Building a Lead Pipeline from Scratch

Every Pipeline Starts Empty

Whether you're launching a new business, entering a new market, or starting a sales role, the first challenge is always the same: you have no leads. Building a pipeline from scratch requires a clear plan, consistent effort, and the right tools.

Week 1: Foundation

Before you generate a single lead, set up your infrastructure:

• Define your ideal customer profile: Industry, size, location, budget, and pain points
• Set up a CRM or spreadsheet: You need somewhere to track every lead and interaction
• Create your email domain: Use a separate domain for outreach to protect your main domain's reputation
• Write your initial email templates: Draft 2-3 templates for different segments

Week 2: First Lead Batch

Start filling your pipeline with your first batch of leads:

1. Use Easy Email Finder to pull 50-100 business emails from Google Places in your target market
2. Search two or three industry directories for additional contacts
3. Ask your personal network for three warm introductions
4. Target: 75-150 leads in your pipeline by end of week 2

Week 3: Start Outreach

Begin sending personalized emails to your lead list:

• Send 15-20 emails per day
• Track opens and replies
• Respond to any replies within 2 hours
• Continue adding new leads to replace those who don't respond

Week 4: Optimize and Scale

By now you have data on what's working:

• Which email templates get the most replies?
• Which industries or business types are most responsive?
• What time of day gets the best open rates?

Double down on what works and cut what doesn't. Increase your daily sending volume as your domain warms up.

Pipeline Stages to Track

Organize your leads into these stages:

1. New: Contact info collected but not yet reached out
2. Contacted: First email sent
3. Engaged: They replied or showed interest
4. Qualified: They have budget, need, and authority
5. Proposal: You've sent a quote or proposal
6. Closed: Deal won or lost

The Ongoing Rhythm

A healthy pipeline requires constant feeding. Set aside time each week to add new leads using Easy Email Finder and other sources. The rule of thumb: add at least as many new leads as you close or disqualify each week.

Building a pipeline from scratch takes effort, but once you establish the rhythm, it becomes a predictable engine for growth. The hardest part is getting started, so don't wait for the perfect moment. Start building today.