In the SmartUp methodology, prospecting is more than just a sales activity; it is a rigorous test of market understanding and a data-driven exercise. Founders must be able to produce a concrete list of potential customers and define precise queries to generate that list using tools like LinkedIn or Apollo. Prospecting relies on actionable data, such as direct phone numbers, emails, and company attributes (e.g., employee ratios, tech stack). Stern distinguishes between outbound “brute force” prospecting and inbound approaches enabled by Branding First, where leads raise their hands and the salesperson becomes a deal closer rather than a hunter. Account-Based Marketing (ABM) can serve as a targeted prospecting approach but may carry high personnel costs. For early-stage startups, manual prospecting through small-scale outreach validates the market before building a product. Effective prospecting ensures that sales efforts are focused, relevant, and data-informed.
