21 Best Lead Generation Companies for Small Businesses

Outsourcing sales to lead generation companies for small businesses is one of the most underrated growth hacks. Those that don’t barely scratch the surface of what’s possible when you work with top lead generation companies.

Lead generation is the lifeblood of any business, but it’s often difficult to do successfully. It is particularly challenging in saturated or new markets, such as the North American tech market.

Acquiring enough good-quality leads requires a lot of resources and expertise. Nurturing the ones you do get requires a highly trained and professional sales team. Not to mention all the problems with bad data, buggy technology, measuring performance metrics, and high ad costs. 

If you’re a small business looking to grow, working with established lead generation companies can solve most, if not all, of these problems for you and unlock your growth.

Criteria for Choosing a Lead Gen Company for Your Small Business

Choosing a lead generation company is tough, but it becomes easier to decide once you understand what you need.

• Industry expertise – a solid understanding of the industry niche in which you operate reduces ramp-up time, reduces costs, and is invaluable in handling prospects.

• Bespoke options – the company should have the versatility to create a tailored strategy for you with all the services you need.

• Service range – a mix of full-service and tiered packages works best to cater to different client needs. The best companies allow for some level of self-directed control to maximize cooperation.

• Pricing – standard packages are easy enough to price, but things get complex once custom services and stand-alone packages are involved. Consider which company has sustainable pricing for the ROI you’ll likely get.

Finding the right B2B lead generation company is more difficult given the challenges of the B2B sector as a whole. B2B marketers need to work harder to build longer, more complex relationships before closing a deal.

This usually means developing a variety of high-authority content, such as white papers, lead magnets, and hyper-targeted ads to complement each stage of the buyer’s journey. With gated content, businesses can acquire useful contact information that’s usually very difficult to get in any other way. Outbound marketing techniques such as cold calling and email marketing also work when done with the right strategy. Consider whether the lead generation company has expertise or services related to a campaign calling center, especially if outbound marketing techniques are part of your strategy.

In general, B2B marketing is best when you partner with professionals who have done the groundwork to understand the market and develop effective strategies to reach prospects. This translates to finding the right type of lead generation company for your business.

B2B Outbound Lead Generation Companies

Outbound lead generation is all about attracting the interest of prospects who may not already know about your company or your product. Sometimes, they don’t even know that they need your product until you convince them otherwise.

As such, outbound B2B marketing involves sending out highly targeted but unsolicited communication to prospects who may be interested in buying your product. The communication methods vary and may include cold calling, direct emails, physical mail, and social selling. 

This type of lead generation requires sales development reps (SDRs), or sales executives, with a deep understanding of the client’s needs and their decision-making process. Most such companies operate in a specific niche where they accumulate priceless expertise and data.

Top-Tier Outbound Lead Generation Companies

Outbound lead generation companies specialize in initiating contact with prospects who may not yet be aware of your products or services. They proactively reach out to create awareness and spark interest, using strategies tailored to align with your business goals.

A reliable outbound lead generation partner can help you enhance your growth by:

• Expanding Communication Channels: These companies utilize a variety of methods including cold calling, email campaigns, and social media outreach to effectively reach and engage potential clients.
• Tailoring Customized Lead Strategies: Outbound lead generation agencies develop approaches tailored to your specific market and customer profile, ensuring highly targeted outreach.
• Streamlining Lead Qualification: They specialize in identifying and pursuing only the most promising leads, optimizing the conversion process.

Optimizing Dynamic Campaign Management: An outsourced lead generation partner excels in managing and adapting outbound campaigns dynamically to maximize impact and ROI.

#1 in Outbound B2B Marketing – Martal Group

Why Small Businesses Choose Martal

For small businesses, the path to growth is riddled with roadblocks and pitfalls. From dwindling marketing budgets to increasing competition, the challenges are neverending. 

That’s why so many small businesses turn to Martal.

