When’s the best time to ramp up LinkedIn lead generation? It’s one of the most common questions we hear from B2B businesses looking to grow their pipeline.
It’s a fair concern—no one wants to waste time or budget launching lead generation campaigns when decision-makers are checked out.
For this reason, certain assumptions have taken hold, like the idea that summer is a write-off because people are on holiday or that the weeks leading up to Christmas are a dead zone for new business.
We’ve all heard (and probably said ourselves) things like, “Let’s pick this up in the new year.” It’s no wonder so many teams hit pause entirely.
But here’s the problem with this mindset:
You’re handing opportunities to your competitors, those who keep their foot on the gas and make every second count.
At StraightIn, we wanted to separate fact from fiction. With over six years of experience and thousands of LinkedIn campaigns under our belt, we turned the spotlight on our own lead generation efforts, analysing internal performance data from campaigns we’ve run to grow our own business.
These aren’t client results. This is a first-hand insight into what’s worked (and when) to generate leads for us.
So, if you’re wondering whether now’s the right time to hit the gas on lead generation, our data-driven findings will give you a clear answer. No guesswork, just real performance, sharp trends, and smarter moves to fuel your growth.
Email Marketing or LinkedIn Lead Generation—Which One Comes Out on Top?
Before we even get into which months performed best, let’s start with the fundamentals: which channel is more effective for lead generation—LinkedIn or email marketing? It’s a classic debate in B2B marketing circles.
For years, email has been the workhorse of B2B lead generation. It’s scalable, familiar, and easy to automate. But as inboxes become more crowded and buyers more selective, traditional email marketing is showing its limits.
In contrast, LinkedIn has emerged as a powerful and more personal way to reach decision-makers—cutting through the noise with better targeting and stronger engagement.
At StraightIn, we ran large-scale campaigns across both LinkedIn and email throughout 2024, targeting thousands of prospects every month. With the year behind us, we crunched the numbers to see how each channel really performed. And the results weren’t even close.
The graph below shows how LinkedIn consistently outperforms email across every major metric, from leads generated to conversion rate to booked meetings.
StraightIn Leads Generated LinkedIn vs Email
Over the course of 2024, our LinkedIn campaigns generated 1,779 leads, compared to just 532 from email. That’s more than three times the output from LinkedIn, even though email campaigns reached a significantly larger audience.
In total, we contacted 181,136 prospects by email, sending more than 539,000 emails. On LinkedIn, we took a more targeted approach, building 49,381 connections and sending 43,382 InMails. So, even with a smaller audience, LinkedIn generated significantly more leads. That contrast really drives home just how effective the platform can be.
And when you look at the conversion rates, the difference gets even clearer. The lead CVR on LinkedIn stood at 3.6%, compared to just 0.3% for email. In other words, for every 100 people we reached on LinkedIn, more than three became leads, whereas with email, we needed to contact over 300 to achieve a similar result. That’s more than a tenfold difference in efficiency.
LinkedIn also delivered stable performance throughout the year, with especially strong results in Q3 and Q4. Our lead volume remained high, and the quality of conversations didn’t drop, even during traditionally slower periods, such as the summer holidays.
Email, on the other hand, was far more volatile. While Q1 performed reasonably well, results dropped off in Q2 and Q3 before recovering slightly in Q4. That kind of inconsistency makes it harder to build momentum and plan around predictable pipeline growth.
Why LinkedIn Performs Better
So, why does LinkedIn perform so much better than email? One of the main reasons LinkedIn outperforms email is the quality of interaction.
LinkedIn isn’t just a social media platform. It’s a professional environment where people go to build networks, explore ideas, and discover services relevant to their work. When a prospect accepts a connection or replies to an InMail, they’re doing so in the context of business, not while half-scrolling through a crowded inbox. That difference in intent means that conversations tend to be more focused and productive.
Email, by contrast, is a far more saturated channel. While it still plays an important role in outreach, it’s become harder to stand out. Even the most engaging and well-written messages can get buried, ignored, or flagged as spam. And when replies do come in, they’re less likely to lead to meaningful outcomes.
That was reflected in our results—despite sending over half a million emails, email campaigns produced fewer leads and required significantly more follow-ups to convert.
Does this Mean is Email Marketing Dead?
