Post on Medial

New Day, New Case Study: Are Leads Actually Dead? So, recently I was working on a project, not for a client but for myself. And, as usual, I found myself in one of those deep conversations with people like us—entrepreneurs, business-minded folks. We were talking sales tactics: what works, what doesn’t, and the usual back-and-forth. Some were independent like me, while others were corporate employees in high-level positions. And then, out of nowhere, we hit upon the topic of leads. Now, before diving into that, I want to ask you: Are leads dead? One of my friends confidently said, "Yes, leads are dead. You should be focusing on getting the customer to directly buy the product." And just by hearing that, you can probably guess which industry he’s from, right? But I sell services, so for me, it’s a different story. Here’s the deal: there are billions of people selling all kinds of things—products, services, you name it. But his point was clear: find a way for customers to buy without all the traditional back-and-forth lead generation. He suggested putting more emphasis on marketing. I asked him, “So, should we focus more on marketing than leads?” His response came from his corporate background, where people still dial numbers all day long, just like in the stock market—hoping for that one successful hit. It’s a business model where they have to do this continuously. And we all know what it feels like. You get a call from a 140-number, and immediately, you know it’s a commercial call. We, as people, are already conditioned to reject these calls. So, is that why so many believe leads are dead? That got me thinking: What if we used leads differently? Let me tell you, I’ve worked with leads countless times, but I don’t spend hours manually collecting them anymore. I know people who’ve landed big clients by being smart about how they approach leads. So, what’s the real trick here? Should you still be buying leads, using platforms, or moving in a new direction? Here’s what I realized after the conversation: each business has its own way of working with leads. For some, continuously dialing numbers is part of the process, but for others, it’s all about how effectively you use the leads. And that’s where people get frustrated—because their conversion rates aren’t what they need them to be.So, are leads dead? For me, no, leads aren’t dead. But I understand why people think they are. If your conversion rate is low, calling lead after lead feels like a waste of time. And let’s be honest—getting commercial calls all day isn’t fun for anyone. But instead of throwing leads out, what if we changed how we use them? Focus on improving your conversion approach rather than ditching the process altogether. In the end, it depends on your business and how you operate. For some, leads are still the key to success. For others, they’re a frustration. But if you work on your strategy, leads can be a powerful tool to land more clients and grow your business. ~ Kadam