At Martal, we understand the hurdles you face and can provide targeted solutions to turn these potential setbacks into opportunities. Let’s look at some of the unique ways Martal helps small businesses like yours achieve sales success:

Lunch and Learn Meetings:

• Build instant rapport and make a memorable impact on decision-makers. Martal facilitates lunch and learn meetings where we cover the cost of lunch for your potential clients just before a discovery call. All they need to do is order, schedule, and show up, setting the stage for a more engaged and receptive discussion.

Competitor Displacement Campaigns

• Sharpen your competitive edge and claim your market share. Our detailed research and technographic data help pinpoint your competitors’ customers, introducing them to how your offerings outperform their existing solutions. This strategic account-based marketing (ABM) tactic not only positions you favorably but significantly enhances your conversion rates.

Signal-Driven Prospecting

• Relying solely on traditional prospecting methods can slow your sales cycle and cap your revenue potential. By harnessing intent data, we identify leads actively seeking your solutions, allowing you to engage with buyer-ready prospects and expedite their journey through the sales funnel.

Choosing Martal means not just surviving the market challenges but thriving despite them. We’re here to ensure your small business meets its goals, so you can pave the way to a successful future, but don’t just take our word for it.

See What Our Clients Are Saying

“We are averaging nine qualified meetings a month for a total of 28 appointments in three months.”

Yulia Zhernovaya, Head of Operations and Strategy, Nonprofit Automation Platform

Company Size: 11-50 Employees

Read the full review on Clutch

“We are impressed with the quality and quantity of opportunities Martal Group has been able to generate for us for the past year.”

Executive Director, Business Brokerage Firm

Company Size: 51-200 Employees

Read the full review on Clutch

• Reviews (Clutch): 4.8/5 (88 reviews)
• Offered Services: Lead Generation, Cold Outreach, Customer Onboarding, Account Management
• Focus Industries: Information Technology, Software Development, B2B SaaS, Manufacturing, Healthcare
• Pricing Model: Package pricing (three tiers)

Callbox

Callbox specializes in lead generation services for small businesses. The company works with cold and warm leads to help businesses maximize conversion rates using the power of AI, with services such as appointment setting, AI-powered telemarketing, and automated outreach.

• Reviews (Clutch): 4.6/5 (98 reviews) 
• Offered Services: Lead Generation, Account Based Marketing, B2B Sales Data
• Focus Industries: Information Technology, Cloud Computing, SaaS, Telecommunications
• Pricing Model: Contact to get a custom quote

CIENCE

CIENCE offers People-as-a-Service lead generation through the power of AI and advanced technology. It’s particularly suited to small businesses without their own sales teams and helps them create a single point of contact for all sales and marketing activities.

• Reviews (Clutch): 4.4/5 (136 reviews)
• Offered Services: Lead Generation, Appointment Setting, Telemarketing, Advertising
• Focus Industries: Internet, Manufacturing, Information Technology, Finance
• Pricing Model: Package pricing (four distinct packs)

Belkins.io

Belkins.io specializes in appointment setting, although the company also offers various lead generation services such as cold email outreach and sales development. Belkin’s approach is heavy on email marketing, and the company currently doesn’t have cold-calling services. They also offer prospect research.

• Reviews (Clutch): 4.9/5 (214 reviews)
• Offered Services: Lead Generation, Cold Outreach, Sales Development
• Focus Industries: Construction, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Information Technology
• Pricing Model: Package pricing (three different editions)

Leadium

Leadium also offers B2B appointment setting and lead generation services and promises to source leads in real-time. The company’s strong suit is its research team which helps provide on-demand and clean up existing prospect databases.

• Reviews (Clutch): 4.9/5 (34 reviews)
• Offered Services: Lead Generation, Cold Outreach, Sales Development
• Focus Industries: Information Technology, Healthcare, Finance
• Pricing Model: Contact to get a custom quote

The Marketing Practice

The Marketing Practice is a leading name in this field with a wider range of offerings. The biggest one is Account-Based Marketing (ABM) for niche B2B markets, but the company also offers services in more traditional printed media as well as website enhancement and design.

