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How I Generated $250M In Leads

Long-term organic traffic, simpler forms and fast follow-up: the three levers behind a one-person lead engine

John Doherty · Getcredo

Published September 1, 2022
About this resource

John Doherty, CEO of Credo & EditorNinja shares how he generated $250,000,000+ in digital marketing leads as a 1 person marketing team through:

- Traffic

- Form conversion

- Follow up

Format
Founder500 Austin 2022
Length
21 min video
Inside
9 key moments
Read the full transcript

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What you’ll learn

John Doherty explains how a small marketing team generated demand through focused channels, long-term organic traffic, and higher-intent conversion design. He also covers rapid lead follow-up and operational automation around booked meetings.

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Key moments

Find the ideas you need and go straight to the source.

Focus on lead generation

“help Brands SAS companies find the right digital marketing agency to work with I've worked with over 400 software Founders in last 18 months I was the marketing coach in Den martel's growth accelerator for about 18 months so I've helped a lot of SAS companies drive a lot of traffic and grow their business so I went out on my own in end of 2015 I got laid off by Zillow I was running marketing at a couple of their brands I ran marking a couple of their brands one at a time um and I got laid off from there and decided to work for myself decided I didn't want a boss so I went and I”
Watch at 01:54

Build organic traffic

“sorry 21 Point whatever in um in 2017 but we just started generating traffic via SEO um speaker three ago was was talking about content as well at the bottom of the funnel we kind of did it all through the whole funnel so how we did this was pretty simple we did six things that I mentioned here number one we wrote 100 plus blog posts in about 12 months time targeting long tail traffic how do I what is how to do this thing um and then a big thing that we did which honestly if I could go back this”
Watch at 06:14

Simplify conversion forms

“times that it's not but this form on the left this was our original form it was 12 Fields Long no one who knows you that they're like I'm just looking for an agency like just just talk to me right or like be an agency and just and just uh let me contact you we reduce that down to six this is our current form um and it's like 30 a 35 increase in conversions who would like to get a 35 increase in conversions I hope every single one of you should have your hand raised right now or at least be nodding um so reduce the number of uh for fields”
Watch at 10:36

Follow up quickly

“implemented that so you can see I mean these things are like I'm giving you decent size numbers right 10 12 30 35 percent and aggregate this stuff adds up to so many you know so many more conversions for you over time um and then third part is that the money the money here is in the follow-up so speed to lead this is super important uh following up with people and doing a different Reach Out based off of what they did uh personal SMS so Chris person's not in here but using a sales message we sent an auto SMS to remind people of a demo um and uh that gave us a 30 Improvement”
Watch at 14:59

Automate meeting operations

“as a team there's three of us that are W-2s so we're pretty small um uh but then I also do this for marketing so every single week I go through and I pull these numbers for every single Channel how many leads how many calls according to our model how much revenue did that make us how much did we spend on Google ads et cetera what's our Roi or row as from these different channels and across all ads and that that lets me make better decisions about uh about marketing and what to keep investing in and what not final thing is when you make these”
Watch at 19:21

Do what you know or plays to

“Do what you know or plays to your strengths.”
Read slide 2

Play To Strengths: SEO & Content

“Play To Strengths: SEO & Content”
Read slide 7

Kiss and Tell

“6 fields, all required. Gather other info elsewhere.”
Read slide 12

This SMS Decreased no-Shows by 30%+

“This SMS Decreased no-Shows by 30%+”
Read slide 19

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Resource files

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  • How I Generated $250M In Leads - Slide Deck

About the speaker
John Doherty

John Doherty

Founder · Getcredo

LinkedIn

As the founder of Credo, he plays a pivotal role in helping expanding companies discover and onboard the right digital marketing firms for their specific needs through GetCredo.com. Since 2015, he has facilitated over 8,000+ successful collaborations and is just getting started. John helps companies in their growth journey through outsourcing and strategic partnerships. At EditorNinja, he is dedicated to helping marketing teams and content agencies produce high-quality content that translates into revenue through professional editing services.

Company revenue
$500K
Team size
10

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Slide by slide

Each slide with a short explanation of what it shows. Open the slide text for its exact wording.

25 passages

A one-person marketing system

  1. Slide 1Open deck
    Slide text

    Sep 2022 Founder500 John Doherty CEO of Credo & EditorNinja How I Generated $250m in Leads …. As 1 person marketing team

  2. Slide 2Open deck

    Three parts of lead generation

    A repeatable lead system combines traffic, conversion, and follow-up. The talk emphasizes using strengths and relationships to attract traffic, simplifying forms and choosing one conversion event, then contacting incomplete leads quickly with personalized messages.

