A realistic breakdown of B2B lead generation cost: what’s included, which variables drive price, and how to evaluate ROI without buying smoke.
/4 min read
If you’re asking how much B2B lead generation costs, you’re really asking something else: how much it costs you to keep operating without a sales system. Because while you decide, you keep losing deals due to weak qualification, misframed demos, and inconsistent follow-up.
At Miranda’s we see a common mistake: comparing lead gen prices as if all offerings were the same product. They aren’t. One partner leaves you a PDF; another leaves you a CRM, scripts, cadences, and a weekly operating rhythm. Price without deliverables context means nothing.
This guide explains what you actually pay for, which variables drive cost, how to estimate ROI, and how to filter proposals so you don’t pay for smoke. For the full execution framework, review the B2B SaaS sales process.
What you’re really paying for: design, implementation, and transfer
Useful lead generation has three layers: it diagnoses where money is leaking, implements changes in operations, and transfers the method to the team. If one layer is missing, results usually don’t last.
Deliverables that justify the investment
A clean CRM with stages, exit criteria, and required fields.
Discovery/demo scripts and a library of real objections.
Follow-up cadences installed and actually used by the team.
A weekly pipeline review ritual and call coaching.
A sales playbook for onboarding and scaling.
"💡 **Key Insight:** Cheap becomes expensive when you buy diagnosis without implementation."
— Miranda's Consulting
Variables that drive price (more than the rate)
There is no universal rate. Cost depends on your starting point and the real scope of the engagement.
1) Current sales maturity
Organising founder-led sales is not the same as rebuilding a team with SDR/AE roles and inherited processes. The more disorder and the more people involved, the more implementation and coaching work is required.
2) Data and CRM quality
If you don’t have reliable data, the first block is rebuilding operational visibility. Without that base, you can’t measure improvement or forecast. This “invisible work” is often undervalued and heavily impacts total effort.
Some consultancies include recruiting, onboarding, and ongoing fractional leadership. That’s a different scope level—and therefore a different price. It’s not better or worse; it depends on your stage and urgency.
Cost scales with scope. Know what level fits your stage before you commit.
How to tell if it’s worth it: the cost of doing nothing
The useful question isn’t “is it expensive?”. It’s “how much money am I losing today by not fixing the process?”. If you’re letting opportunities slip every month due to repeatable failures, that hidden cost often exceeds the investment of well-executed lead gen surprisingly fast.
A simple ROI script for founders
Calculate ACV or average deal value.
Estimate how many deals you lose per month due to process (not market).
Multiply monthly loss by 12 to visualise the annual hidden cost.
Compare that number to the project investment and timeline.
Signals you should see in 30/60/90 days
30 days: operational order (CRM, qualification, cadences, stage metrics).
60 days: improved progression and reactivation of sleeping deals.
90 days: higher predictability and more stable stage conversion.
"⚠️ **Watch Out:** If a proposal promises outcomes without reviewing real calls and pipeline, smoke risk is high."
— Miranda's Consulting
Summary and next step
The cost of B2B lead generation only makes sense when it’s connected to concrete deliverables and measurable improvement. Don’t buy hours—buy an implemented system and transfer to the team.
Checklist to compare proposals today
Do they implement inside the CRM or only provide recommendations?
Do they define stage metrics and a weekly ritual?
Do they coach on real calls?
Do they leave a playbook and autonomy after the project?
It usually combines an initial diagnosis/implementation phase with monthly support. Real cost depends on team maturity, CRM state, and scope. That’s why you should compare proposals by deliverables—not by rate alone.
How long until I recover the investment?
It depends on sales cycle length and average deal size. Operational signals usually appear within 30 days; revenue impact takes longer depending on your market. Evaluate it via stage conversion improvements and the value of reactivated opportunities.
What does “no-smoke” lead gen include?
CRM implementation, active scripts and cadences, review of real calls, stage metrics, and a weekly operating routine. If you only get documents without execution, smoke risk is high.
Why not hire a junior to do it cheaper?
Because execution without design tends to scale mistakes. First you need sales architecture (stages, criteria, scripts, metrics). Then it makes sense to add junior execution capacity on top of a validated system.
How do I compare two proposals with very different prices?
Compare real scope: implementation, coaching, transfer, and metrics. Ask for examples of deliverables, weekly routine, and success criteria. The cheapest price can be the most expensive if it doesn’t move business outcomes.
Which red flags mean I’ll pay for smoke?
Promises of fast ROI without prior audit, no stage metrics, focus on activity over quality, and no access to calls/CRM. If there’s no verifiable method, there’s no basis for trust.