• Reviews (Clutch): Not available
• Offered Services: Branding, Demand Generation, Account Based Marketing, Paid Media
• Focus Industries: Manufacturing, Information Technology, Software
• Pricing Model: Contact to get a custom quote

Iron Paper

Iron Paper is a niche B2B agency that specializes in lead generation for B2B businesses with long sales cycles. The agency relies on Inbound Marketing, account-based marketing (ABM), and various sales enablement techniques to serve clients in tech.

• Reviews (Clutch): Not available
• Offered Services: Lead Generation, Account Based Marketing, Content Marketing
• Focus Industries: Software, Finance, eCommerce
• Pricing Model: Contact to get a custom quote

Upcall

Upcall offers cold calling services from dedicated outbound call centers. However, it also has lead generation and conversion services. It relies on technology and expert sales professionals for cold calling and lead qualification services.

• Reviews (Clutch): 4.9/5 (17 reviews)
• Offered Services: Lead Generation, Appointment Scheduling, Telemarketing
• Focus Industries: Information Technology, Software, Healthcare, Real Estate
• Pricing Model: Package pricing (three different plans with additional options)

Pearl Lemon Leads

Pearl Lemon Leads is a cold calling and call center outsourcing company based in the UK. They offer appointment setting, cold call & email, and outsourced sales to clients worldwide.

• Reviews (Clutch): 4.8/5 (69 reviews)
• Offered Services: Appointment Setting, Cold Outreach, Outsourced Sales
• Focus Industries: eCommerce, Software, Information Technology
• Pricing Model: Contact to get a custom quote

Best Advertising Lead Generation Companies

Hiring an experienced advertising lead generation agency brings precision in the targeting and timing of your ads, ensuring your campaigns reach the right audience. These agencies also have access to the best tracking and performance measuring tools, which are essential for mitigating financial risks and optimizing your ad campaigns efficiently.

The best advertising lead generation partners include:

WebiMax

WebiMax is a full-service marketing and lead generation agency with a focus on advertisements and custom landing pages. The company also offers reputation management, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and content writing services. As an approved Google AdSense partner, WebiMax offers impressive advertising strategies to help clients maximize conversions.

• Reviews (Clutch): 5/5 (24 reviews)
• Offered Services: Search Engine Optimization, Paid Advertising, Reputation Management
• Focus Industries: Healthcare, Education, Manufacturing, eCommerce
• Pricing Model: Contact to get a custom quote

KlientBoost

KlientBoost is a large, full-service marketing agency with a specialty in PPC marketing and management services. Other services the company offers include email marketing, link building, and search engine marketing (SEM).

• Reviews (Clutch): 4.9/5 (377 reviews)
• Offered Services: Paid Advertising, Search Engine Optimization, Conversion
• Focus Industries: Information Technology, Education, Finance, Legal
• Pricing Model: Package pricing (three different pricing options)

HawkSEM

Like KlientBoost, HawkSEM is a PPC-focused agency offering paid search, SEO, and content marketing services. However, HawkSEM specializes in the ecommerce industry.

• Reviews (Clutch): 5/5 (16 reviews)
• Offered Services: Search Engine Optimization, PPC Management, Content Marketing, Social Media Marketing
• Focus Industries: eCommerce, Information Technology, Automotive, Hospitality & Leisure
• Pricing Model: Flat Fee, Performance Based, Percentage of Ad Spend

Leading SEO Lead Generation Companies

Leveraging SEO as a lead generation strategy can be a challenge — especially if you choose to handle it in-house. Outsourcing SEO lead generation is an effective solution as it grants you instant access to expert strategies and advanced tools. However, finding a trustworthy SEO partner who can consistently deliver may prove to be an even bigger challenge.

