Skip to content
Results
$28M+ Revenue GeneratedFor our clients2,140+ Keywords — Page 1Google rankings$12M+ Ad Spend ManagedAcross channels2.5M+ Signups DrivenUser acquisitions87,200+ Leads GeneratedQualified pipeline
Get proposal

Prospect List Building Services

Get a prospect list you can check row by row.

We'll reply with a written proposal: the work, what we need from you and an estimated timeline.

The hidden problems

Why a big contact list can still be useless to your sales team

Vague rules about who fits, unknown sources, out-of-date job titles, every email marked "valid" whatever the evidence, removing banned contacts too late and risky uploads into your CRM (the system your sales team uses to track contacts) all create a large list that nobody can trust or take responsibility for.

  • Your "ideal customer" is just a few broad filters

    Industry, company size and location are picked without saying what problem you solve for them, why they fit, who buys, who to leave out or how many leads your sales team can actually handle.

  • Nobody knows where a detail came from or when

    You can't tell where a delivered detail was found, when it was seen, or what rules apply to how you may use it and when it should be refreshed.

  • "Maybe" gets labeled "verified"

    Very different results, such as "the email looks correctly written", "the company's email domain works", "the server accepts any address", "it's a shared team inbox", "unknown" and "the sources disagree", are squeezed into one confidence label.

  • People who must not be contacted are removed too late

    Existing customers, open deals, people who said "don't contact me", competitors, excluded types of business and sensitive cases are researched in full before anyone removes them, wasting money and creating risk.

  • Records in your CRM are matched by guesswork

    Matching on email or website address alone merges different people into one, splits one company into several or overwrites better data you already have, with no agreed rule for how matching should work.

  • The list never learns from your sales team

    When sales finds the wrong person, gets a referral to someone else, hears an objection, books a meeting or opens a deal, that information never goes back to improve the sources or how companies are chosen.

Exactly what's included

What our prospect list building service includes

Prospect list building means researching the companies and people your sales team should contact. Before any research starts, we agree with you who belongs on the list, why you need it, which markets and details you need, which sources we may use, who must be left out and what a good row looks like. Softscotch then keeps the source, the date each detail was found, how well it was checked and any "do not contact" status with every row, through a test sample and the final delivery. Just because information is public does not mean you are allowed to collect it or use it to contact people.

Seven areas of work take you from an agreed purpose and clear rules for a good row, through research, checking, removing people who must not be contacted, a test sample, a file ready for your CRM (customer records system), safe delivery and a named person who keeps the list up to date.

Purpose, ideal customer and quality rules

We agree the approved use for the list, the markets, what counts as one company, the target roles, the details needed, why a company fits, the sources, who to leave out, how fresh the data must be, how many contacts, the quality bar and who is responsible for each part.

List of approved sources and details

We record each data supplier, how we access it, its terms or license decision, where each detail comes from, the date it was seen, how confident we are, the cost, when to refresh it and what you are allowed to use it for.

Company, role and contact research

We collect the approved company's legal name, website, proof of what the business does, why it fits, the person's role and contact details. We never invent claims that a company is ready to buy.

Checking contacts and marking doubts

We keep these results separate: the email is correctly written, the company's email domain works, there is evidence the inbox exists, the server accepts any address (a "catch-all"), it's a shared team inbox, the detail is out of date, sources disagree, nothing could be found, or a person confirmed it by hand.

Who to leave out, collecting only what's needed and how long to keep it

We apply your exclusion lists and any "don't contact me" requests early, collect only the details you named and set dates to review, expire and delete data, plus any limits on how it may be used.

Removing duplicates, test sample and delivery

We agree how to tell when two records are the same company or person, how to handle conflicts and which source wins, check a sample that represents the full list, then deliver it through the secure method you approved.

Special cases, feedback and keeping the list updated

We write down unusual cases, rejected rows, corrections, quality feedback from your sales team, what should trigger a refresh and the named person who looks after the data from then on.

A file ready for your CRM

We deliver the list in the columns and format your CRM (customer records system) or sales tool expects, with clear labels for each check result, and can help your team import it so nothing is lost or mixed up on the way in.

