Start by targeting organizations or individuals who closely resemble your best donors, partners, or customers. If you’re not sure who these are, think about your most impactful projects, partners, or major supporters—who are they, and what do they have in common? Use Leadsforge to create audiences that match these profiles, which helps you scale by finding similar high-value prospects. Here is why: Lookalike targeting lets you focus on those who are most likely to engage or support your mission, amplifying early results and building credibility quickly.

A smart next step is to find people who already follow organizations similar to yours, such as competitor nonprofits or companies in your sector. You only need to provide your competitor's company name and website; Leadsforge will automatically find their follower lists for you. Here is why: These followers are more likely to be interested in what you offer—they may have already shown support to your competitors. To get started, simply share their LinkedIn company page link in Leadsforge and it will find the list for you.

Segment your outreach by industry (nonprofit, tech, etc.), size (SMB, midsize, enterprise), location (US/EU/APAC), and ICP fit. For example: separate those seeking funding/partnerships from B2B buyers so you can personalize your messaging. Here is why: Smart segmentation lets you send relevant, personalized communication that resonates with each group, increasing engagement and reply rates.

If you serve multiple sectors or causes, create dedicated outreach tracks for each (e.g., education, healthcare, tech sector) and test your messaging. Start with the area where you have the most success stories or credibility, then expand. Here is why: Focusing on one or two high-potential verticals helps build early traction and generates proof points you can leverage more broadly.