So, is email dead? Not at all. It’s still a valuable part of any lead generation strategy, and with the right email marketing strategies it can be incredibly effective.
Email remains a great tool for nurturing existing relationships, re-engaging cold prospects, and adding extra touchpoints within a multi-channel approach. In fact, we regularly use it alongside LinkedIn, whether it’s following up after a connection request or retargeting warm leads with personalised messages. When paired thoughtfully, email can help keep the conversation moving and accelerate the journey from prospect to pipeline.
That combined approach helped us generate a total of 2,311 leads last year—an impressive number by any measure.
Still, if we’re talking about pure lead generation, LinkedIn takes the lead every time.
The Best Months for Lead Generation on LinkedIn
Now that we’ve cleared up the channel debate, let’s get into the real question: When is the best time to ramp up lead generation?
The short answer? It depends. There’s no single month you can bank everything on, throw your whole budget at, and expect to coast for the rest of the year.
There are far too many factors at play—your industry, business size, target audience, and even where in the world you’re operating. A strategy that performs brilliantly for a fast-growing SaaS startup in London might fall flat for a manufacturing firm in the Midwest, for instance.
And all that’s before you even factor in the unpredictable external forces: economic shifts, industry trends, even global events. All of these things shape how people behave, how they buy, and how they respond to outreach. So yes, timing matters, but context matters just as much.
Still, after reviewing a full year’s worth of performance data from our internal campaigns in 2024, we started to notice a consistent trend. Certain months, across the board, stood out as stronger performers, especially when the right lead gen channel was used at the right time.
It’s impossible to pin down a single “perfect” month for lead generation. Instead, it should be about recognising the seasonal rhythms and adapting your strategy to meet your audience where they are.
January
January is all about fresh starts, new goals, and, if your office is anything like ours, a collective attempt at Dry January.
It’s a high-energy month where businesses are focused, motivated, and eager to get moving. Even without the data, we’d bet on January being a strong performer for lead generation. But luckily, we do have the numbers to back it up.
In both January 2024 and 2025, our LinkedIn outreach campaigns generated nearly 30% more leads than in the two months prior. Compared to the two months that followed, January still came out ahead, delivering almost 15% more leads.
Looking at the quality of those leads, we saw a 20% increase in calls booked through the inbox compared to February and 1.5x more calls than in December. It’s not just about volume. January leads were more engaged and more likely to convert into actual conversations.
A big reason January performs so well comes down to timing and relevance. Outreach that references the New Year or a fresh start feels timely and human, something your prospects are far more likely to engage with. You’re not just another automated message. You’re tapping into a shared moment. That alone can boost response rates significantly.
And if you took the time to warm up your audience in December—checking in, sharing value, or soft pitching—then January becomes your follow-up goldmine. Those same prospects are back at their desks, recharged after the holidays, and ready to pick up the conversation where they left off.
So, January sets the tone and gives you a flying start. The real question is: how do you carry that momentum through the rest of the year?
February
Ah, February—the month of love… if you love lead gen, that is.
With fewer days on the calendar, there’s more pressure packed into each one. Demand gen and sales teams are often scrambling to keep up the momentum from January, all while fighting time. But short month or not, February can still deliver big results if you approach it right.
Here are four key tactics that helped us make February a standout month in our 2024 campaign:
1. Less Is More
If January went well, you’ve already got a wealth of data at your fingertips. Use it. Double down on what worked instead of ramping up volume for the sake of activity.
In February 2024, we contacted over 20,000 prospects and saw a 0.25% lead rate. In February 2025, we sent less than a quarter of that and saw our lead rate jump to 1%. That’s a 4x increase, simply by being more focused and personal. No more spray-and-pray, just smart, timely messaging.
2. Revisit Your Cold Pipeline
Your prospects from last year aren’t sitting still. They’ve moved roles, changed priorities, or have new challenges, so why not reach back out?
We ran a re-engagement campaign in February and saw our lead rate double in outreach and a 3x increase in click-through rate on ads. It’s a quick win. These leads already know who you are, and February is the perfect time to put yourself back on their radar.
3. Increase Your TOF Ads Budget
As the financial year starts to wrap up, decision-makers are beginning to review budgets, suppliers, and software. That means it’s the perfect moment to position your brand at the top of their consideration list.