Why Softscotch

Every detail we deliver shows where it came from and when

Why each company fits, why each person's role matters, their contact details, how well each one was checked, who was left out and any conflicting information all stay visible for you to check, right through to delivery.

The purpose and details are agreed first

We only start collecting once you have agreed why the list is needed, which data is really necessary and which markets and sources are allowed.

Every detail shows where it came from

The source, the supplier, the date the detail was seen and how confident we are stay with each detail, even when several sources are compared or combined.

"Unknown" is an honest answer

Emails we couldn't confirm, catch-all servers that accept any address, conflicting details and missing information are held back or reviewed, not relabeled as accurate.

People who must not be contacted are protected at every step

Your "don't contact" requests and exclusion lists are applied before we add extra details to any row, and again before the file is exported or loaded into a test area of your CRM.

You approve a sample before the full list

We check typical rows and riskier rows against the quality bar we agreed before doing the full volume of work.

Sales feedback can improve the next list

Feedback such as wrong person, referral, objection or a new deal can improve how we pick companies and sources, without breaking privacy rules or limits on how the data may be used.

Research and data details

The 36 decisions behind a prospect list you can trust

The work covers why you need the list, sources, which details to collect, who fits, how to tell companies and people apart, proof for contact details, marking doubts, who to leave out, removing duplicates, security, quality checks, costs and sales feedback.

