How I Started Getting Better Leads Without Spending More on Ads (And How You Can Too)

A couple of years ago, I hit a wall.

We were pouring money into ads—Facebook, Google, even a few LinkedIn campaigns—but the leads coming in just weren’t converting. They either weren’t the right fit, or they went cold way too fast. Worse, our cost per lead kept climbing while results stayed flat.

So I paused everything.

Instead of throwing more money at the problem, I decided to dig in and figure out a better way to generate high-quality leads without increasing ad spend. I wasn’t looking for a quick fix—I wanted something sustainable.

Here’s what I discovered (and what ended up changing everything for my business).

1. I Shifted Focus to Content, Not Clicks

I’d always heard content marketing was powerful, but I never really gave it a serious shot. That changed when I started writing articles that actually answered my ideal clients’ questions. No fluff—just useful stuff they were already searching for.

I created:

• Blog posts that showed behind-the-scenes of how we solve problems

• Case studies featuring real customers and results

• Free tools like checklists and guides in exchange for emails

It took time—but it worked. These warm leads already trusted us before ever booking a call. And best of all, those articles still bring in leads today with zero ad spend.

2. I Gave Local SEO Some Love

We’re not a massive global brand—we serve real people in real places. So I cleaned up our Google Business Profile, added photos, posted updates, and asked every happy customer for a review.

We also:

• Added local keywords to our website (like “CRM software for London startups”)

• Made sure our contact info was consistent across all platforms

• Answered common FAQs directly in our content

The result? We started ranking locally, and people who were ready to buy started finding us organically. No ads. Just showing up where it mattered.

3. I Shared Our Story Beyond Our Website

For a long time, I treated our website like the only place people would discover us. Big mistake.

We started publishing on:

• Medium and Substack, where we shared what we learned building Rainex

• Platforms like AppSumo and Product Hunt, where we launched our tools

• Review sites like G2 and Clutch (with the help of some happy clients)

That visibility brought in people who were already looking for what we offered. Warm leads, again—no ad spend.

I’ll never forget launching Rainex.Billing on AppSumo and waking up to dozens of new sign-ups from people all over the world. That single launch brought more results than three months of ads.

4. LinkedIn Became My Daily Lead Machine

At one point, I made it a habit to connect with 10–15 new people on LinkedIn every day. I wasn’t selling—I was just having real conversations and posting helpful content regularly.

Here’s what worked best:

• Connecting with specific people (not just anyone)

• Sending personal messages, not spam

• Sharing short stories, quick tips, and lessons from our own journey

It didn’t happen overnight, but slowly, my DMs started filling up with leads who wanted to talk.

5. I Got Active in Business Communities

One of the most unexpected wins came from joining groups and online communities. Places like:

• Slack channels for SaaS founders

• Indie Hackers and Reddit threads

• Facebook groups for entrepreneurs

I showed up, answered questions, and shared stuff I’d learned. People started noticing—and eventually, some became clients. Others referred me. It didn’t cost a thing—just some time and consistency.

6. I Fixed What Was Broken in My Sales Funnel

Truth is, I didn’t need more leads. I needed to handle the ones we had better.

So we:

• Simplified our sign-up process

• Added automated follow-ups through chat and email

• Responded faster, and made our offers more relevant to each lead

We started seeing way more conversions from the same volume of leads. That’s when it hit me—sometimes, the problem isn’t how many people are coming in... it’s what happens after they do.

7. Then I Built a Tool to Make It All Easier

Reaching out manually on LinkedIn was working—but it took hours. That’s when we built Rainex.GetLeads, our own AI tool that finds and contacts the right people automatically.

It:

• Identifies real decision-makers

• Sends personalized messages (that actually sound human)

• Keeps conversations going through automated follow-ups

• Tracks everything so we can keep improving

It’s not free, but compared to hiring another rep or scaling paid ads, it’s incredibly cost-effective. Now, instead of chasing leads all day, we let the tool handle it while we focus on closing deals.

Final Thoughts (and a Quick Reality Check)

If you’re thinking you need a bigger ad budget to grow, I get it—I’ve been there. But you don’t. You just need to get smarter with what you already have.

Here’s what helped me:

• Creating content that solves problems

• Showing up in places people already trust

• Building relationships instead of blasting sales pitches

• Optimizing every part of the sales journey

• Automating smart outreach, not spam

You can absolutely grow without burning cash on ads.

Start with one tactic. Try it, tweak it, and keep going.

The results? Better leads. More sales. And a business that grows on solid ground.