What lead generation tactics do you follow?

Right Swipe:
✓ They build a strategy around your ICP, not a one-size-fits-all template.
✓ Multi-channel, multi-touch outreach with relevance at the core.
✓ Personalization backed by positioning, not just {{FirstName}} magic.

Left Swipe:
✘ They rely on generic outreach and “volume = value” logic.
✘ Their tech stack does the heavy lifting (no human insight).
✘ Intent signals are the only signal. Once that runs out, so does their game plan.

What does your process look like from prospect to appointment?

Right Swipe:
✓ Clear process that starts with collaboration on messaging and strategy.
✓ Regular syncs, adaptive workflows, and room to pivot based on real-time data.
✓ Aligned goals from day one, with shared KPIs and proactive recommendations.

Left Swipe:
✘ They send leads, but you have no idea how or why they were generated.
✘ No visibility into workflows, and adjustments only happen when results tank.
✘ “Set it and forget it” is their go-to operating model.

What KPIs do you use to measure success?

Right Swipe:
✓ Conversion rates, sales pipeline influence, and cost per SQL are front and center.
✓ Transparent reporting that drives decision-making.
✓ Metrics tied to revenue, not vanity.

Left Swipe:
✘ Obsessed with opens, clicks, and download counts.
✘ Reporting feels more like a PowerPoint deck than performance insight.
✘ They can’t answer, “How much revenue did we help generate?”

What does your pricing model offer me? What are the terms & conditions?

Right Swipe:
✓ Pricing is transparent and clearly tied to outcomes.
✓ You know what you’re paying for, and what happens if goals aren’t met.
✓ Contract terms are flexible, not a trap.

Left Swipe:
✘ Surprise fees for “extra” reporting or basic strategy sessions.
✘ Long-term lock-in with little accountability.
✘ “We can’t give you a quote until after kickoff.”

How do you keep us updated on performance and progress?

Right Swipe:
✓ Ongoing strategy sessions, real-time dashboards, open lines of communication.
✓ Feels like an extension of your team, not an external vendor.
✓ Insights shared regularly, not just when you ask for them.

Left Swipe:
✘ You hear from them once a month (if that).
✘ Zero collaboration with your sales or marketing leaders.
✘ Their “updates” are auto-generated email reports.

Do you provide lead exclusivity?

Right Swipe:
✓ Leads are yours and yours alone.
✓ They offer exclusivity by default or as a transparent upgrade.
✓ You get clarity on how data is sourced and distributed.

Left Swipe:
✘ Shared leads with competitors without your knowledge.
✘ They dodge questions about how leads are handled.
✘ You feel like you’re part of a crowded list, not a priority.

What does your lead handoff process look like?

Right Swipe:
✓ Sales-ready leads with qualification notes, context, and timing insights.
✓ Seamless CRM integration and handoff workflows.
✓ Sales enablement is built into the process, not an afterthought.

Left Swipe:
✘ “Here’s a spreadsheet, good luck.”
✘ No alignment with your internal team or tech stack.
✘ Sales gets leads cold, confused, and already annoyed.

The 10 Best Lead Generation Companies for Software in 2025

1. ZoomInfo

Best for Gathering Prospect Data

G2 Rating: 4.5/5

ZoomInfo is an industry-leading B2B intelligence platform, offering businesses access to one of the largest, most accurate contact and company databases in the world. Designed for revenue teams, ZoomInfo powers account-based strategies, outbound prospecting, and marketing campaigns with detailed firmographic data, buyer intent signals, and automated outreach capabilities. ZoomInfo seamlessly integrates with major CRMs and sales engagement tools, helping teams build pipelines faster and connect with decision-makers efficiently.

Pros	Cons
Very large B2B contact + company database (hundreds of millions of records).	High cost – many reviews point out the pricing is steep especially for smaller teams.
Good integrations, widely used in sales/marketing workflows.	Data accuracy / coverage (especially smaller companies) may be inconsistent.
Strong “go-to-market” feature set (intent data, firmographics etc).	The pricing model and “hidden” or opaque cost structure can frustrate users.

2. D&B Hoovers

Best for Discovering Company Profiles

G2 Rating: 4.1/5

D&B Hoovers, a Dun & Bradstreet solution, empowers businesses with actionable B2B insights through its robust business intelligence platform. It offers access to millions of detailed company profiles, financial data, and predictive analytics to help sales teams prioritize accounts and uncover high-value opportunities. The platform enables account-based marketing (ABM) strategies, territory planning, and accelerated prospecting by delivering high-quality firmographic and technographic data.

