How To Hire A Top Lead Generation Specialist

So, you have decided you want to outsource your lead generation.

You’d rather focus on doing what you do best – delivering the best service possible – while a skilled professional sources high-quality leads for you. Leads aligning with your brand understand your value and are likely to convert.

Am I right? If so, it’s a smart business decision!

However, here is the challenge:

How do you find REAL skilled lead generation specialists on an internet flooded with imposters, not-so-skilled lead generation specialists charging a mint, and lead generation businesses that deliver empty leads?

In the following article, I dip into my own 15+ years of experience as a lead generation specialist to give you 10 questions you should ask yourself when looking for REAL lead generation services online.

Quick Summary

Time is of the essence – we get it. That is why we have created a quick summary for you to skim:

• How much experience do they have?
• What is their forte?
• Do they have testimonials?
• Do they emphasize quantity or quality?
• Are they transparent?
• Do they show their prices?
• Do they communicate well?
• Are they offering a custom service?
• How much support do they provide?
• Are they using the latest technology?

Interested in hiring me as a lead generation specialist? Watch my free masterclass, which explains my strategy to generate leads. By the end of the video, you’ll know the best way to get high quality leads in your business and whether we’d be a good fit or not.

What questions should I ask when looking for a lead generation specialist?

Let’s assume you have landed on a lead generation business website; ask yourself the following questions when assessing them – if any are missing, it is an instant red flag and a sign you should look elsewhere:

1. How much experience do they have?

Mastering the art of lead generation takes many years (at least 5); it requires a multifaceted skillset, time, patience, and knowledge to reach a level where you can confidently deliver for paying clients.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it takes five years to generate leads. You can do that within a week if you try the right approach. What I am saying is that when you are investing your hard-earned cash into a lead generation specialist, investing in one with extensive experience WILL deliver exponential growth for your business.

Here is how to spot the experience of an online lead generation specialist:

• Do they write from experience in their content? Look for this in their writing style—is it unique? Does it give real-life examples?
• Do they offer FREE educational content that you can test? See my free masterclass on lead generation as an example.

• Have they listed their experience anywhere?

2. What is their forte?

Understanding a target audience is the holy grail of lead generation.

Let us remember that leads are not leads. They are people.

When ‘lead generating’, the lead generation specialist uses highly targeted data and the internet to communicate a particular message with a call-to-action to a person(s) they are confident will be motivated to act.

What does this mean? They need a forte; they need to understand a particular target audience deeply, which needs to correspond with your industry.

Here is how you can see if a lead generation specialist has a REAL forte:

• Do they have extensive blog articles related to your industry? See 7 Best Financial Advisor Lead Generation Strategies as an example.
• Do you feel said content speaks to you? Imposter or poor lead generation services will have content that only talks about how you can buy their products, not content that has advice you can action instantly.
• Do they have proven results (testimonials) from businesses like yours?

Note: Want to learn more about how lead generation specialists reach target audiences? Head over to our YouTube channel here.

3. Do they have testimonials?

High-quality lead generation can completely change the course of a business in unimaginable ways.

Because of this, when a lead generation specialist does their job correctly, clients will want to express their gratitude. Usually, this is done via testimonials.

If a lead generation specialist doesn’t feature testimonials on their website, that is another red flag.

4. Do they emphasize quantity or quality?

Ten high-quality, properly sourced leads benefit your business over 100 poor-quality leads.

Remember how I said, “Let us remember that leads are not leads. They are people.” I should’ve been more specific; a lead is the contact details of people—emails, addresses, phone numbers, etc.

These details can easily be scraped on the internet.

Poor lead generation services are scraping up these details off of cheap websites and then reselling them to you as sourced leads. Or, they are using broad audience targeting to reach all kinds of leads.

Targeting a focused group of motivated people with relevant contact information is the name of the game, instead of broadcasting emails willy-nilly.

Here are what lead generation services that prioritize quality over quantity will offer you:

• They will engage in deep research to understand your ideal customer profile.
• They will use targeted strategies to reach out to potential leads who fit this profile.
• They will nurture these leads through tailored content and follow-ups.
• They will ensure the leads are interested and ready for conversion before handing them to you.
• They will continuously refine their strategies based on feedback and results to ensure a steady flow of quality leads.