In February, we saw a 5% increase in impressions and more than 10% more clicks compared to January—proof that top-of-funnel ads are getting traction just as decision-makers start exploring new solutions. Don’t wait until Q2 to show up in their feed.
4. Prioritise InMails Over Connection Requests
Here’s an interesting one—February tends to see a dip in LinkedIn connection acceptance rates, in some cases by as much as 10%. People are back in the grind, ignoring invites and generally less inclined to accept new connections.
But that doesn’t mean you’re out of options. Premium InMails are the way around this. Either send them directly or use them as a follow-up when your connection request gets ignored. In our experience, this keeps response rates strong even when connection acceptance drops off.
February might be short, but with the right approach, it can still deliver long-term value. And when you focus on quality over quantity, leverage re-engagement opportunities, and stay visible to the right people, you’ll be surprised just how far a few good weeks can go.
March
March usually means two things: Mother’s Day cards flying off the shelves and, more importantly for B2B businesses, the end of the financial year.
For demand gen teams, this is one of the most strategic times in the calendar. Businesses are finalising budgets for the year ahead, reviewing suppliers, and re-evaluating tools and partnerships. If you want your product or service to be part of those conversations, March is the time to make your move.
This is when you need to aim higher in the org chart, and LinkedIn is your best route. In the first two weeks of March 2025, our campaigns targeting C-suite titles generated 4x more leads compared to our monthly average. Why? Because decision-makers are already in planning mode. They’re open to new ideas, evaluating value, and more likely to respond to a pitch that hits the right pain point.
But don’t stop at outreach. Middle-of-funnel (MOF) and end-of-funnel (EOF) ad stages deserve more of your attention—and budget. If you’ve been building awareness with top-of-funnel activity earlier in the year, March is the moment to capitalise.
And it works. In March, we saw a 1.5x increase in lead form completions on MOF campaigns compared to February and January. That tells us prospects aren’t just looking. No, they’re taking action.
The key here is value. Your messaging should not only show what you do, but also why it matters right now. Budget-holding decision-makers are more receptive during this window, and if you meet them with the right message at the right time, you stand a real chance of locking in long-term opportunities.
In short, March is the month to get serious. Decision-makers are planning. Budgets are being finalised. And with the right strategy, your name can be on the list.
April & May
With Q2 underway, April and May bring fresh budgets, clearer priorities, and a golden window for demand gen teams to convert interest into action.
If you remember the graph we shared earlier, our LinkedIn outreach campaigns booked around 10% more meetings in Q2 than in Q1, and that uplift was almost entirely driven by activity in April and May. It’s no coincidence. This is when decision-makers have a clearer view of what they can spend and who they need to partner with.
So, what does this mean for your strategy? It’s time to go for the close. April and May aren’t about slow nurture. They’re about fast action. This is when slightly firmer calls to action can make all the difference. According to our campaign data, prospects are 2 times more likely to book a call if your CTA includes a specific day and time, and 3 times more likely if it’s scheduled within the same week.
In other words, urgency works, especially when the budgets are live and buyers are actively allocating spending. The trick is to be clear, confident, and helpful. Make it easy for them to say yes, and you’ll see those deals move faster.
April and May are prime time for conversions. You’ve earned the attention. Now, it’s time to turn it into results.
June & July
While many think this is a time to stop their lead gen efforts due to school break and summer holidays, it’s actually the contrary when it comes to LinkedIn.
When people head off on annual leave, they usually set an out-of-office and avoid their work emails until they’re back at their desks. LinkedIn is different. As a social media platform, first and foremost, it doesn’t get switched off in the same way. That means you can still reach your audience—whether they’re on the beach or in transit—through LinkedIn advertising and content marketing, landing directly in their pocket wherever they are.
In fact, June and July 2024 were some of our strongest months for LinkedIn outreach. We saw no dip in lead volume, and in some cases, results even outperformed March. Meanwhile, channels like email and cold calls dropped off by around 10%, proving LinkedIn can thrive even when other tactics stall.
In July, we ran a cold LinkedIn Ads campaign that generated over 10 leads per week, at less than £10 per lead, on a modest £400/month budget. That kind of efficiency is rare, and it happened because there was less competition. Most businesses had scaled back their campaigns, leaving more space (and cheaper clicks) for those who stayed active.