Purpose, ideal customer and who decides
Agreed business purposeWrite down exactly why the list is being researched and what it may be used for, instead of assuming you are allowed to contact everyone on it.
Markets and what counts as one companyAgree the countries or regions, types of company, whether we list the legal company or each site, how parent and sister companies are treated and which regions are left out.
Rules for your ideal customerName the business problems you solve, the industry, size, technology they use, proof of how they operate, recent events that make them a good fit, positive reasons and reasons to rule them out.
Who buys, and what to do if no person fitsAgree the target departments, seniority, likely responsibilities, whether shared team inboxes are acceptable and when a company is useful even without a named person.
Required details and the quality barList every company and contact detail you need, its format, where it may come from, how fresh it must be, how confident we must be, what happens if it's blank and the quality level it must meet.
Legal, privacy and sign-off decisionsName who decides the purpose, the legal reason for using the data, how people are told, how long data is kept, sensitive categories, who is excluded, delivery and how the list is used afterwards.
Sources and the history of each detail
List of approved sourcesList each company register, company website, data supplier, database or API, plus how we access it, the decision on its terms of use, what it covers and who is responsible for it.
Where each detail came fromKeep the exact web address, record number or supplier reference and the date it was seen with every detail we collect.
Which source wins when they disagreeAgree which sources may replace others, when conflicting details stay visible and who decides which is right.
How fresh details must beSet how old each detail may be and when it must be rechecked, based on the type of detail, the source, how often people change roles and how you plan to use it.
Company fit and identity
Legal name and trading nameTell apart the registered company, the brand it trades under, its parent company, sister companies, branches and sites, with proof for each.
Website and signs the business is activeConfirm the official website, that it is live, that the company is active in the right market and flag unclear cases or websites shared by several businesses.
Proof of fit and reasons to rule outRecord the real fact that matches a rule for your ideal customer, plus anything that rules the company out or casts doubt on it.
Company structure and who owns the accountMap the part of the company you sell to, its parent company, any matching record already in your CRM and the sales territory responsible, where you have approved this.
Roles and contact details
Proof of role and responsibilityRecord the person's current job title, department, level, the source and why the role matters, without claiming they have buying power we haven't seen proof of.
Making sure the person still works thereKeep proof of employer, dates, location and any conflicts, so people who have left or unclear cases are not quietly accepted.
Collecting contact detailsCollect only the business contact details you named, from approved sources, with the source, the date seen and whether you're allowed to use it.
When there is no right contactAllow a good-fit company with no approved person, a shared team inbox, a route to be referred to the right person, or a clear decision to stop researching.
Checking contacts, leaving people out and keeping data
Is the email written correctly and does the domain work?Keep separate results for whether the email is written correctly, whether the company's email domain is set up to receive mail and whether there is evidence the inbox exists, instead of one "valid" flag.
Inbox, catch-all and shared-inbox resultsKeep these results separate: confirmed, probable, catch-all (the server accepts any address, so we can't confirm this one), shared team inbox, unknown, not available, rejected and conflicting.
Removing people earlyRemove or limit existing customers, open deals, people who objected, "do not contact" records, competitors and excluded types of business before any costly research.
Collect only what's needed, expiry and deletionKeep only the details you need, and give each one a purpose, a review date, a way to delete it, any limits on use and a rule that "do not contact" records are never lost.
Removing duplicates and getting ready for your CRM
How we recognize the same companyAgree which company registration numbers, website, country, CRM record and parent-company rules identify a company, plus how to handle conflicts and when a person should check by hand.
How we recognize the same personAgree how to identify a person using their name, work email, employer, CRM record and job history, without assuming an email address stays with them forever.
Linking people to companies and which details winState how people are linked to companies, and whether new details replace old ones, are added alongside, are left unchanged or need a person to review them.
Test upload and undo planTest how columns match your CRM fields, unique fields, new and updated records, rejected rows, links between people and companies, permissions and how to undo the upload, in a safe test area before any full CRM import.
Sample quality check and secure delivery
Choosing a fair sampleInclude different markets, company types, roles, sources, check results, blank fields, conflicts and riskier cases in the sample we review.
Checking details are correctCompare each sampled detail with its saved source and date, then mark it correct, out of date, wrong, impossible to confirm or unclear.
Pass marks and fixing rulesSet the pass mark for each detail and each row, which errors are serious enough to fail, what must be rechecked, what happens to a rejected batch and how you sign it off.
Secure file delivery and accessUse the approved encrypted or access-controlled method, with the named recipient, permissions, an expiry date, deletion, a checksum (a code that proves the file wasn't changed on the way) and a person in charge of access.
Delivery notesExplain the columns, formats, sources, check results, exclusions applied, sample results, special cases, limits and who owns updates.
Limits, costs and feedback
Data and supplier costsList costs for databases, company registers, API links, adding extra details, email checking, user seats, exports and usage separately.
Research and specialist costsList hand research, translation, technical review, privacy advice, storage and secure file transfer work separately.
Where outreach and sales are separateState clearly that buying-signal data, CRM setup, writing messages, email domains, mailboxes, sending, replies and running sales are separate services.
No promise of full coverage or resultsState clearly that we don't promise to find every company, that data will stay accurate forever, that we'll find personal emails, that you have permission to contact people, or that emails will be delivered, get replies, lead to meetings or bring sales.
Quality feedback and the next updateAgree how feedback about wrong people, referrals, objections and new deals comes back to us, who reviews it and when the list should no longer be used.
Research and checking tools

We only use sources and methods you have approved

Before we use any company register, data supplier, database, API (a secure link between software systems), email checking tool or your CRM, we check it against your purpose, its terms of use, permissions and limits, and your decisions.

What we check

Seven checks, from your ideal customer to safe delivery

Each check records the source, the date the detail was seen, the rule used to decide, any special cases, the quality result and the person responsible.

Check 01 · Purpose, ideal customer and quality rules

Purpose, ideal customer and quality rules

We agree why the list exists and what a good company or contact looks like before we collect anything.

Information being public does not automatically give you permission to collect it, use it or contact people with it.

Purpose startAgree the approved purpose, how the list will be used later, the countries, what counts as one company, the number of contacts and the business decision it supports.
Proof inputGather the problem your ideal customer has, signs of a good fit, who to leave out, target roles, required details, how fresh they must be and how many leads sales can handle.
Rule structureWrite the rules for an acceptable detail and row, including blanks, confidence, source, date, checks and which errors fail a row.
Check go liveConfirm who decides the legal purpose, how people are told, how long data is kept, sensitive categories, exclusions and final sign-off.
Risk controlFlag a vague purpose, personal data you don't need, banned sources, roles with no evidence and no one responsible for how the list is used later.
Decision resultApprove the brief, or pause research until the purpose, details, sources and who decides are settled.
Check 02 · Approved sources and the history of each detail

Approved sources and the history of each detail

We agree where each detail may come from and how its source will stay attached right up to delivery.

