In the world of B2B outbound lead generation, there’s one step that often gets overlooked or worse, underestimated: Research Process. Not just any research, but the kind that’s strategic, tailored, and exhaustive. At Expand in Asia, working closely with companies looking to grow across markets, we’ve observed that identifying the right companies and contacts is often seen as a straightforward, tool-based task. In reality, it’s far more complex and requires a thoughtful, manual approach.
Rethinking the Research Process
It’s easy to assume that sales tools alone can generate a strong list of prospects ready for outreach. Tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Apollo, or ZoomInfo have definitely made things more efficient, but they might not fully replace the thoughtful judgment and manual work often required to build a truly strategic and personalized approach.
Automated tools can bring up a lot of useful data for sure, but that information usually still needs to be checked, prioritized, and put into the right context. Without this extra layer of human insight, outreach can sometimes feel too generic or miss the mark entirely.
What Real Research Looks Like
Effective outbound campaigns start with carefully crafted targeting. This means:
- Identifying the right companies (based on industry, size, funding stage, tech stack, market presence, etc.)
- Finding the right contacts (with decision-making power or strong influence)
- Understanding how to engage (knowing what messaging will resonate, based on their role, business priorities, or recent developments)
This type of research takes time. It often involves reviewing company websites, reading interviews or articles, scanning job descriptions, exploring product offerings, and yes cross-referencing multiple data sources to validate contact information. It’s not fast, but it’s worth it.
Why It Matters
Quality research is what separates a cold email that gets ignored from one that earns a reply. It shows your audience that you’ve done your homework, that you’re not just another seller, but a potential partner who understands their space and can add value.
When this step is skipped or rushed, your entire sales pipeline suffers. You might still get leads, but they won’t be qualified, relevant, or likely to convert. You’ll waste time chasing the wrong conversations.
Building It Into the Process
At Expand in Asia, we treat research as a strategic investment, not an afterthought. It’s the foundation of everything that comes next—from messaging to outreach to conversion. We believe that the extra time spent here saves exponentially more time (and frustration) down the line.
For business leaders evaluating B2B outbound strategies, I encourage you to look beyond just tools and automation. Ask about the research process. Understand how your target audience is selected. And most importantly, don’t undervalue the work that goes into getting it right.
Because in outbound, success doesn’t start with sending an email, it starts with knowing who should receive it.
Want to chat more about how we do it at Expand in Asia, or just swap outbound tips? Always happy to connect.