    Slide text

    Over the next 20 minutes: Do what you know or plays to your strengths. I’m going to show you how I generated $250,000,000+ in digital marketing leads as a 1 person marketing team through: TRAFFIC FORM/CONVERSION FOLLOWUP SEO and referrals/partnerships drive early results. Leverage relationships and expertise. KISS and pre-fill as much as you can. Leverage social proof on conversion pages. Choose ONE conversion event. Contact them quickly after they don’t finish converting. SMS (via SalesMessage) is 💰 (cut demo no-shows by 30%) Personalize (send plain text)

  3. Slide 3Open deck

    Early customer visits in Utah

    A photo from Provo, Utah, in 2016 recalls visiting early customers. It grounds the growth story in direct customer relationships.

    Slide text

    Early Days Visiting Early Customers in Utah 2016, Provo Utah

  4. Slide 4Open deck

    Lead value grew through 2021

    The bar chart shows lead value rising from $5.5m in 2017 to a peak of $98.6m in 2021, then falling to $46.5m in 2022. The sequence also passes $21.7m in 2018, $29m in 2019, and $72m in 2020.

    Slide text

    Lead Pipeline Growth

The four parts of a funnel

  1. Slide 5Open deck

    A funnel needs four connected parts

    A lead funnel works as a sequence: traffic feeds a qualifying form, the form leads to a conversion event, and automated follow-up helps people take the next step. Weakness at any stage can limit the whole funnel.

    Slide text

    There Are 4 Parts To Any Good Funnel And you need them all Converting form A good form is short enough to not turn away qualified leads, but long enough to gather the right information and qualify out low quality as best you can in this step. 2 Traffic Traffic comes from a lot of places. Different sources convert differently, but ultimately you need traffic. Most companies I speak with simply need MORE traffic to reach their goals. 1 Follow Up Funnel Automated emails and reminders to get people to show to a demo, log in to do something, or simply take the first step. 4 Conversion event This is where the magic happens. A demo is scheduled, a signup happens, or a free trial begins. 3

Traffic through strengths and relationships

  1. Slide 6Open deck

    Choose traffic channels that fit

    Several traffic channels can work, so choose one that matches the team's strengths and experience. The speaker focused on SEO and referrals, using existing relationships for faster early traction while SEO developed.

    Slide text

    Most traffic channels will work for a SaaS business. Use the one that plays to YOUR strengths and experience. SEO, paid (with budget/funding), other sites (“growth hacking”) You Need Traffic To Get Leads I’m going to show you how to get it. PLAY TO STRENGTHS SEO AND REFERRAL RELATIONSHIPS We chose SEO and referral, because it’s what I knew. Can take time to work, but there are hacks to get more traffic faster. When building in a space you know, you should also know people. Relationships built over years let us get some faster traction.

  2. Slide 7Open deck

    Organic traffic climbed, then eased

    The line chart shows organic traffic rising from about 1,400 visits in late 2016 to a peak of 9,744 in October 2017, then declining to 6,057 by December. The overall climb illustrates how SEO and content can build traffic over time.

    Slide text

    Play To Strengths: SEO & Content

  3. Slide 8Open deck

    Build traffic through useful content

    The growth mix combined long-tail blog posts, an industry pricing guide, guest posts, press coverage, conferences, podcasts, and Twitter chats. A laptop screenshot adds an example of the traffic trend alongside these tactics.

    Slide text

    How We Did It 100+ blog posts targeting long tail traffic Industry pricing guide Guest posts (Moz, others) Free PR coverage Conferences (Digital Summit, others) Podcast and Twitter chat guest

  4. Slide 9Open deck

    A trusted mention can drive referrals

    The slide connects a mention in a Moz article about choosing an SEO company with the value of trusted recommendations. It attributes $300k+ since 2017 to this mention and contrasts editorial recommendations with pay-to-play lists.

    Slide text

    Referral + Relationships This mention alone has made us $300k+ since 2017

  5. Slide 10Open deck

    Track results from referral mentions

    This build adds an analytics report beneath the same referral example, showing sessions and conversion activity associated with the mention. The $300k+ attribution highlights why the source should be measured over time.

    Slide text

    Referral + Relationships This mention alone has made us $300k+ since 2017

Forms and conversion

  1. Slide 11Open deck

    Make forms simple and credible

    Short forms reduce friction, while customer proof can strengthen confidence when placed carefully. Choose one conversion action, such as a demo or signup, and change it later if the results call for it.

    Slide text

    Forms And Conversion Fewer fields is (almost always better) Tell a story in your form. Make it fast. I’m going to show you KISS SOCIAL PROOF 1 CONVERSION TYPE Voice of the customer is strong. Watch where you place them (user recording is big) You don’t need to offer them a call, a demo, and a free trial. Pick one, because you can always change it.

  2. Slide 12Open deck

    Ask for less on the first form

    The comparison shows how six required fields can ask too much before a prospect is ready. Start with the essentials and gather additional details later in the process.