Here are three key attributes to look for when hiring an SEO lead generation company:

• Original High-Quality Content: Ensure the company produces unique content that engages your target audience effectively.
• Strategic Keyword Optimization: Look for an SEO partner that excels in identifying and using keywords that increase visibility.
• Robust Analytics and Reporting: Choose a company that provides detailed analytics to track the progress and effectiveness of your SEO campaigns.

Top SEO agencies that have built a positive reputation in the industry:

Upgrow

Upgrow is a digital marketing agency based in Maryland that specializes in SEO for the finance, healthcare, legal, and non-profit industries. It’s a vibrant agency that uses a data-backed strategy to drive results and help with link-building, SEO audits, web analytics, social media, and more.

• Reviews (Clutch): 5/5 (10 reviews)
• Offered Services: Search Engine Optimization, Link Building, Web Analytics, Paid Search
• Focus Industries: Software, Internet, Healthcare, eCommerce
• Pricing Model: Variable package pricing (based on your needs and objectives)

Hook Agency

The Hook Agency is a niche SEO and marketing agency working with contractors in the construction industry, especially high-ticket services like SEO strategy. This highly specialized approach has helped the agency develop incredible mastery of the industry for clients in that space. 

• Reviews (Clutch): Not available
• Offered Services: Search Engine Optimization, Web Design, Paid Ads
• Focus Industries: Manufacturing, Real Estate, Media
• Pricing Model: Package pricing (three different options to fit your service needs)

Outstanding Inbound Lead Generation Companies

Inbound lead generation companies help businesses attract quality leads by creating targeted content such as blog posts, ebooks, case studies, etc. They design content to address specific interests or problems, drawing in visitors looking for solutions, thereby converting them into leads through strategic calls-to-action and lead capture techniques.

Here are some of the most prominent inbound lead generation companies to hire:

LeadGeneration.com

Founded by the same person as WebiMax, Leadgeneration.com is one of the leading inbound lead generation agencies. The company offers customized lead development strategies with a dedicated management team. It offers services like content marketing, SEO, social media, paid search, and many more.

• Reviews (Clutch): Not available
• Offered Services: Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, Content Creation, Email Marketing
• Focus Industries: Not specified
• Pricing Model: Contact to get a custom quote

DiscoverOrg

Most sales experts know DiscoverOrg as a tool to acquire business intelligence. However, the business contact database offered by the company can be used for direct email marketing and other inbound strategies.

• Reviews (Clutch): Not available
• Offered Services: B2B Contact Data
• Focus Industries: Information Technology, Sales, Marketing, Finance, Startups
• Pricing Model: Contact to get a custom quote

CandorWorks

CandorWorks is an integrated demand generation company with a focus on accurate prospect identification and performance marketing. It is one of the leading names in marketing and focuses its inbound strategies on lead nurturing, such as email marketing.

• Reviews (Clutch): Not available
• Offered Services: Account Based Marketing, Prospecting, Lead Nurturing
• Focus Industries: B2B Tech, Media, Publishers
• Pricing Model: Contact to get a custom quote

Overdrive Interactive

Based in Boston, Overdrive Interactive is a full-service agency that offers multi-channel lead and demand generation services for enterprise-level organizations. The company is one of the best in account-based marketing (ABM), lead generation, SEO, content creation, and many other creative services.

• Reviews (Clutch): Not available
• Offered Services: Search Engine Optimization, Paid Media, Account Based Marketing, Content Marketing
• Focus Industries: Finance, Healthcare, Software, Retail, eCommerce 
• Pricing Model: Contact to get a custom quote

Johnson Jones Group

The Johnson Jones Group offers general marketing services, including web design, SEO, sales, and advertising. In particular, the company offers tailored lead generation for B2C in the professional services sector.