The lesson? Summer is an opportunity. Your audience still scrolls. They still engage. And during quieter months, your message has a better chance of standing out.
So, while others switch off, lean in. Stay visible. Keep showing up. And take advantage of the reduced noise to grab attention while it’s cheap.
August
August is the comeback king of Q3. Our LinkedIn outreach campaigns in August generated 143% more leads than June and July combined. Even email, which is typically quieter during this period, saw a rebound, with lead volume nearly 1.5x higher than the previous two months. Not bad for a so-called slow season.
So, what made the difference? It all comes down to consistency. By keeping campaigns running throughout the summer, we stayed top of mind. And when people returned from their holidays, they were more receptive, refreshed, and ready to re-engage. Our follow-ups hit just as they were clearing their inboxes and refocusing on goals.
The same held true for LinkedIn ads. Our middle- and end-of-funnel (MOF & EOF) ad campaigns, which had been simmering through summer, hit their stride in August. We saw our cost per lead drop by over 25%, meaning we generated more leads at a lower cost. A win-win.
So, while others were switching off, we kept showing up. It paid off. Don’t underestimate August. With smart, consistent outreach and well-timed retargeting, it can become one of your most efficient months of the year.
September & October
The kids are back in school, decision-makers are back at their desks, and Q4 has officially kicked off. After the slower pace of summer, this is when the B2B world shifts gears, and lead generation opportunities ramp up fast.
With more people back online and engaging with their inboxes, email outreach sees a strong resurgence. Between August and October, our campaigns showed the lead rate from email doubled, meaning we generated 2x the leads from the same number of emails compared to previous months.
But email’s bounce-back doesn’t mean LinkedIn is slowing down. In fact, it’s still the most consistent performer across all channels—outpacing platforms like Google and Facebook. Whether it’s outreach, ads, or content, LinkedIn should remain a core part of your strategy heading into the final stretch of the year.
As Q4 begins, the quality of engagement rises sharply. Our data showed that nearly 80% of all leads generated during this period were booked directly into calendars, compared to just 65% in Q3. People aren’t just clicking. They’re converting.
Even with the spooky season around the corner, there’s nothing to fear when it comes to outreach.
In fact, Q4 has the highest lead rates of the entire year, with email campaigns averaging over 1% and LinkedIn hitting an impressive 5%. That means you can send less, spend less, and still see higher returns.
If there’s a time to lean in, this is it. The final quarter brings urgency, budgets to spend, and decision-makers ready to act. Don’t miss your window.
November
The wind down for Christmas unofficially begins, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. According to Harvard Business Review, CEOs spend around 24% of their time checking email, roughly every 37 minutes—and that frequency tends to increase the closer we get to the holidays. With fewer meetings and lighter schedules, inboxes become prime real estate.
We saw this play out in our own numbers. In the first two weeks of November, our email campaigns delivered an average lead rate of 1.2%, well above industry benchmarks. While many marketers were pulling back, assuming people had mentally clocked out, we saw results spike by simply doubling down instead of scaling back.
And it’s not just email. LinkedIn Ads were a standout performer, too. In November, we recorded a 33% increase in middle-of-funnel (MOF) leads compared to October and September. Even though cost-per-click went up slightly, overall spend actually dropped by 10%, and performance improved.
While others wind down – you should build up. LinkedIn Ads campaigns are an excellent way to capitalise on this – with more people having significantly less to do, a cheeky LinkedIn scroll can turn them into your next client.
Why? A couple of simple reasons:
- People have more time to engage as their calendars start to clear.
- There’s less competition—many marketers pause campaigns in fear of “wasted spend,” which actually makes your message stand out more.
It’s also worth noting that November is your last realistic window to book sales calls before year-end. Once December hits, priorities shift, and most conversations become about teeing things up for January.
So, while others are winding down, it’s your chance to build up. If you stay visible and keep your campaigns active, you’re far more likely to finish the year strong and start the next one with momentum already in motion.
December
December gets a bad rap in marketing circles. It’s short, it’s busy, and it’s full of distractions. And yes, response rates and connection acceptances do take a hit across most channels. But here’s the thing: pausing your campaigns entirely is one of the biggest mistakes you can make.
If you approach December strategically, you can set yourself up for a huge head start in January.
