The Easiest Way to Build a Sales Prospecting List

There are two main ways to build a prospect list: buying a pre-made one or building your own from scratch. Here's a quick breakdown to help you decide:

Buying a List:

You can buy a pre-made list from buyer intent software and vendors like ZoomInfo, Clearbit, or UpLead. 

• Pros: Fast and easy for short-term campaigns.
• Cons: High upfront cost, potentially lower ROI, risk of outdated/inaccurate data, and lower engagement due to lack of personalization.

Building Your Own List:

This involves identifying potential leads through LinkedIn, G2, marketing campaigns, and other channels. 

• Pros: Ensures data accuracy and quality, allows for better personalization, and provides greater control over compliance.
• Cons: Time-consuming process.

So if you wish to go ahead, and build a sales list of your own, continue reading the article. 

How to Build a High-Quality Prospect List Quickly

Note: Before you begin, ensure that you finalize your ICP and invest in a good CRM.  

Step 1: Find target accounts 

There are numerous ways to find companies that fit your ICP:

• Online Tools: Utilize platforms like LinkedIn Sales Navigator and G2 Buyer Intent Data to filter companies based on specific criteria.
• Social Media: Monitor brand mentions to identify potential customers interested in your solutions.
• Referrals: Leverage your network for recommendations from satisfied customers and industry contacts.
• Networking Events: Attend industry conferences and events to connect with potential clients.
• Industry News: Track industry news for companies experiencing growth or making headlines, as they might have a heightened need for your product or service.
• Storylane Demos: Embed interactive demos on your website (inline with or without CTA, or as a popup) to capture viewer data from high-intent pages. 

Storylane's "Account Reveal" feature automatically enriches this data with company information, providing valuable leads. (See examples from Clari, Humi, and SentinelOne)

Try the interactive demo below to see it in action.

2. Use Lead Database Software to Find Decision-makers 

Once you have a list of target companies, you need to identify the key decision-makers within those organizations. 

Utilize lead database software like Kaspr, Consensus, or Apollo.io to search for contacts based on specific titles, departments, and seniority levels.

Here’s a demo to show you can use Apollo.io to find contact information and build lists. 

As you find relevant decision-makers, you can add them to a dedicated list within Apollo or export the list in a CSV format and import it into your CRM. 

You can also integrate your prospecting tools with your CRM to reduce manual uploading. 

3. Segment Your Lists 

Segmentation allows you to tailor your outreach to resonate with the specific needs and interests of different prospect groups.

Most CRMs provide functionalities for segmentation. Apply filters and tags to categorize prospects based on specific criteria. You can then easily create targeted outreach campaigns or reports for each segment.

Also, integrate your CRM with marketing automation tools to leverage advanced segmentation based on website behavior, content downloads, or email engagement. This can further refine your segments for even more targeted outreach.

But if you’re not using CRM, here are some common ways to segment:

• ICP Fit
• Industry
• Need Level
• Company Size 
• Engagement Level

4. Clean and Validate your Prospecting List

Cleaning your list involves removing duplicate entries, fixing typos in email addresses, and deleting contacts who no longer work at the companies you're targeting. 

Validation involves verifying the accuracy of the remaining information in your list. 

While you can do it manually, it’s advisable to use email verification tools to check for deliverability, confirm job titles and company information on LinkedIn, or contact contacts directly for confirmation (depending on data privacy regulations).

Use your CRM’s data enrichment features to update and verify contact information. These tools often pull data from various sources to keep your lists up-to-date.

What’s Next After Creating a Sales prospect List?

Now it’s time to build a consistent outreach cadence so that you always stay top-of-mind of your prospects. Here are a few things that can really enhance your outreach. 

1. Personalize it 

Instead of a generic "Dear [Name]," greeting, use the information you have about a prospect's company or recent website activity to create a message that speaks directly to their needs and challenges.

2. Go Multi-channel‍

Don't rely on just email! Utilize a multi-channel approach that combines email, social media outreach (LinkedIn is a great platform for B2B sales), and even personalized phone calls (depending on your industry and sales cycle).

This increases your chances of reaching your prospects and getting them to engage.

3. Don't Just Sell, Provide Value!

‍Share informative content like blog posts, white papers, or webinars that address your prospect's pain points and showcase your expertise.

This establishes you as a thought leader and builds trust with potential customers.

For example: Watch this video where Kait Smith (Product Marketing Manager @ Challenger) talks about how to position against competitors that have the same features as you. 

4. Track Your Results

‍Monitor your outreach efforts and analyze the results. See what's working and what's not.

Track metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and response rates to identify areas for improvement.

A/B test different messaging approaches and landing pages to see what resonates best with your audience.

5. Leverage Social Proof

Use testimonials and case studies in your outreach. Showing real-world success stories builds credibility and trust.

These strategies ensure your efforts are focused and effective, turning prospects into loyal customers. But make sure you are stacked up with the right tools, starting with the base yet most needful one, Storylane. 

Trusted by industry-leading brands like Gong, Cognism, and SentinelOne, Storylane adapts to the evolving landscape of outreach. 

Give prospects a glimpse of your offering with interactive demos. Not sure how? Book a free demo and let Storylane help you turn prospects into customers.