• Reviews (Clutch): Not available
• Offered Services: Web Design, Search Engine Optimization, Advertising
• Focus Industries: Hospitality, Healthcare, Home Services
• Pricing Model: Contact to get a custom quote

Social Bloom

Although Social Bloom is a leading marketing company, it’s perfect as a lead generation company for small businesses because it tailors services to you. It relies on an inbound approach using data for highly targeted content and communications for B2B lead generation.

• Reviews (Clutch): 4.9/5 (42 reviews)
• Offered Services: Inbound Appointment Scheduling, Market Research, Sales Outsourcing
• Focus Industries: Video Production, IT, eCommerce, SaaS, Marketing
• Pricing Model: Contact to get a custom quote

Self-Service Lead Generation Companies

Lead generation companies also vary by the amount of control they give clients. Some allow you full control over your campaigns, while others prefer some level of creative independence to get the best results. If you’re looking for an agency that offers you the talent and resources while giving you full control, self-service lead generation companies may be what you need.

These companies typically provide lead generation technology rather than full-service packages. One such company is Desonto.

Desonto

Desonto provides a self-service B2B lead generation platform, enabling businesses to efficiently manage and automate their lead generation campaigns with a user-friendly, pay-per-lead model. It’s a great option for businesses that are just starting the lead generation journey or those that already have an active sales team and are looking to scale.

Choosing the Right Lead Generation Agency for Your Small Business

Lead generation for small businesses is typically more challenging because you’re working on a much smaller budget and strict timelines. However, working with the right company that has experience in your industry gives you a leg up as you seek to grow your business.

Having worked with numerous clients in more than 10 years of operation, we have a few suggestions to help business owners and managers find the best lead generation agency.

Understand your business needs: You operate in a unique market with a special target audience and product. The company’s culture, mission, and technology should complement your own.

Match services to goals: Agencies offer all kinds of services. Discuss which services you need and how you can align them with your business goals.

Evaluate agency expertise:  Investigate what services make up the agency’s strong points by checking out their portfolio, track record, case studies, or client testimonials.

Consider technological use: Emerging technologies like AI, automation, and personalization are shaping lead generation strategies, but companies that rely too much on these may offer poor services as a result.

Consider adaptability and scalability: Choose an agency that can adapt and scale its strategies as your business grows, especially if you have a tailored package.

Think about budgets: It’s important to balance lead generation costs and ROI so you can budget effectively. Discuss this with the agency to figure out mutually beneficial terms.

You can tell if you’ve chosen the right lead generation agency within the first few weeks. The dedication that the team shows to learn your product, brand values, and culture says a lot about their attitude and commitment.

Does Your Small Business Need Lead Generation Services?

Your business can only grow if there’s a steady inflow of high-quality leads that convert into paying customers. There’s no shortcut to a successful lead generation process.

However, this growth hinges on the lead generation company you choose. A wrong choice could end up being costly with no results to show for it. 

Lead generation is all about trust. That’s the only way you can ensure long-term growth as a small business. Let Martal Group help you generate new sales-qualified leads and unlock your growth today.

FAQs: Lead generation companies for small businesses

1

How much should you pay for lead generation?

Lead generation costs vary widely by industry and by the strategies used. It depends on the value of the leads and usually amounts to 25–30 percent of the total lifetime value of the customer. However, if we generalize, the average cost per lead is about $100 per lead in the tech industry, with a lead time of 4–5 months. This translates to $2,500 to $12,000 per month, depending on the agency.

2

Why do most lead generation campaigns fail?

Most lead-generation campaigns fail due to poor planning. Every lead generation strategy should be backed by a content generation plan to help with lead nurturing. Landing pages, blog posts, social media, and email marketing all need to be top-notch.

Poor lead nurturing can also result from issues such as bad CRM management, and failure to follow up with prospects, among other reasons.

3

Should I outsource lead generation?

Small businesses stand to gain the most from outsourcing lead generation. However, this requires careful consideration to ensure they work with the right lead generation company. Outsourcing this vital business process is an affordable, highly effective way to grow without having to higher and manage the sales teams yourself.