Pros	Cons
Comprehensive company and contact information; good for prospect research.	Some users report outdated or inaccurate contact data.
Easy to use interface (for many users) and good for quick lookup of company intelligence.	Integrations may be limited; not always as deep CRM/stack-integration as newer tools.
Strong for larger enterprises needing deep data coverage.	Cost relative to value can be a concern for smaller teams or if not all features used.

3. Outreach.io

Best for Improving Sales Processes

G2 Rating: 4.3/5

Outreach.io is a market leader in sales execution, helping sales teams optimize engagement workflows and close more deals, faster. Their platform enables revenue teams to automate outreach tasks, manage complex deals, and leverage AI-driven insights across every stage of the sales cycle. With features such as conversation intelligence, predictive forecasting, and AI-powered pipeline health analysis, Outreach empowers sales reps to focus on high-impact activities that drive revenue.

Pros	Cons
Robust sales engagement platform — automates a lot of the outreach, sequence, follow-up workflows.	Expensive, and many users feel it’s “over-built” or bloated for smaller teams.
Strong integration with CRM tools and a mature sales stack environment.	Learning curve / setup complexity can be non-trivial.
Enables data-driven sales engagement with analytics, AI features (in newer versions).	For organizations not ready for full-scale “sales engagement platform” the ROI may be unclear.

4. LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Best for Social Media Prospecting

G2 Rating: 4.3/5

LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a sales intelligence platform built on the world’s largest professional network. It helps sales and marketing teams discover and engage with qualified prospects using advanced search filters, lead recommendations, and real-time updates. Sales Navigator integrates seamlessly with CRMs and provides actionable insights, making it easier for reps to build trust and start conversations that convert. Its InMail messaging system enables direct outreach to high-value prospects even outside of existing connections.

Pros	Cons
Advanced filters for leads/ accounts, and rich networking possibilities via LinkedIn ecosystem.	Subscription cost can be steep relative to tangible ROI for some teams.
Great for relationship-building, identifying warm connections, tracking updates.	Some limitations around data export, contact info access, and filtering complexity.
Familiar platform for many sales professionals (leveraging LinkedIn).	May not replace a dedicated contact database; still limited by what users share/ connections allow.

5. Smartlead.ai

Best for Cold Outreach at Scale

G2 Rating: 4.6/5

Smartlead.ai is a cold email outreach platform designed to help businesses and agencies automate and scale their lead generation efforts. It offers unlimited mailboxes, unlimited email warmups, and an all-in-one inbox to manage outbound campaigns. With Smartlead.ai, users can create advanced workflows, automate follow-ups, and leverage AI-powered SmartDelivery to boost deliverability and hit primary inboxes. The platform also provides white-label options for agencies managing multiple clients.

Pros	Cons
Strong in cold email / outreach automation: unlimited warm-ups, multiple email accounts, deliverability focus.	Some users report support, user experience (UX) issues and a learning curve for integrations.
Easy to set up and integrate; good for scaling outreach for agencies / B2B.	Because it’s specialized (cold email/outbound) it may require strong process discipline and good data hygiene.
Relatively competitive pricing for what it offers (depending on scale).	Not as “all-in-one” as full CRM or database platforms — you might still need other tools for enrichment, research.

6. Unbounce

Best for Landing Page Optimization

G2 Rating: 4.4/5

Unbounce is a landing page and conversion intelligence platform designed for marketers who need to launch campaigns fast and drive more conversions. With an intuitive drag-and-drop builder, AI copy generation, Smart Traffic optimization, and built-in A/B testing, Unbounce enables users to design tailored landing pages that convert without needing a developer. The platform integrates seamlessly with CRMs and popular marketing tools, giving sales and marketing teams the power to optimize performance at scale.

Pros	Cons
Very strong landing-page builder: drag-and-drop, templates, A/B testing, Smart Traffic features.	Pricing is higher than some competing landing-page builders; can be cost-prohibitive for small teams.
Empowers marketers to deploy quickly without heavy developer support.	If you need highly custom functionality or integrations, might still need dev support.
Good for conversion rate optimisation (CRO) workflows.	Some users feel there’s chance to improve ramp on new features / UI.

7. Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (previously Pardot)

Best for Marketing Automation

G2 Rating: 4.0/5

Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (formerly Pardot) helps B2B marketers generate, nurture, and convert leads through personalized campaigns and AI-driven automation. Integrated natively with Salesforce CRM, this platform empowers marketing and sales teams to streamline the buyer journey from awareness to conversion. With features like dynamic lead scoring, advanced segmentation, and multi-channel engagement, it equips users to build connected experiences across email, mobile, and advertising channels.

Pros	Cons
Strong B2B marketing automation tool; excellent when tightly integrated with Salesforce CRM for lead nurturing, scoring, multi-touch campaigns.	Complexity & cost: many reviews point out the overhead in setup, maintenance, and learning.
Good for longer sales cycles, aligning marketing & sales, lead qualification.	If your process is simpler / smaller scale, you may be paying for more than you use.
Offers deep automation, segmentation, analytics.	Dependent on Salesforce stack — if you’re not already using Salesforce CRM, may be heavy.

8. Chili Piper

Best for Maximizing Inbound Lead Conversion

G2 Rating: 4.6/5

Chili Piper is a demand conversion platform that helps B2B companies qualify, route, and book meetings instantly from inbound or outbound channels. Their all-in-one solution combines form routing, scheduling, lead distribution, and live chat to remove friction between marketing and sales teams. Chili Piper integrates with Salesforce and HubSpot, ensuring prospects are automatically routed to the right sales rep in real time, reducing response times, and accelerating pipeline creation.

Pros	Cons
Efficient scheduling and routing tool for sales teams: quick meeting booking, calendar integrations, routing leads.	Cost can be high especially for smaller teams or when full features used.
Helps reduce lead response time and improves conversion by less friction in booking.	Some users highlight calendar/permissions issues (especially with certain setups) and learning/training needed.
Good integration with CRMs and inbound lead flow.	Some features may require customizing or support — not always plug-and-play for complex routing logic.

9. Intercom

Best for AI-Powered Customer Service

G2 Rating: 4.5/5

Intercom is an AI-first customer service and conversational engagement platform. Their Fin AI Agent combines live chat, AI automation, and sales enablement to help companies capture and convert leads at scale. Designed for customer success and revenue teams, Intercom enables businesses to automate conversations, qualify inbound leads, and route them to sales instantly. With features like personalized chatbot flows, live chat, AI-generated responses, and proactive outbound messaging, Intercom helps reduce lead response times and accelerate deal velocity.

Pros	Cons
Multichannel communication platform: live chat, in-app messaging, bots, potential for lead generation + customer engagement.	Pricing and feature packaging can become complex; value depends on use-case & volume.
Good for capturing leads in-context, engaging website visitors or in-product users.	Some users feel the analytics or chatbot capabilities still require additional investment or customisation.
Helps with both marketing lead capture and post-sale support/engagement.	If you only need simple chat/support, may be “overkill” or not cost-efficient.

10. Breeze Intelligence (previously Clearbit)

Best for Enriching CRM Records

G2 Rating: 4.4/5

Clearbit, now part of HubSpot as Breeze Intelligence, provides B2B teams with enriched, accurate, and actionable data to optimize go-to-market strategies. Its platform enables real-time lead scoring, routing, and account enrichment to help sales and marketing teams prioritize high-fit prospects. With proprietary data sources and IP intelligence, Clearbit uncovers hidden buying intent and transforms anonymous website traffic into actionable sales signals.

Pros	Cons
Strong data enrichment / intent-data tool that plugs into CRM/marketing workflows; good for improving contact & account data quality.	Pricing and credit-based models can make cost unpredictable; small teams may find ROI unclear.
Helps sales/marketing teams get better insights about leads/accounts (technographics, intent, firmographics) which improves targeting.	Because it’s an enrichment layer, you still need good internal processes and clean base data; it’s not a full CRM/outreach stack by itself.
Useful for surfacing high-quality leads, improving lead scoring/segmentation.	Some users report dataset gaps or fewer results compared to older versions (due to transitions).

Final Thoughts

Picking the right B2B lead generation partner isn’t just a marketing decision—it’s a growth strategy. Before you commit, ask:

Do they know your industry and target buyer?
Are they omnichannel or single-threaded?
Do they integrate with your CRM and sales tools?
Can they show real ROI, not just activity metrics?