5. Are they transparent?

When a lead generation specialist is transparent about their service, they have nothing to hide.

Transparency is more than just a flashy business policy; it is a connotation that a business boldly backs its skillset, trusts its procedure, and knows its value.

They aren’t shady about the service or product they offer, and instead of shutting you out, they want to let you in on the procedure and be a part of the journey,

Here is how you can tell if your lead generation specialist practices transparency:

• They provide detailed explanations of their methods.
• They openly share their strategies and techniques.
• They are willing to answer any questions you may have.
• They are upfront about potential challenges and how they plan to overcome them.
• They provide regular updates and progress reports.

6. Do they show their prices?

Okay, this is a controversial one.

Whether or not a business chooses to display its prices doesn’t exactly translate into its ability to deliver a top-notch service, i.e., high-quality leads.

But..

If a lead generation specialist does display their prices, it makes it much easier for you to see if they’re worth your hard-earned cash. It shows that they know what they are worth, which is usually a really good sign (in context with everything else we have discussed).

Here are key points to watch out for when evaluating lead generation service prices:

• They should have clear, transparent pricing. Hidden fees or vague pricing structures are a red flag.
• The cost should align with the quality and quantity of leads they promise to deliver.
• They should offer a fair and reasonable return policy for leads that don’t convert.
• Look for flexible pricing options that can be tailored to your business needs.
• High prices don’t always mean high quality. Make sure the price matches the value they provide.

At Skyline Social, we charge a one-off fee and don’t stop working with you until you see. You can see our pricing here for an example.

7. Do they communicate well?

How can you trust a lead generation specialist will get you in touch with your target audience if they can’t stay in touch with you?

In this business, communication isn’t just key; it’s our lifeblood.

When looking for a high-quality lead generation specialist, please pay attention to the timeliness and personalization of their communication.

Here are some things to look out for with a lead generation specialist’s communication:

• Do they respond on time?
• Do you feel like they understand what you are going for?
• Are they clear?
• Do you feel heard?
• Do they disappear after you raise a concern?

8. Are they offering a custom service?

A REAL lead generation isn’t selling you leads, mere emails and phone numbers. They are providing you with a service—the opportunity to get your business in front of the right people.

This is not a one-off transaction. It is an ongoing experience that requires customer service.

When a lead generation specialist offers customer service, they welcome your feedback and collaboration. Quality lead generation requires exactly that.

9. Do they provide 1-to-1 support?

A good lead generation specialist will provide you with ongoing 1-to-1 support and consulting services to help you get the best results over time.

It’s also worth asking:

• How much support is provided?
• Does support cost extra?
• What kind of support is available (email or phone)?
• Is it group coaching support or private 1-to-1 support?

For our clients, we offer private 1-to-1 support for as long as it takes for our clients to get results. We also don’t charge any extra for support. This is included as part of the campaign.

Deciding to outsource your lead generation should always include frequent check-ins whereby you are brought up-to-date on where your lead generation campaign is so that you can evaluate your return on investment and whether or not the relationship is serving your business.

10. Are they using the latest technology?

Lead generation technology has reached such a point now that if your lead generation specialist isn’t using it, you will be disadvantaged compared to your competitors.

Here is a list of AI lead generation tools we’ve tried and tested.

Whenever we recommend something to our clients, we always test it ourselves first.

If your lead generation service provider uses outdated technology, it directly translates to inefficiency, outdated leads, and slower landing pages, to name a few.

Moreover, it reflects that they aren’t keeping up to date with industry trends within their own niche.

In Conclusion

Finding a genuine lead generation specialist requires careful consideration.

Firstly, prioritize those with ample experience and a clear focus that matches your industry.

Secondly, look for evidence of satisfied clients through testimonials. Remember, quality always trumps quantity when it comes to leads. Transparency is another key factor. This applies to both their methods and pricing.

Communication is crucial. You want a specialist who communicates in a timely and transparent manner. Look for those who offer custom services and frequent reporting. This shows their commitment to your needs.

Lastly, ensure they use the latest technology for maximum efficiency. With these points in mind, you’re well-equipped to find a lead generation specialist who can truly deliver.

FAQs