Lead Generation Myths

I just did a search for the term "lead generation myths" and it was interesting what I found. It's a very self-serving term, of course. Most people who create content about a topic like this one have something to sell (myself included, to be totally transparent ;-)

So what do you find when you search "lead generation myths?" Well, obviously you can do the search yourself, but here are the top answers I found:

-There really aren’t any free online lead generation strategies.-Relationship businesses can’t be done on the internet. -It is not possible to generate high quality, low cost leads online. -Sheer Activity is the Only Thing That Matters in Sales. -Sales 2.0 Leads are Qualified. -It's Important to Sort "Leads." -Websites don’t affect lead generation. -Don’t market to current clients. -We need more brand recognition first. -We need to run some magazine ads. -Direct mail doesn’t work.

I'm sure all of these are valid, and truth is in the eye of the beholder. Every marketer is in a different situation. But from my experience, there are some new myths that need to be added to the pile:

1. Lead generation is easy. It's not. While it may seem that way for those of us that have figured it out, we often forget just how much time, trouble and money it took to get a decent lead generation system in place.

2. Lead generation is free. It's not. It costs, either in time, money, or both. Nobody should step into the game with any delusions. Worth it? Yes. Free? No. Now, it gets cheaper and easier as you go, and the investment is worth the trouble, but let's be honest with newbies and tell them it's actually work.

The fact is, I love generating my own leads, and I encourage everybody to do the same. But I realize it's not as easy and it's not free, but it is worth it. The key is to keep the rest of your business humming while you figure out how to play the game.