If you’ve ever wondered how to rapidly scale a B2B lead generation agency, you’re not alone. Cold email remains a powerful, yet misunderstood outreach channel. In this in-depth interview recap with Louis Ortega, founder of Axel Marketing, you’ll discover first-hand how a focus on systems, specialization, and creative client acquisition enabled an agency to quadruple its growth in Q1 2025—even in a competitive online market. Whether you’re starting from scratch or optimizing your current outreach, the insights below will help you refine your B2B lead generation approach for lasting success.
Based on the original video:
The Journey to B2B Lead Generation Success
Every entrepreneur’s journey into B2B lead generation is unique, but the common thread is resilience and the willingness to pivot. Louis Ortega didn’t begin with cold email outreach as his primary service. As a former Facebook ads media buyer and all-around freelancer, he experimented with various digital marketing services. Only after reviewing which clients stayed the longest—and which services proved most profitable—did he niche down to B2B cold email.
This critical decision to focus was driven by results and client longevity. High lifetime value (LTV) clients not only provided stability, but their ongoing satisfaction and retention helped create the foundation for a scalable agency.
Key Takeaways from Louis’ Early Steps
- Start broad but pay attention to what actually works for your business and clients.
- Don’t hesitate to pivot to a service where you consistently achieve measurable ROI.
- The niche you choose at the start is rarely where you end up—flexibility is a strength.
Lessons from Diversifying and Niching Down
Louis’ background in drop shipping and ads management provided an ideal environment to build essential entrepreneurial skills—from product copywriting to campaign setup and customer service. These experiences, even those he considers failures, equipped him to serve agency clients better and manage a team effectively.
For anyone fixated on finding the “perfect” starting niche or service, this story is a reminder: momentum and adaptability outweigh overplanning. Practical skills—communication, fulfillment, copy, project management—translate to any business model, especially in B2B lead generation.
Refining the B2B Cold Email Service Offering
Scaling a B2B lead generation agency means more than just sending cold emails. Louis elaborates on his current offer: a monthly retainer service, tailored according to client size and needs. Each package includes guaranteed lead delivery, with risk-mitigating guarantees such as “work for free until we deliver” or refund clauses if minimum lead quotas aren’t met.
What sets successful agencies apart isn’t just persistence—it’s the willingness to go the extra mile when building case studies and proof of concept. Louis adopted a strategic approach few apply: he built out ‘mock’ business case studies in each targeted niche and ran campaigns before even signing a client. This allowed him to enter new verticals with data in hand, reducing perceived client risks and accelerating trust-building.
Building Trust Through Case Studies Before Client Acquisition
- Create real campaigns for hypothetical or test businesses in target industries.
- Use initial results as social proof to pitch new clients, showcasing your expertise.
- Shorten the acquisition cycle by demonstrating win-ready systems and prior results.
Scaling B2B Lead Generation Through Systems and Automation
The leap from one client to eight—or even ten—exposes process gaps. Louis identified early that scaling B2B cold email required bulletproof backend systems, not just outreach savvy. Every agency operator hits a moment when client fulfillment starts to cannibalize new acquisition. The only way through this bottleneck is to document, automate, and delegate each process step.
Louis admits that as his client base grew, onboarding, list building, prospecting, inbox setup, and campaign monitoring quickly became overwhelming. The solution? Break every workflow down into steps, identify automation opportunities, and, where suitable, delegate efficiently—sometimes using AI tools rather than increasing headcount. Now, with core systems in place, his agency is poised to double its client roster again without burning out.
- Develop standardized, templatized processes for each service step.
- Leverage AI and automation tools to minimize manual repetitive work.
- Continuously assess and update workflows as your agency grows.
Client Retention: The Real Key to Agency Revenue
Far too many agency founders obsess over new client acquisition at the expense of their current accounts. But, as Louis and his mentor both agree, most serious revenue comes not in the first month, but through long-term retention. Satisfied clients don’t just provide recurring revenue; they become your advocates, closing new deals for you via referrals and testimonials.
This people-first mindset doesn’t just strengthen revenue stability—it creates powerful case studies and success stories that supercharge your sales process. Finding and nurturing “dream clients”—those who pay premium rates, demand reasonable support, and value your work—is fundamental for stress-free agency growth.
