Let’s be honest—generating leads used to be a lot easier.
Cold emails? They used to crush. Facebook Ads? Dirt cheap. SEO? Fewer competitors. But fast-forward to today, and everyone’s fighting for the same eyeballs. So, how do you stay ahead?
You diversify. You go multi-channel. And you don’t just “do marketing”—you build a lead engine.
This isn’t about theory. It’s a breakdown of the 10 best lead generation channels that are actually working right now—backed by data, best practices, and real-world examples.
Best lead generation channels to grow your business:
1. Email Marketing
Still the MVP of outbound.
Email is personal, cost-effective, and scalable—a rare trifecta in marketing. It allows you to reach people in their inbox (where decisions happen) and guide them down the funnel with nurturing content.
Best practices:
- Use segmentation to tailor your message to industry, pain points, or funnel stage
- Personalize subject lines and CTAs to boost open and response rates
- Leverage automation to create nurture flows triggered by user behavior
Success Stats:
Inside Tip: For our lead generation efforts, we build email flows based on actions taken by users on their website, like downloading a guide or signing up for company newsletters. Each follow-up email aligns perfectly with the buyer’s journey to ensure we meet them where they’re at in the buying process.
More than memes. Way more.
Social is where brand meets community. It’s not just a place to post; it’s a place to connect, engage, and influence. When paired with paid social targeting, you’re able to find your audience and convert them into leads.
Best practices:
- Focus on engagement-driven content (polls, questions, live videos)
- Boost high-performing organic posts with paid ads
- Run lead gen forms directly within platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook
Success Stats:
Example: Nike’s Instagram isn’t about sales. It’s about emotion and identity. Their stories and reels position their customers as heroes, drawing in engagement that turns into loyalty.
3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Your digital front door.
When someone’s ready to solve a problem, they Google it. Ranking on page one for those search terms puts you in the spotlight at the perfect time—when intent is highest.
Best practices:
- Build topic clusters around specific pain points and buyer journeys
- Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to find low-competition, high-intent keywords
- Publish consistently and update old content regularly
Success Stats:
Example: We use SEO to drive more organic traffic to the keywords “b2b appointment setting” and “b2b lead generation” (you probably found us using a variation of one of these keywords!) because it brings in people who are actively looking for a solution to generate more leads, secure better quality sales meetings, fill pipeline, etc. So we give them proven insights to achieve results, and a solution we offer to relieve these pain points.
4. Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)
Turn intent into action—fast.
When someone searches for a solution, showing up first with a compelling offer gets the click. PPC lets you leap ahead of SEO by bidding for those top spots.
Best practices:
- Focus on high-converting, intent-driven keywords
- Split test ad copy and landing pages weekly
- Use negative keywords to avoid wasted spend
Success Stats:
Abtrakt Example: We use specific PPC landing pages aligned with keywords like “b2b appointment setting services” and “lead generation for [X] industry,” resulting in conversions from people looking for professional lead generation appointment setting services.
Check out this landing page for inspiration: B2B Sales Appointment Setting Landing Page
Teach, don’t pitch.
People don’t want ads—they want answers. Content marketing meets your audience where they are, solving problems and building authority long before a sales conversation.
Best practices:
- Focus on value-first content (how-to guides, templates, videos)
- Gate high-value assets behind lead forms
- Align CTAs to funnel stages (awareness, consideration, decision)
Success Stats:
- 67% more leads for companies that blog
- Content marketing delivers 3x the leads of traditional marketing
Inside Example: We use various approaches to content marketing, SEO content marketing being the ultimate traffic driver to our website. Within our blogs, we also provide readers with case studies, infographics, exclusive guide downloads, videos, and more to provide additional value to the reader.
Check out all our blogs here for a complete look into our SEO content marketing strategy.
6. Cold Calling
Cold calling still works—especially when it’s informed by data and fueled by a strong script. It cuts through the digital noise and allows real conversations to happen.
