Top 5 Lead Generation Mistakes …and how to generate leads more consistently
- Nadine Keller
- Sep 17
- 3 min read
Here’s the thing about lead generation…
It’s not magic, it’s math.
And yet, most entrepreneurs treat it like some mystical process that only works if the stars align. They cross their fingers, and they tweak their website copy for the 17th time.
But they’re not actually building a system to attract new leads.
If that sounds familiar, don’t beat yourself up (you’re not alone). Lead generation is one of the most avoided parts of running a business… especially for women who are already juggling a hundred and one other things.
But when you stop treating it like magic and start treating it like math, it becomes a whole lot less overwhelming.
Here are five of the biggest culprits I see holding women back in their lead generation, and how to fix them.
1. Leaning Too Heavily on Your Network + Referrals
Referrals are amazing, and your network is gold! But neither is enough to sustain a business long term.
I see this all the time: a woman gets her business off to a strong start thanks to referrals and warm introductions… and then one day, her pipeline dries up.
If you want to grow, strangers need to know you exist.
That means building a steady flow of leads from multiple sources, so you’re not relying on luck (or your friends’ LinkedIn connections) to make your business viable.
2. Not Doing the Math
You can’t hit a target you can’t see.
Say you have a $200K revenue goal. Your offer is $10K. That means you need 20 clients. If your close rate is 20%, that means you need 100 qualified leads in your pipeline.
When you see the math laid out that way, it’s not overwhelming, it’s empowering. You know exactly how many people you need to reach and where to focus your energy.
Math isn’t cold, it’s clarity.
3. Keeping Your Niche Too Vague
If your niche could apply to half the internet, it’s not a niche.
Your message gets diluted, clients struggle to understand how you’ll help them, and you stay stuck in generalist mode.
A clear niche means answering four questions:
Who specifically do you serve?
What problem do you help them solve?
What outcome are they looking for?
Why is your solution uniquely positioned to get them there?
Defining a niche doesn’t limit your opportunities, it amplifies them. It allows your message to resonate deeply with the right clients and positions you as an authority they can’t ignore.
4. Spreading Yourself Too Thin
LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, a podcast, a blog… it’s exhausting just reading that list.
When you try to be everywhere at once, you end up being mediocre everywhere (instead of excellent where it actually matters). Inconsistency erodes trust, shallow presence means diminishing returns… and burnout is inevitable.
Instead, focus on one or two channels that align with your strengths (and where your audience actually spends their time).
Depth beats breadth every single time.
5. Giving Up on Long-Game Activities Too Soon
Here’s the trap: you launch a podcast, start posting on LinkedIn, or publish a blog… and when results don’t flood in immediately, you stop.
But lead generation is both a short game and a long game.
Short game: asking for referrals, networking, speaking at an event, hosting a webinar.
Long game: content marketing, building a social media presence, writing a book, starting a podcast, landing a TEDx talk.
The short game brings quick wins. The long game builds authority, credibility, and inbound leads that compound over time.
The entrepreneurs who succeed aren’t the ones who give up after three posts. They’re the ones who keep showing up long enough for the long game to pay off.
Turning Math Into Momentum
Lead generation isn’t about luck, or charisma, or waiting for someone to hand you an opportunity. It’s about building a system that consistently brings the right people into your world.
And the moment you stop treating it like magic (and start treating it like math) is the moment you start to feel in control of your growth.
If you’re ready to take this from “good idea” to action, I’ve created a Lead Generation Workbook to walk you through the numbers, map out your niche, and start building a system that actually works.
Comments