Building Your Outbound Campaign: Finding the Right Lead Sources

Diving into the practical side of building an outbound campaign, it's crucial to know where to find leads. As of August 2024, let's explore some top ways to source leads for your outbound campaign.

Apollo.io: A Leading Data Source

Apollo.io stands out as one of the best data sources available. It's a go-to for B2B campaigns, unless you're targeting specific industries Apollo doesn't cover. Creating a list is straightforward: create an account, navigate to the search section, and apply filters like company location, employee count, or even intent signals like job postings and funding details. Once you've compiled your leads, you can export them to a CSV file for easy access.

Ocean.io: The Lookalike Data Source

Ocean.io offers similar features to Apollo but with an enhanced lookalike data function. If you have a few ideal customers, you can use Ocean to find similar companies based on industry, size, and location. It's an excellent tool for expanding your customer base with lookalike leads.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator: The B2B Data King

LinkedIn Sales Navigator is arguably the best source for B2B data. It allows you to filter by geography, industry, and even specific names. However, exporting data from LinkedIn is more challenging, requiring tools like Clay to copy search links and create lead lists.

Store Leads: A Treasure Trove for E-commerce

Store Leads is perfect for sourcing e-commerce leads. It provides detailed information about online stores, including web traffic and revenue. By integrating Store Leads with Clay, you can automate the creation of comprehensive lead tables, complete with data on store apps, location, and more.

Local Leads via Google Maps

If your target audience isn't active on LinkedIn, try sourcing leads from Google Maps through Clay's integration. This method is ideal for local businesses like HVAC companies or vintage stores. You can import Google Maps data into Clay and eventually find contact details for outreach.

Clay: The Aggregator of Lead Sources

Clay isn't a lead source itself but an aggregator that consolidates data from various sources. It allows you to import LinkedIn data about people or companies and offers Chrome extensions for scraping data from websites without native scrape blockers. Whether you're looking for general company data or scraping niche lists, Clay provides a versatile platform for lead generation.

Now that you have a comprehensive understanding of these lead sources, you're ready to move on to the next step in building your outbound campaign.