Best practices:
- Open strong—buyers decide in the first 15 seconds
- Use a call framework (problem > insight > ask)
- Follow up with value-add emails post-call
Success Stats:
Abstrakt Example: We align our cold calling efforts with email and LinkedIn outreach. This allows us to have multiple touchpoints with prospects where they’re most engaged, nurture relationships over time, and build them.
Explore how we use cold calling in our B2B appointment setting services.
7. Referral Programs
Cold calling still works—especially when it’s informed by data and fueled by a strong script. It cuts through the digital noise and allows real conversations to happen.
Best practices:
- Open strong—buyers decide in the first 15 seconds
- Use a call framework (problem > insight > ask)
- Follow up with value-add emails post-call
Success Stats:
Abstrakt Example: We align our cold calling efforts with email and LinkedIn outreach. This allows us to have multiple touchpoints with prospects where they’re most engaged, nurture relationships over time, and build them.
Explore how we use cold calling in our B2B appointment setting services.
8. Webinars & Virtual Events
Why it works:
Webinars generate high-intent leads by offering value up front—through education, insights, or live demos—positioning your team as trusted experts.
Best practices:
- Pick timely topics aligned with industry pain points
- Co-host with influencers or partner brands to widen reach
- Use registration gating to collect lead data
- Follow up with personalized outreach post-event
Success Stats:
- 73% of B2B marketers say webinars are the best way to get high-quality leads
- Average viewing time: 51 minutes, signaling high engagement
Example: Salesforce’s “Dreamforce to You” virtual event series draws thousands, nurturing leads with expert sessions, product showcases, and gated content downloads.
9. Account-Based Marketing (ABM)
Why it works:
ABM flips the funnel—starting with best-fit accounts and creating hyper-personalized campaigns to win them over. It’s efficient, targeted, and collaborative across sales and marketing.
Best practices:
- Align sales and marketing on target account lists
- Use personalized ads, content, and outreach by persona
- Leverage intent data and CRM integration
- Measure account engagement, not just form fills
Success Stats:
- 97% of marketers say ABM has a higher ROI than other strategies
- Companies using ABM generate 50% more revenue per account
Example: Adobe’s ABM strategy includes custom microsites and 1:1 field marketing efforts tailored to each account’s priorities, driving engagement that generic messaging would never match.
10. LinkedIn Outreach
Why it works:
LinkedIn is where decision-makers live. Direct outreach, when value-driven and personalized, opens doors that cold emails can’t.
Best practices:
- Use Sales Navigator to segment by job title, industry, and seniority
- Personalize connection requests and InMail messages
- Share insights before pitching anything
- Combine messaging with engaging content
Success Stats:
First-Hand Example: After identifying and confirming decision-makers via phone call, we connect with them on LinkedIn. This is where we share valuable links to our website, actionable resources to help support their sales and marketing efforts based on their potential service interests.
Should We Be Multi-Channel? What’s the Right Mix?
Absolutely. Multi-channel marketing isn’t just best practice—it’s essential in a fragmented attention economy.
Why it works:
- People engage across platforms (search, social, email, etc.)
- Multiple touches build familiarity and increase trust
- Data across channels helps optimize in real time
What’s the Best Multi-Channel Approach?
- Cold Outreach (email + calling + LinkedIn) for active prospecting
- Inbound Content (SEO + blogs + lead magnets) for intent capture
- Middle Funnel Nurture (webinars + case studies + retargeting)
- Paid Boosters (PPC, display, paid social) to scale what’s working
Multi-channel works because no single channel works 100% of the time. Consistency + synergy = compounding growth.
Final Thoughts
The businesses dominating 2025 aren’t doing more—they’re doing smarter. They’re aligning outbound hustle with inbound momentum, activating every channel like gears in a machine.
Your lead generation strategy doesn’t need to guess.
It needs to be executed with precision.
Ready to turn these insights into action?
Let’s build your lead gen engine. Talk to our team →
2. Social Media Marketing