Strategies for High Retention in B2B Cold Email
- Deliver measurable results from the outset—don’t promise, prove.
- Automate follow-up processes and client reporting for proactive communication.
- Reward loyal clients with recognition, special perks, or occasional gifts.
Finding Product-Market Fit in B2B Cold Email: Industry Selection
Picking a profitable target industry is both art and science. While Louis keeps some niches private, he shares one recent high-potential vertical: IT companies. Contrary to common belief, IT and technology clients can be a dream to work with—higher rates, less hassle, and strong retention if you can demonstrate results. The challenge is mastering their longer sales cycles and specific buyer needs. But once cracked, these sectors offer a goldmine for growth-focused agencies.
If you’re evaluating your next B2B cold email niche, look for industries with a substantial addressable market and problems that lend themselves to outbound solutions. High-value contracts and sticky, long-term relationships should be your guide.
For more context on how choosing the right outreach tool impacts campaign results, this detailed comparison of Smartlead vs. Snov.io breaks down key considerations for agency operators.
Setting—and Achieving—Ambitious Agency Revenue Goals
Defining clear, motivating goals is a cornerstone of agency growth. For Louis, the initial milestone was earning one million pesos monthly (~$18,000), aimed at providing security and enabling further business investments. As these targets were reached, the next goal became 10 million pesos (~$180,000), shifting the focus to larger, enterprise-level clients with longer sales cycles but higher LTV.
Scaling to this level means refining your offer, deepening industry expertise, and building a reputation for excellence. You’ll need to decide whether to focus on one specialized niche or go deep within a vertical, serving numerous sub-niches. Both paths require relentless focus, operational discipline, and a scalable team—or an automated tech stack you can rely on.
Motivations Behind Agency Building
- Financial freedom and security
- Creating a lifestyle business (work remotely, travel, set your own schedule)
- Building an asset for potential exit or sale
- The satisfaction of delivering real, lasting value to clients
Busting Myths: Geography Isn’t a Barrier to Agency Success
A common misconception among aspiring online agency founders is that success is limited to those based in the US, Canada, or Western Europe. Louis’s success running a B2B cold email agency from the Philippines powerfully rejects that narrative. Competencies like creativity, relentless work ethic, and clear communication matter far more than country of origin in today’s global market. The flexibility of remote-first work and the universality of marketing challenge can level the playing field.
Persistent founders who focus on relationships, results, and systems can succeed from anywhere. If you need proof, this journey is it.
Growth through Community, Mentorship, and Collaboration
No agency grows in a vacuum. Louis credits much of his progress to learning inside a specialized mentorship community—the same principle applies to any founder seeking faster results. Actively participating in forums, peer groups, or mastermind programs helps accelerate learning from proven operators and avoid costly missteps. In these settings, open knowledge sharing and collaboration create compounding benefits for everyone involved.
The value of having mentors who are active practitioners rather than just theorists is especially high—real-world, actionable insights trump generic advice. The right mentorship can shortcut years off your learning curve.
Agency Growth FAQs
What’s the most important factor in successfully scaling a B2B lead generation agency?
Building effective systems is crucial. Louis highlights that managing fulfillment, onboarding, prospecting, and campaign execution at scale requires well-documented and automated processes. Streamlining these steps enables rapid client growth without sacrificing quality.
How do you choose which industries to target for cold email outreach?
Assess addressable market size, typical contract values, and how well the industry’s problems fit outbound solutions. Test through sample campaigns before diving into new niches.
What client acquisition strategies are most effective for cold email agencies?
Running test campaigns for “mock” businesses in targeted industries to generate case studies proves capability even before winning a client. Leveraging referrals from satisfied customers further accelerates acquisition.
Why is client retention so important for B2B agencies?
Most long-term revenue and profit come from keeping clients satisfied over time. Happy clients offer testimonials, case studies, and referrals—fueling new business much more efficiently than cold acquisition alone.
Is it possible to build a successful agency business outside the US/Western Europe?
Absolutely. As demonstrated in this interview, agencies run from countries like the Philippines can thrive globally if they focus on value, results, and relationship-building. Location is far less important than mindset and execution.
