The top 10 lead generation mistakes by professional services

Leads, leads, leads. It seems it is all about leads once the referrals and the circle of family and friends aren't enough to keep our firms growing. Yet, when it comes to generating leads, most professional services firms get it all wrong in 10 very common ways.

By John Doerr for AccountingWeb

15 Sep 2008

1. Spending on marketing activities that don't produce ROI or are "vanity exercises" (e.g. excessive graphic design and image advertising).

Open up your local business journal, without a doubt you will see an advertisement for a professional services firm trying to "generate awareness." This organization is "generating awareness" among the 25,000 readers who may (or may not) be targets for its services.

Read the article here

Top stories

Uncanny Alley: A New Day, a collaboration between Cape Town immersive studio Virtual Worlds Company and Los Angeles company Ferryman Collective, is one of just three nominees in the Outstanding Emerging Media Program category at the Primetime Emmys (Image supplied)

Marketing & MediaSA VR production one of three nominations at Primetime Emmys

14 hours

Truworths annual sales slip to R21.8bn in cautious retail market

RetailTruworths annual sales slip to R21.8bn in cautious retail market

14 hours

Image source: Amirul Syaidi –

Legal"It's commercially sensitive" is no longer enough to block PAIA requests

Ryan Tucker 9 hours

Source:

Marketing & MediaDolly Parton and the making of a cultural brand

Karabo Ledwaba 14 hours

Thirteen Lune picks Takealot for first international expansion in SA

RetailThirteen Lune picks Takealot for first international expansion in SA

13 hours

Promoted

Search helped people find brands. ChatGPT Ads will help them choose

Marketing & MediaSearch helped people find brands. ChatGPT Ads will help them choose

RedSeptember 2 days

More news

Image source: Kateryna Babaieva from

Education

WorldSkills SA opens 2027 competition applications in September

10 hours

Image credit: , , via Wikimedia Commons

Healthcare

Exclusive | Health Funders Association’s Thoneshan Naidoo on the hardest decisions in healthcare

Thoneshan Naidoo 10 hours

Adtopia expands DStv channel portfolio, adding sport, wildlife and youth entertainment to its TV network

Marketing & Media

Adtopia expands DStv channel portfolio, adding sport, wildlife and youth entertainment to its TV network

Adtopia 2 days

Fanta creates new horror universe for Halloween campaign

Marketing & Media

Fanta creates new horror universe for Halloween campaign

16 hours

Image source: lekstuntkite –

HR & Management

Turning an exit into advantage: How smart boards protect market value during executive transitions

Thabiso Legoete 14 hours

Why more South African families are rethinking traditional schooling

Education

Why more South African families are rethinking traditional schooling

Impaq 24 Aug 2026

Image supplied.

Energy & Mining

#WomensMonth | Engen’s Vanessa Moorthi-Moodley is giving women a seat at the petroleum table

Maroefah Smith 14 hours

Image credit:

ESG & Sustainability

SA companies can no longer afford to ignore extended producer responsibility

15 hours

From London, With Love: A very special afternoon at Cape Grace

Lifestyle

From London, With Love: A very special afternoon at Cape Grace

Chloe Posthumus 13 hours

Let's do Biz