Start your outbound efforts by targeting companies that closely match your ideal clients. For a young marketing agency, this means focusing on businesses that have already seen success with your service offering or working with similar agencies. With Leadsforge, you can easily find decision-makers at brands that resemble your top customers or companies you aspire to serve. For example, if your goal is to land more e-commerce stores or SMB SaaS clients, Leadsforge can pinpoint those who already invest in marketing and are in growth mode. Here’s why: Going after lookalike accounts gets you quicker wins and helps you understand what kind of pitches resonate best. Leadsforge streamlines this by building lists of founders or heads of marketing at relevant companies poised for outbound engagement.

It’s smart to reach out to people who already follow or interact with industry competitors. Leadsforge can help you find followers or employees from competing or similar marketing agencies—even if your own social presence is limited—for a targeted outreach list. Just provide the company name and website of a competitor or relevant agency, and Leadsforge will uncover the right contacts in moments. Here’s what to do: Share their LinkedIn company page link in Leadsforge and it will find it for you.

For smart outbound, split your prospects into groups like e-commerce brands (50–500 employees), SMB SaaS companies (10–200 employees), and local or professional services. Match these with the right decision-makers—heads of marketing, founders, or owners. Enrich your lists with signals like recent funding or use of key marketing tools to prioritize leads. This approach helps personalize your message and boosts response rates.

Choose verticals that match your agency’s goals and experience. For example, target e-commerce brands, SaaS startups, and local services separately, with a tailored message for each. This lets you show unique value to each vertical and track what’s working best. As you grow, you can layer in other markets or test new tailored offers for each slice. Here’s why: Personalization by industry or business type shows you understand your prospect’s unique challenges, making them more likely to reply.