Even a public or paid source can have limits on access, license, terms of use, privacy, accuracy and what you may use it for.

Purpose startList the company registers, company websites, data suppliers, databases, API links and your own records we plan to use.
Proof inputReview how we access each source, its terms or license decision, the details and markets it covers, how often it updates, usage limits, costs and restrictions.
Rule structureGive every detail its source, record number, date seen, confidence level, which source wins, expiry date and whether you may use it.
Check go liveTest typical searches, missing records, details that don't match, errors, usage limits and changes in the source.
Risk controlRule out unauthorized scraping (automatically copying data from websites), banned automated tools, unapproved data resellers and any source nobody has formally approved.
Decision resultApprove the list of sources, the costs, the logins, how often data is refreshed and how proof is recorded.
Check 03 · Company fit, roles and contact research

Company fit, roles and contact research

We build clear reasons why each company fits and why each role matters, without inventing buying interest or authority.

A company register entry, a job title or a website visit does not prove a company needs you right now or that a person can make the purchase.

Purpose startConfirm the legal company, the name it trades under, its parent or sister companies, the official website, the market it works in and the relevant site.
Proof inputCollect real facts that show the company fits your ideal customer, and reasons to rule it out, with the source, date and the reading you approved.
Rule structureIdentify current departments and roles, proof of employer, location, other routes to the right person and cases where it's unclear who decides.
Check go liveCollect only the contact details you named, from approved sources, and keep where and when each was found.
Risk controlFlag closed companies, websites shared by several businesses, people who have left, unclear names, missing contacts and sensitive cases.
Decision resultAccept, reject, hold or pass on each record for review, following the rules you signed off.
Check 04 · Checking contacts and marking doubts

Checking contacts and marking doubts

We keep a clear record of what each check can prove and what it can't.

An email that is written correctly, a working domain and a positive reply from the mail server (the technical checks known as syntax, DNS and SMTP) do not prove who owns the inbox, that you have permission to email it, that it will keep accepting mail, that messages will arrive or that anyone will read them.

Purpose startSort results by email format, whether the domain exists, whether it is set up to receive mail, evidence the inbox exists, phone number format and any other agreed checks.
Proof inputRecord the checking tool, method, time, response, confidence, limits and expiry date for every check result.
Rule structureKeep confirmed, probable, catch-all, shared team inbox, unknown, not available, rejected and conflicting results separate.
Check go liveCheck by hand a typical mix of accepted, rejected, unknown, catch-all, out-of-date and contradictory records.
Risk controlSet aside personal addresses with no approval, checking methods that could harm mail servers or your reputation, made-up details and results that claim more than the evidence shows.
Decision resultApprove the rules for when a row is delivered, held back, rejected, refreshed or sent for specialist review.
Check 05 · Who to leave out, what to collect and matching records

Who to leave out, what to collect and matching records

We remove excluded people before adding extra details, and stop duplicates or unsafe changes reaching your CRM.

"Do not contact" records may need to be kept, so that a person's objection isn't forgotten after their other data is deleted.

Purpose startLoad your customers, open deals, objections, "do not contact" records, competitors, excluded types of business and protected accounts.
Proof inputMatch exclusions by company, website, person, email, phone and other approved details before research starts and again before delivery.
Rule structureAgree how companies, people and the links between them are identified, plus rules for parent and sister companies, job changes and shared websites.
Check go liveSet which details win, how conflicts are kept, collecting only what's needed, expiry, deletion, limits on use and keeping "do not contact" records safe.
Risk controlTest duplicates, near matches, former employees, other names people use, conflicting employers and people wrongly removed.
Decision resultApprove the matching and exclusion results, or send unclear records to a named person for review.
Check 06 · Test sample and secure delivery

Test sample and secure delivery

We prove the file format and quality on a small, fixed sample before the full volume of work goes ahead.

