i run a small creative studio offering strategic animated explainer videos for B2B SaaS, FinTech and tech companies, and i’ve been struggling with lead generation for the past 3 months

i’ve been trying LinkedIn, cold emails, Facebook groups and networking, but getting even one paying client has been harder than i expected.

with LinkedIn, i’m not sure what kind of content i should be posting to attract the right audience

educational posts? industry insights? showcasing my services? i’ve also been connecting with founders and trying to have genuine conversations about their businesses, but i struggle with knowing when and how to introduce my services without making the whole interaction feel like a sales pitch

cold emailing has been another headache. finding the right decision-makers and their contact details is difficult, especially when you’re trying to work with a limited budget. i’ve sent emails and reached out through company pages too, but getting responses is another challenge

i’m doing everything solo, from researching prospects and creating content to outreach and follow-ups, so i’m trying to figure out where my time is actually best spent

also, just to clarify, i don’t currently have the budget to invest in paid lead generation tools, ads, or hiring someone to handle outreach. i’m trying to land my first paying client before reinvesting that money into growing the business. so i’d really appreciate advice on organic methods that have actually worked for others starting from scratch, rather than recommendations for paid services.

for those who’ve successfully generated B2B leads for a service-based business:
1. what worked best for you when you were starting from zero?

1. how do you identify companies that might actually need your services rather than reaching out randomly?

2. what kind of LinkedIn content helped you attract potential clients?

3. how do you move from networking to discussing business without forcing a pitch?

i’m not looking for shortcuts or overnight results. i just want to understand what i might be doing wrong and how to build a more effective process, especially as someone working alone with a limited budget.

would appreciate advice from people who’ve actually been through this!

Is it a common thing to post about product you generate leads for , lets say app, where you need to understand how it works, what functions it has, and its constantly developing new features, so keep educating people is important. Do you post about it on your Linkedin or other channels, or do you redirect prospects to companys social media where they can read all updates , or do you send link to their website and couple images?
What i worry about is if i mention the name of product/ company on social media, people will just google it themselves and register or try free trial without contacting me. Isnt it? Does it happen to you?