As already touched upon earlier in the article, we shifted our approach slightly during this time. Instead of pushing for immediate meetings, we adjust our CTAs to focus on booking time in January—and it works. Around 75% of our sales calls in December get scheduled for the first week back after the holidays, giving us a strong pipeline before the year has even started.
And while in-month activity might seem quieter on the surface, the quality of engagement is incredibly high. In December, over 80% of all leads booked directly into the calendar, skipping back-and-forth emails and moving straight to action. As a result, our January sales performance regularly exceeds targets by more than 140%—all thanks to smart groundwork laid in December.
While many teams go quiet during the holidays, that’s your opportunity to cut through the noise. Start the conversation while everyone else is slowing down, and you’ll be top of mind when your prospects return to the office refreshed and ready to go.
Think of December not as the end of the year but as the start of the next one. Use it wisely, and your January success won’t come down to luck. It’ll come down to smart planning.
When is the Best Time to Run Lead Gen Campaigns on LinkedIn?
All the time.
One analogy that has always stuck with me comes from LinkedIn itself, when discussing always-on advertising. They compare it to the Golden Gate Bridge, which is constantly being painted to preserve its iconic look and structural integrity.
If they ever stopped, the bridge would start to rust. The same goes for your sales funnel. Pause your lead generation, and your pipeline begins to corrode.
And just like the bridge’s signature colour keeps it recognisable, your presence in the market keeps you top of mind. Lead generation isn’t just about who’s ready to buy today. It’s about being visible, relevant, and trusted when your prospects are ready, whenever that may be.
Consistent outreach keeps your brand alive in the right places. It allows you to nurture leads, retarget effectively, and expand your network, so when the time comes, you’re the obvious choice.
Final Takeaways
Are you planning your lead generation strategy for the rest of 2024 or looking even further ahead to 2025? Here’s a simplified breakdown of how the year typically plays out based on what our campaign data tells us:
- January: High-energy month for lead gen. LinkedIn campaigns outperform others with ~30% more leads than previous months. New Year messaging boosts engagement.
- February: Short but productive. Smaller, smarter campaigns saw a 4x increase in lead rate. Re-engagement and TOF LinkedIn Ads perform well. InMails beat connection requests.
- March: End-of-financial-year urgency. Targeting the C-suite on LinkedIn led to 4x more leads. MOF ads see 1.5x more form completions. Great month to close deals.
- April & May: Q2 momentum builds. LinkedIn outreach sees 10% more booked meetings. Time-specific CTAs double conversion rates. Perfect time for firmer CTAs.
- June & July: LinkedIn thrives despite the summer slowdown. Other channels drop 10%. Ads generate leads for <£10 each. Less competition = higher efficiency.
- August: Massive rebound. 143% more LinkedIn leads than in June/July. Consistent summer activity pays off. Cost-per-lead drops 25% on MOF/EOF ads.
- September & October: Lead gen ramps up. Email leads double. 80% of leads book meetings vs. 65% in Q3. LinkedIn remains a top-performing channel.
- November: CEOs check emails more. Email lead rate peaks at 1.2%. LinkedIn MOF leads up 33%. Less competition = more visibility and cheaper results.
- December: Most overlook it—big mistake. Book January calls early. 80% of leads book directly into the calendar. January sales hit 140%+ of the target.
- Final takeaway: There’s no single best month. The real key? Always-on lead generation. Stay visible, relevant, and consistent year-round.
The brands that win are the ones that keep showing up. So, if you want to stay top of mind with your audience, your lead generation shouldn’t stop, and neither should you.
Need Help with LinkedIn Lead Generation? StraightIn Has You Covered
While there’s no perfect month for lead gen, there is a perfect mindset. Consistency.
Whether you’re planning campaigns for the back half of 2024 or already eyeing 2025, the brands that grow are the ones that stay present, stay proactive, and stay top of mind.
At StraightIn, we specialise in helping B2B businesses do just that—through high-performing LinkedIn outreach, strategic ad campaigns, content marketing, and personal branding that connects with the right people at the right time.
We’ve helped thousands of businesses drive pipeline growth, book meetings with decision-makers, and close deals all year round, using the same strategies we use to generate leads for ourselves, and we can do the same for you.
Want to make LinkedIn your most effective lead generation channel? Get in touch with us today. Call 0161 518 4740 or email grow@straight-in.co.uk.
