Helen Dowling

When it comes to lead generation, one thing becomes clear very quickly — not everyone defines a lead the same way. At Exceptional Thinking, a “lead” isn’t just a name or an email address. It’s not someone who’s filled in a form or connected on LinkedIn. To us, that’s just a contact — not a … Read more

Back in 2010, we were offering a bit of everything—blogs, email marketing, social media, even a few appointment-setting services—but with no real process behind it. Then, during a training session, we heard one idea that changed everything. The trainer explained how he was using LinkedIn to book appointments—and it instantly clicked. It reminded us of … Read more

At Exceptional Thinking, LinkedIn is our main tool for winning clients – so here are some quick tips to help you get more from it. Make your profile work hard for you Think of your profile like your office – would you invite a client into a messy one? Your LinkedIn should present you and … Read more

Sometimes it can be all too easy to allow other things to get in the way, especially when it comes to making a decision about taking on a lead generation company. Whilst you are waiting, however, you could be missing out by not taking that first step towards getting your lead generation done for you. … Read more

At Exceptional Thinking, we know that one of the biggest reasons lead generation campaigns fail is a lack of communication and clarity. You need to be confident that those representing your business are presenting it well and building the right impression — because if they get it wrong, you wear the consequences. The best safeguard? … Read more

You’ve probably come across the phrase “test and measure.”It’s one of the most powerful ways to track what’s working in your business — and what’s quietly holding you back. At Exceptional Thinking, we use it everywhere: in client campaigns, internal processes, even to assess how well we’re delivering qualified leads. Here’s a recent insight we … Read more

When people hear “telemarketing,” they often picture a relentless call centre, robotic dialling, and pushy sales tactics. But at Exceptional Thinking, it couldn’t be further from the truth! Our Telemarketing team is all about genuine conversations, strategic outreach, and building valuable connections for our clients. Curious about what a typical day looks like? Let’s take … Read more

Lead generation isn’t for everyone—and that’s something we openly discuss with every potential client. The truth is, not every business model is suited to outsourced lead generation, and for those that are, success requires time, trust, and the ability to scale. So, before you invest in a lead generation campaign, ask yourself these key questions … Read more

Let’s be honest—lead generation has a bad reputation. Nearly 1 in 3 of our clients have been let down in the past, and we’ve spoken to business owners who’ve sworn off lead gen completely because of the poor service they received. So how do you avoid the pitfalls and find a lead generation partner that … Read more

Some people seem to have LinkedIn all figured out, don’t they? They’re getting leads, booking meetings, and growing their business. Meanwhile, you’re putting in the effort but seeing little to no results. Sound familiar? Maybe you’ve tried sending different types of messages, but nothing seems to work. Or perhaps you know you should be using … Read more