Best Business Consulting Lead Generation

How to Attract Qualified Clients, Avoid Low-Value Leads, and Build a Scalable Pipeline for Your Advisory Firm

If you’re running a business consultancy — whether you're a solo operator or part of a boutique firm — you already know that the hardest part isn’t the service you deliver. It’s consistently attracting the right clients.

In 2025, the business consulting space is more competitive than ever. Everyone is a strategist. Every agency claims to “scale” businesses. And everyone is shouting over the same channels, offering the same free PDFs and webinars.

So how do you stand out? And more importantly, how do you build a lead system that brings in qualified clients — without relying on cold outreach or referrals alone?

At David Hannah Marketing, we help consultants and advisory businesses create high-performance lead generation systems that bring the right people in, educate them, and warm them to convert. Not just traffic — not just names on a list — but conversations that actually turn into consulting engagements.

Here’s how to do it properly, what to avoid, and why most consulting lead gen strategies fall apart before they even begin.

Want to learn more? Book a strategy session here 

Google vs Meta: Which Platform Brings Better Clients?

Both platforms work — but they serve different roles.

Google Ads are perfect for capturing high-intent business owners already looking for help. Keywords like “growth strategy consultant”, “leadership training for SMBs”, or “business coach Melbourne” bring in people who know what they need. These leads tend to convert quickly — but competition is high, and ad copy needs to reflect deep credibility.

Meta (Facebook & Instagram) is where you educate, warm, and filter. You’re not capturing search intent — you’re introducing your value, building trust through content, and retargeting visitors who aren’t ready to book just yet. Cost-per-click is lower, and the platform is ideal for explaining niche offers (e.g. consulting for trades, health, or ecommerce sectors).

We recommend both — running intent-based campaigns on Google, and layering Meta to build your brand, warm colder audiences, and support mid-funnel conversion.

Why Free Tactics Don’t Work in Consulting

Free tactics — organic posts, webinars, podcast guesting, and “DM engagement” — have their place. But they don’t scale. They take time. And they only work if you already have reach.

If your lead system depends on hustle and luck, it’s not a system. It’s a gamble.

Free tactics typically fail because:

• They attract the wrong audience (freebie seekers, time-wasters)
• They don’t move people from interest to action
• They don’t integrate with a pipeline — no tracking, no follow-up, no conversion

If you're serious about building a pipeline that generates $5k–$30k+ clients, you need ads, content, retargeting, and automation — not just hustle.

Why Pay-Per-Lead Doesn’t Work for Consultants

Pay-per-lead offers often promise high volumes at a low price — but here’s the catch:

• You don’t control where the leads come from
• You can’t filter based on revenue, industry, or business size
• Leads are often cold, recycled, or sold to multiple people
• There’s zero brand equity being built

As a consultant, you are the product. Which means your leads need to be warmed, engaged, and primed to see your value. At David Hannah Marketing, we build systems that do exactly that — turning strangers into high-value conversations.

What Makes Our Consulting Lead Systems Different

We don’t just deliver leads. We build complete growth systems that sit behind your business and run every day — with or without you in the driver’s seat.

Here’s what we deliver:

• Google Ads with niche-targeted search terms and brand protection
• Meta Ads for lead magnets, video engagement, and retargeting
• Landing pages designed for clarity, credibility, and conversion
• Email nurture flows (drip + re-engagement)
• Full-funnel tracking (lead, consult, close)
• Weekly optimisation and reporting that tracks actual ROI

Our campaigns typically produce:

• Click-through rates of 4%–6%+ on both Meta and Google
• Cost-per-click between $0.70–$2.00, depending on industry and audience
• Leads that convert into booked consults at 15%–25%
• Return on ad spend of 4x–12x when offers and follow-up systems are in place

And you own the leads, the assets, and the pipeline — always.

What to Look for in a Lead Generation Expert for Consulting

Consulting is a high-trust, high-ticket industry. Your marketing partner needs to understand more than just ads — they need to understand how consulting services are bought.

Here’s what to look for:

• Someone who understands long sales cycles and high-involvement decisions
• Experience in warming and filtering leads (not just generating names)
• Knowledge of content structure that builds trust (case studies, testimonials, video)
• The ability to integrate ads with CRM systems and nurture flows
• Clear reporting that shows not just leads, but actual ROI

And above all — someone who isn’t trying to run your business like an ecommerce store.

Let’s Build Your Lead System — Properly

The best consultants don’t chase leads. They build systems that attract the right clients, educate them, and bring them to a point of engagement when they’re ready to move.

At David Hannah Marketing, we help business consultants scale the part of their business most struggle with — consistent, qualified leads. Whether you offer growth strategy, team optimisation, operations support, or niche advisory, we’ll build a funnel that works with your voice, your offer, and your ideal audience.

Book your strategy session today here, and let’s build a lead system that positions you as the expert — and brings the right clients to your door.