We reviewed the 40 best lead gen companies of 2025, each excelling in different areas—from AI targeting to outbound SDR teams. The right fit depends on your sales cycle, goals, and internal resources.

Pro tip: Don’t just look at pricing—evaluate the company’s process, tech, transparency, and track record.

Let’s Grow Your Pipeline

If you want more than just leads, you want appointments with real decision-makers—Abstrakt is your partner. With proven omnichannel strategies, U.S.-based SDRs, and deep industry experience, we help B2B companies build predictable, scalable pipelines.

Book your strategy session now

Madison Hendrix

Senior SEM Specialist at Abstrakt – [email protected]

Madison has worked in SEO and content writing at Abstrakt for over 5 years and has become a certified lead generation expert through her hours upon hours of research to identify the best possible strategies for companies to grow within our niche industry target audiences. An early adopter of AIO (A.I. Optimization) with many organic search accolades - she brings a unique level of expertise to Abstrakt providing helpful info to all of our core audiences.

Jason Bahnak

Chief Marketing Officer at Abstrakt – [email protected] – Web

Jason Bahnak is the Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Abstrakt Marketing Group, a leading B2B demand generation firm based in St. Louis. With over 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, and business development, Jason has a proven track record of helping organizations grow through highly targeted outbound and inbound strategies.

Before founding Abstrakt in 2010, Jason held leadership roles at Gateway Business Development Group and Anthony, Allan & Quinn, Inc., where he specialized in leveraging digital channels to create predictable, scalable lead generation programs. His expertise spans organizational growth, sales enablement, and multi-channel marketing strategies.

At Abstrakt, he’s helped scale the business into one of the top growth agencies in the country, earning recognition on the Inc. 5000 list multiple times. Jason continues to drive innovation at Abstrakt by leading marketing strategy, exploring emerging technologies, and mentoring the next generation of sales and marketing leaders.

Your Guide to Appointment Setting & Lead Generation Success

The Playbook for AI-Powered Lead Generation

Following Up With Job Candidates via Email (Guide)

The 40 Best Lead Generation Companies of 2025

Top 30 Lead Generation Agencies to Grow Your Business in 2025

1. Abstrakt

2. Sapper

3. Belkins

5. Cience

4. Callbox

5. Martal Group

6. LeadGenius

7. Sopro

8. SalesRoads

9. SalesAR

10. Leadium

11. LevelUp Leads

12. MoreMeetings.com

13. JumpCrew

14. Prialto

15. GenSales

16. Lead Cookie

17. SalesBread

18. 360 Leads

19. Beyond Codes

20. SalesHive

21. Vendisys

22. Televerde

23. A-Sales AB

24. Atlantic Growth Solutions

25. Blue Valley Marketing

26. CoDev

27. Factur

28. EBQ

29. Global Response

30. Hit Rate Solutions

7 Things to Consider When Choosing the Best Lead Generation Company

1. How do they approach outbound lead generation in today’s market?

2. Are their strategies keeping up with industry trends and your growth goals?

3. Do they provide a complete lead generation strategy or just fill in the gaps?

4. Do they have experience working in your industry?

5. Do they have the people, tools, and processes to support your growth?

6. Does their pricing model work for your budget and your long-term goals?

7. How well do they collaborate with your sales and marketing teams?

Key Questions to Ask Lead Generation Companies Before Hiring Them

What lead generation tactics do you follow?

What does your process look like from prospect to appointment?

What KPIs do you use to measure success?

What does your pricing model offer me? What are the terms & conditions?

How do you keep us updated on performance and progress?

Do you provide lead exclusivity?

What does your lead handoff process look like?

The 10 Best Lead Generation Companies for Software in 2025

1. ZoomInfo

2. D&B Hoovers

3. Outreach.io

4. LinkedIn Sales Navigator

5. Smartlead.ai

6. Unbounce

7. Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (previously Pardot)

8. Chili Piper

9. Intercom

10. Breeze Intelligence (previously Clearbit)

Final Thoughts

Let’s Grow Your Pipeline

Madison Hendrix

Jason Bahnak

Stream Our Podcast

Share This Post

More Like This

Referral Lead Generation: Strategies to Drive More Customers

Driving Growth Through Events: Proven Lead Generation Tactics

Cold Email vs LinkedIn Outreach for B2B Appointment Setting

Schedule a Meeting