"Build me a list of potential clients" sounds simple, and it is — if someone defines potential properly first. Most disappointing lead lists fail at the brief, not the research. Here is the process I follow so the spreadsheet I hand back is one an owner can use the same day.
Step 1: Agree the target on paper
Industry, location, business size, and the role of the person to reach. Also the columns we will collect — typically business name, contact person, role, website, email or contact page, social profile, and a notes field. Ten minutes here saves hours of wrong rows.
Step 2: Research in passes
First pass gathers candidates from directories, search and social platforms. Second pass visits each business's own website to confirm it is active and matches the target. I would rather deliver 80 correct rows than 300 maybes.
Step 3: Verify the details that matter
- The business still operates (recent posts, current site, working contact route)
- Names and roles spelled as the business itself spells them
- No duplicates — checked against the list and the client's existing CRM
Step 4: Format for use
Consistent columns, no merged cells, sources noted where a detail was hard to find, and a short summary at the top: how many leads, where they came from, and anything I noticed along the way (common competitors, a market pattern). Research should hand back insight, not just rows.
Clean data is a theme in my work — it is the same discipline whether the list ends up in a CRM, a classroom gradebook or a store. If you need research done properly, it is one of my core VA services.