    Slide text

    Kiss and Tell asks too much 6 fields, all required. Gather other info elsewhere.

  3. Slide 13Open deck

    A shorter form improved lead volume

    The tested version reduced conversions by 20%, while a different single-page form generated 30% more leads. The comparison cautions that making a form shorter does not guarantee better conversion.

    Slide text

    Make It Fast did not work. -20% conversions +30% leads on one page

  4. Slide 14Open deck

    Use proof to support conversion

    The conversion page pairs a clear hiring message with customer logos and a testimonial. This example shows how customer evidence can reinforce the offer beside a form.

    Slide text

    Show The Proof

  5. Slide 15Open deck

    Keep testing the conversion path

    The testing checklist favors fewer fields and choices, collecting more information in a later step, and checking pages for errors. It also warns that prospects may not provide reliable information and says to keep social proof away from below the forms.

    Slide text

    I’ve Tested This To Death Fewer fields Fewer choices People lie Get more info in the next step Always check your conversion pages for errors No social proof below forms

  6. Slide 16Open deck

    Choose one conversion action

    The examples point to one primary call to action on each page, with arrows highlighting where visitors should begin. A page can use a different action for a different audience, but should make the next step clear.

    Slide text

    1 Conversion Type

Follow-up and measurement

  1. Slide 17Open deck

    Follow up quickly and personally

    Fast, behavior-specific outreach can reduce missed meetings, and the deck reports a 30%+ improvement from automated SMS. Plain-text messages that explain what happens next help keep the interaction personal.

    Slide text

    Money Is In The Follow-up “Speed to lead” Different reach out based on what they did. I’m going to show you QUICK CONTACT PERSONAL SMS PLAIN TEXT We had a big issue with leads no-showing agencies. Auto-SMS (via Zapier through SalesMessage) gave 30%+ improvement. Use it for your demos. Lean into being human. Too many SaaS’s try to act bigger than they are. Tell them what’s going to happen. Do it. Tell them what happened.

  2. Slide 18Open deck

    Send a timely follow-up email

    The example email goes out 10 minutes after an inquiry when no call has been scheduled. It explains why a conversation is needed and gives the lead a clear way to arrange one.

    Slide text

    Play To Strengths: SEO & Content Our email 10 minutes after lead w/call not scheduled.

  3. Slide 19Open deck

    SMS reduced missed meetings

    The slide attributes a 30%+ decrease in no-shows to an SMS reminder. The message exchange illustrates a practical use: confirming a scheduled call and keeping the conversation moving.

    Slide text

    This SMS Decreased no-Shows by 30%+ 0 in 2016 to 17.4M in 2021

  4. Slide 20Open deck

    Compare reminder cost with missed calls

    The slide argues that reminders are worthwhile by comparing a $400+ cost for each missed meeting with a $49 monthly messaging tool. The chart tracks no-show rates over time, with several peaks followed by lower periods.

    Slide text

    Proof Each no-show costs us $400+. SalesMessage is $49/mo. No brainer.

  5. Slide 21Open deck

    Write to people in plain language

    The follow-up email uses a conversational tone, explains what the upcoming call will cover, and asks the lead to schedule it. The message frames business communication as human to human.

    Slide text

    Plain Text Emails Business Is Human To Human (H2H)

  6. Slide 22Open deck

    Review performance every week

    A weekly scorecard assigns ownership and tracks pipeline, activation, marketing, and customer-success measures against targets. The cadence makes progress visible and helps the team focus on actions that move the numbers.

    Slide text

    Marketing Is No Good Without Measurement Weekly cadence

  7. Slide 23Open deck

    Pair weekly and monthly reporting

    The marketing scorecard organizes monthly results by channel, including sessions, leads, scheduled calls, conversion rates, spending, and revenue. Comparing the months helps reveal where volume, efficiency, and cost are changing.

    Slide text

    Marketing Is No Good Without Measurement Weekly and Monthly Marketing Reporting

  8. Slide 24Open deck

    Connect traffic, conversion, and follow-up

    The recap returns to the three-part system: attract visitors through strengths and relationships, simplify the conversion step, then contact unfinished leads quickly and personally. The central lesson is to choose a focused process and measure its results.

    Slide text

    Over the last 20 minutes… Do what you know or plays to your strengths. I showed you: TRAFFIC FORM/CONVERSION FOLLOWUP SEO and referrals/partnerships drive early results. Leverage relationships and expertise. KISS and pre-fill as much as you can. Leverage social proof on conversion pages. Choose ONE conversion event. Contact them quickly after they don’t finish converting. SMS (via SalesMessage) is 💰 (cut demo no-shows by 30%) Personalize (send plain text)

  9. Slide 25Open deck

    Thank the audience

    John Doherty closes the presentation with a thank-you and his Credo affiliation.

    Slide text

    September 2022 John Doherty CEO of Credo