For many SaaS companies, the past year has been a reality check. The days of hypergrowth, aggressive VC funding, and “grow at all costs” playbooks are slowing.
In the first half of 2025, the global SaaS funding dropped by 20.22% compared to the same period in 2024, with valuations in freefall and investors favouring profitability over growth at all costs. Meanwhile, SaaS leaders are contending with leaner teams and tighter budgets—Gartner reports that 72% of B2B marketers expect moderate to significant budget cuts going into 2025.
In this setting, lead generation for B2B SaaS is no longer about filling the funnel with volume. It’s about precision, quality, and sustainability. Every lead has to count. Every sales conversation needs to be intentional.
And it’s not just internal pressure. SaaS buying behaviours have also shifted:
- Sales cycles are 11.5 months on average, longer for enterprise and regulated sectors.
- Buyers engage with sales only after completing 70% of their research.
- 42% of companies report declining win rates year over year.
So, how do you generate qualified B2B SaaS leads when the economy is tight and resources are tighter? This post explores B2B saas lead generation strategies that reflect today’s economic pressures, without sacrificing long-term growth.
SaaS Buyers Are Hesitating and It’s Costing You Pipeline
It’s not just your team that’s under pressure. Your buyers are, too.
Deals that used to close in 30 days now drag past 90. One decision-maker has become five. Budgets are getting reviewed—again.
If you’ve noticed your win rates dropping or your MQL-to-SQL conversion slowing, you’re not alone. According to recent B2B data:
- 75% of buyers now prefer researching independently for most of their journey
- Sales conversations often happen late in the funnel, when trust is harder to build
- Large buying teams require multiple personalised touchpoints
The result? SaaS marketers need to think beyond lead capture and focus on strategic lead progression.
Looking to fill your SaaS sales pipeline? Discover how our solution can help!
The Cost of Doing “More of the Same”
In downturns, many teams default to quick wins: ramping up ad spend, blasting cold lists, or pushing content harder. But this often leads to:
- Low-intent leads that waste SDR hours
- High CPLs with poor ROI
- Prospect fatigue from generic outreach
And let’s not forget the hidden cost: burnout in already stretched sales and marketing teams.
Instead, it’s time to shift to lead generation for B2B SaaS that prioritises fit, timing, and conversation readiness.
Smarter SaaS Lead Generation Strategies (That Don’t Break the Budget)
Let’s discuss how to generate SaaS leads that are worth pursuing—without overspending.
1. Refine Your ICP and Prioritise Based on Intent
Every lead is different. And in a down market, targeting the wrong accounts doesn’t just hurt performance—it costs real money.
Go beyond basic firmographics. Instead, build a lead scoring framework using:
- Tech stack data (Do they use complementary tools?)
- Behaviour signals (Are they researching topics you solve?)
- Engagement history (Have they interacted with your site or emails before?)
This level of precision is foundational to intent-based prospecting, which has become increasingly important as companies move away from volume-based outreach in favour of quality engagement.
2. Nurture What You Can’t Close Today
When buyers say “not now,” most teams move on. That’s a mistake.
Many B2B SaaS leads are simply not ready—yet. Nurturing them through a structured cadence can revive dormant opportunities when the budget or timing improves.
Effective nurturing in these conditions means:
- Building multichannel marketing workflows: email + social + call + content
- Varying your messaging: pain-point focused, not product-first
- Using scheduled follow-ups, not just open-ended “check-ins”
Structured lead nurturing workflows can help prevent “not now” from turning into “never,” especially when applied consistently across multiple channels and buying roles.
Related: How to Avoid B2B SaaS Marketing Mistakes
3. Use Cold Calling as a Conversation Starter, Not a Pitch
Cold calling still has a place—but not the way it used to.
Today’s buyers want value from the first touch, not a rushed script. If your team is dialling, make sure they’re:
- Calling with context (recent activity, vertical pain points)
- Asking thoughtful, open-ended questions
- Following a cadence, not a single call-and-drop
In our previous blog on SaaS cold calling scripts, we emphasised a shift from transactional pitches to consultative outreach—something that resonates even more when buyers are sceptical.
4. Build Content That Reflects the Market
What worked in 2022 content-wise won’t work in 2025.
Buyers now search for:
- Budget comparisons
- ROI case studies
- Tools that solve real, narrow problems
If your current content calendar is still focused on “why SaaS X is the future,” it’s time to pivot.
As discussed in How Quality Content Can Elevate Your SaaS Business, quality content earns trust by meeting buyers where they are, especially when they’re risk-averse.
Is It Time to Outsource Lead Generation?
Here’s the question many SaaS leaders are quietly asking: Is outsourcing a smarter option right now?
The short answer: It can be—if done right.
Outsourcing may be worth exploring if:
- Your internal team is maxed out or under-resourced
- You need a faster, more scalable multi-channel program
- You want to test new verticals without hiring additional reps
But don’t just look for a vendor. The right SaaS lead generation agency should act as a strategic partner—one that understands:
- Data-driven qualification
- Multi-contact engagement
- Sales enablement and handoff workflows
As explored in When to Outsource Lead Generation: A Financial Comparison, the cost difference isn’t just in dollars—it’s in time, ramp-up speed, and sales momentum.
Best Practices for B2B SaaS Lead Generation in 2025
To wrap things up, here are some best practices for SaaS lead generation that forward-thinking companies are applying now:
- Prioritising high-intent, high-fit accounts
- Doubling down on nurture programs instead of cold blasts
- Training SDRs on value-based outreach
- Using content as a trust-builder, not just a lead magnet
- Partnering when in-house execution slows growth
Because when the economy gets tight, lead generation isn’t something you cut. It’s something you recalibrate.
Related: Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Lead Generation Services
Related Reading
Looking to go deeper on any of the strategies we’ve discussed? These articles explore the nuances of B2B SaaS lead generation across different stages and tactics:
- How to Avoid B2B SaaS Marketing Mistakes: A closer look at missteps SaaS marketers often make—especially during economic shifts—and how to course correct.
- SaaS Lead Generation: How to Find Your Ideal Clients: Insights on ideal client profiling, qualification, and outreach frameworks for scalable SaaS pipelines.
- How Quality Content Can Elevate Your SaaS Business: Explores how thought leadership and targeted content create trust and differentiation, especially in long buying cycles.
- SaaS Cold Calling Script: A Sales Template That Converts: A practical guide to rethinking cold calling in a way that feels consultative, not intrusive.
- The Challenges of Selling Industry-Specific SaaS (and How to Overcome Them): Discusses vertical selling challenges and how to tailor messaging to niche markets.
- How Marketing Automation Can Drive More Leads to Your SaaS Company: Shows how automation supports efficient outreach, especially when teams are lean.
Final Thought
It’s tempting to press pause until “things settle down.” But the truth is, the SaaS market has always been dynamic. This moment is no different.
B2B SaaS companies that adapt their lead generation strategies now—based on fit, timing, and resource optimisation—will come out ahead when the cycle rebounds.
So don’t just ask how to generate SaaS leads. Ask instead:
Which leads are worth generating—and what’s the most innovative way to reach them?
