When Good Leads Go Bad

There’s a saying in business that has proven true in my agency again and again: garbage in, garbage out.

And recently, I had a front-row seat to watching this play out with a client project that started with promise but taught me — and hopefully now you — a powerful lesson about what happens when the quality of your inputs doesn’t match the vision for your outcomes.

Let me take you behind the scenes.

The Connection

Through a mutual friend, I was introduced to the owner of a direct sales company. For over 18 years I’ve been connected to that industry, so when the introduction was made, I was intrigued.

This client had run a successful program years back and was ready to relaunch a new and improved version. His vision was big, and I immediately saw the opportunity to help him jumpstart momentum.

My pitch was simple:
👉 Instead of starting from zero, why not use AI + SMS to reconnect with the buyers and members of the old program? People who had already said yes once would be the most likely to say yes again.

He loved the idea. We moved forward.

The First Test

Before signing, there were a few delays in getting the financial agreement squared away. He eventually offered to pay half now and half later. Because of our relationship and his long-standing credibility in the industry, I agreed.

We launched the first test campaign with a list from his CRM — actual leads who had opted into his company.

Here’s how that went:

• 128 leads targeted

• 37 responded (29%)

• 4 asked for the link (3%)

• 3 booked calls (2%)

• 1 enrollment (almost 1%)

And the messaging stats?

• 425 sent

• 411 delivered

• 15 failed (4%)

Not bad at all. We were right on target with a 29% response rate (the industry benchmark is 30%). And we even secured an enrollment.

That’s the power of running a campaign with a clean, targeted list.

The Second Test

Encouraged by the results, the client wanted to run a second test. This time, the list came from a previous company he had owned — a company that had once been wildly successful.

But there was a problem.

When it was time for the second payment, he told me due to unforeseen circumstances he couldn’t pay — and he wasn’t sure when he’d be able to. I wasn’t happy about it, but because I truly wanted to help, I decided to move forward anyway.

Within hours of launching the second test, I noticed something alarming. The number of failed messages was unusually high.

So, I reached out to the tech team. That’s when I learned the truth:

This list didn’t come from the CRM at all. It was a spreadsheet upload. Most of the numbers weren’t mobile phones at all — they were landlines. And carriers don’t like it when you send thousands of texts to bad numbers.

Here are the stats:

• 1,160 leads targeted

• 22 responded (2%)

• 0 booked calls

• 0 enrollments

Messaging stats?

• 1,360 sent

• 1,122 delivered

• 1,148 failed (84%!)

Within days, the sending phone number was suspended due to compliance violations from the high failure and DND rates.

The Breakdown

Here’s the clear takeaway:

• Targeted, clean list (from CRM): 29% response rate, new enrollments, campaign success.

• Untargeted, dirty list (spreadsheet upload): 2% response rate, phone suspension, no enrollments.

The difference? Lead quality.

Moving Past What I Couldn’t Control

In moments like this, it’s easy to get frustrated. I had honored my end of the deal. I had delivered results when given the right data. And yet, I was left with unpaid invoices, a suspended number, and a client unwilling to accept that the problem wasn’t the messaging — it was the list.

But here’s what I’ve learned in business: you can’t control how someone else chooses to see the situation. You can only control how you respond.

So, instead of spinning in frustration, I doubled down on what I could control:

• Documenting results with transparency and integrity.

• Standing firm on the truth about data quality.

• Using this as a teaching moment for future clients.

The Bigger Lesson

If you’re reading this and you have old leads sitting in your database, let me be clear:

Database reactivation works — beautifully — when the leads were generated by you. When people opted in, gave their mobile numbers, and asked for more information.

But if you’re relying on lists that are decades old, purchased from a third party, or full of landline numbers… then garbage in equals garbage out.

No amount of AI, automation, or sales copy can breathe life into a dead list.

Moving Forward

Here’s what I recommend:

1. Be honest about your data. If your leads are outdated or from questionable sources, it’s time to clean house.

2. Invest in quality lead generation. Every campaign is only as strong as the list it’s built on.

3. Leverage AI + SMS to maximize what you already have. If you’ve got legitimate, unconverted leads sitting in your CRM, don’t let them go to waste.

Because here’s the truth: your next sale, your next client, your next breakthrough may already be sitting in your database.

Final Thought

This experience reminded me of the importance of discernment in business. Not every client will move the way you expect them to. Not every project will go as planned. But every experience brings wisdom.

And in this case, the wisdom was crystal clear: success is a partnership between strategy and integrity. Without both, even the best systems fall flat.

With love and belief,

Tracey
Founder, Wealthy Mom Society

📌 If you’re sitting on a goldmine of unconverted leads and you’re ready to turn them into paying clients without spending another dollar on ads, it’s time for us to chat.

👉 Schedule your AI Assessment + Demo now and let’s uncover how a database recovery campaign can help your business increase revenue without increasing ad spend.