Ep.81 How to Generate Leads in 2026: AI, Relationships, and Multi-Channel Strategy

Lead Generation Strategies for 2026: What's Changing and What to Do About It
Traditional lead generation strategies are broken. Email open rates are down, single-channel strategies aren't working, and AI-generated outreach feels fake. In this episode, the Sales SOS panel reveals what's changing and how to generate leads in 2026.

Topics covered:

Why traditional lead generation strategies stopped working
How to use AI for lead generation without losing authenticity
The problem with engineered empathy vs. real relationship-building
LinkedIn lead generation: How to use first-degree connections strategically
Multi-channel marketing strategy: Why you need 10+ channels minimum
How Google search and AI discovery are changing buyer behavior
Creating demand vs. capturing demand in 2026
Partnership marketing and referral strategies that work
Using AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini for prospect research
Why you can't rely on a single channel (search, social, email) anymore
Press releases, content distribution, and brand awareness strategies
How to optimize for AI recommendations (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity)

Key questions answered:

How do I generate leads in 2026?
Why isn't my lead generation working anymore?
How should I use AI for prospecting and lead generation?
What's the best way to use LinkedIn for lead generation?
How many marketing channels do I need?
How do I get prospects to actually respond to outreach?
What's changing with Google search and AI discovery?
How do I create demand instead of just capturing it?
Should I use AI to write prospecting emails?

Learn how to generate consistent pipeline in 2026 by combining authentic relationships with smart AI use and multi-channel distribution.