Why Your Lead Gen Strategy Stopped Working (and What to Do Instead)

If you’ve been feeling like it’s suddenly 10x harder to get leads, close sales, or even figure out what the heck to post, you’re not imagining it.

We are not in the same landscape we were, even 6 months ago. 

In fact, according to HubSpot’s 2024 State of Marketing Report, 61% of marketers say lead generation is their #1 challenge. And that’s across industries.

Why? Because the market shifted (and a lot of businesses didn’t).

We came off a 5-year boom where online business was exploding. U.S. e-commerce doubled between 2019–2024. The business coaching industry alone hit $15B by 2022. People were buying fast, launching fast, and scaling faster than

they could onboard a VA.

But during that time, many of us got used to an unusually high-trust, high-spend environment.

People weren’t just willing to invest, they were primed to. Stimulus money, mass layoffs, and the collective identity crisis of the pandemic created the perfect storm for buying big, betting on ourselves, and moving fast.

And now? Things have slowed down. A lot.

The trust that once came easily, now has to be earned. And the urgency that once existed has been replaced by skepticism and caution.

So if your lead gen strategy feels like it’s suddenly broken, it’s not just you. It’s the market.

And it’s time to evolve with it.

Let’s talk about the five lead gen mistakes I see most often, and what to do instead if you want to connect with today’s buyers.

Mistake #1: Pitching Before You’ve Earned Trust

(You’re showing up like a stranger asking for money. Weird.)

Today’s audience isn’t warm just because they followed you. They’re evaluating everything – tone, timing, vibe. One off-pitch moment and you’re muted for life.

Fix it:

Be the trusted voice before you become the trusted solution. Offer value without expectation. Let people binge you before you ask them to buy from you.

Mistake #2: Ignoring the Trust Wound

(They’ve been burned before. And they remember.)

If you’re selling to someone who’s invested before and regretted it, pretending everything’s fine will tank the sale.

Fix it:

Call it out. Normalize the hesitation. Empathize with the past experience, and show them why this time is different.

Mistake #3: Leading with Logic Instead of Empathy

(“3 easy steps to get more leads” isn’t enough anymore.)

When someone’s stuck in self-doubt, broke from a bad investment, or low-key questioning whether they’re even cut out for this… logic doesn’t land. Emotion does.

Fix it:

Speak to what they’re feeling behind the scenes. Address the self-trust gap, not just the strategy gap.

Mistake #4: Skimming the Surface of What’s Really Holding Them Back

(It’s not the price.)

When someone says “I can’t afford it,” that’s rarely the real objection. More often, it’s fear. Fear of failing again. Fear of being seen. Fear of wasting more time, money, and energy.

Fix it:

Get curious. What’s really going on under the surface? The more your content speaks to that, the more they’ll feel safe moving forward with you.

Mistake #5: Forgetting That Lead Gen Is Personal Now

(Because nobody wants to feel like lead #473 in your funnel.)

People want real connection (not a rinse-and-repeat DM script). If your outreach still sounds like a pitch from 2021, it’s going to get ghosted.

Fix it:

Show up like a human. Refer to something specific they said. Be real. The smallest personalized moment can be the biggest trust-builder.

What This All Comes Down To

Lead gen didn’t stop working, but your audience stopped blindly trusting. This isn’t a bad thing – it’s an opportunity.

The online business world is finally growing up. Buyers are more intentional. More discerning. More self-aware. And that means the way we connect has to grow up too.

Not louder. Not flashier. But deeper.

If you’re ready to rework how you approach lead gen, and actually build momentum that feels good (not just performative), grab my free Lead Generation Workbook. 

Want to go one step further?

I’ve opened up a few free 30-minute coffee chats this month for women entrepreneurs who want support navigating this shift with clarity, strategy, and actual connection.

Book your chat here. We’ll talk through what’s not working, and where to focus instead.