A sample that passes supports the decision to go ahead as agreed. It does not prove every other row is correct.

Purpose startPick a sample covering different markets, company types, roles, sources, check results, blank fields, conflicts and riskier cases.
Proof inputCompare every sampled detail with its saved source, date, quality rule and whether you're allowed to use it.
Rule structureWork out the agreed scores for each detail and each row, and list the correct, out-of-date, wrong, unclear, unconfirmable and excluded cases.
Check go liveTest the file format, text encoding, column layout, ID numbers, checksum, secure delivery route, recipients, access expiry and deletion.
Risk controlApply the agreed rules to redo work or stop when serious errors appear or the pass marks are missed.
Decision resultGet your approval of the sample before the full batch goes ahead, and record any special cases.
Check 07 · Approving the full batch and handing it over

Approving the full batch and handing it over

We deliver a list the next person can use for its agreed purpose and within its stated limits.

Approving the list does not give permission to contact the people on it, and it doesn't mean the data will stay accurate in future.

Purpose startRun the contact checks, freshness, duplicate, exclusion, file layout and special-case checks again on the finished batch.
Proof inputCount accepted, rejected, held, not available and excluded records by source, market and check result so the totals add up.
Rule structureProvide a guide to the columns, the list of sources, quality results, special cases, costs, how long to keep the data and notes on how it may be used.
Check go liveHand it over through the approved secure method, without quietly loading it into a live CRM or email sending tool.
Risk controlRecord known gaps in coverage, details about to expire, unresolved conflicts and later activities that are outside our work.
Decision resultGet your final approval and name the person who handles updates, exclusions, feedback, deletion and future refreshes.
Your type of business

Prospect lists built for your market and the way you sell

How we define a target company, which roles and details matter, what counts as proof, who is left out, how fresh details must be, sensitive decisions and the quality bar are all set to fit your real business.

Local

Local services

For local service businesses, a prospect list has to allow for service areas, branches, licenses, owner roles, capacity for urgent jobs and locations to leave out.

FocusRules for location-based accounts, Research into owners and managers, Sample organized by sales territory
MeasureResearch into owners and managers, Sample organized by sales territory, A named person for updates and exclusions
Ecommerce

Online stores and direct-to-consumer brands

For online stores and brands that sell direct to consumers, a prospect list has to allow for brands, retailers, store platforms, product categories, stock, order fulfillment and online retail roles.

FocusRules for online store accounts, Research into online retail roles, Retailer sample
MeasureResearch into online retail roles, Retailer sample, A named person for updates and exclusions
Software

Software companies (SaaS)

For software companies, a prospect list has to allow for company stage, the technology they use, product need, security roles, buying teams and how the company's divisions are structured.

FocusIdeal-customer rules for software, Research into technical roles, Software company sample
MeasureResearch into technical roles, Software company sample, A named person for updates and exclusions
B2B

Business-to-business (B2B) and professional services

For B2B (business-to-business) and professional services firms, a prospect list has to allow for service fit, business model, firm size, offices, partner roles and sales territory.

FocusIdeal-customer rules for businesses, Research into decision-makers, B2B sample
MeasureResearch into decision-makers, B2B sample, A named person for updates and exclusions
Health

Healthcare and wellness

For healthcare and wellness, a prospect list has to allow for the type of provider, locations, professional licenses, sensitive categories, privacy and approved business contacts only.

FocusIdeal-customer rules for providers, Research into approved roles, Tightly controlled sample
MeasureResearch into approved roles, Tightly controlled sample, A named person for updates and exclusions
Regulated

Finance, insurance and legal

For finance, insurance and legal firms, a prospect list has to allow for the country or state, official registration, type of company, banned categories, professional roles and strict sign-off.

FocusIdeal-customer rules for regulated firms, Research into licensed roles, Restricted sample
MeasureResearch into licensed roles, Restricted sample, A named person for updates and exclusions
Education

Education and training

For education and training, a prospect list has to allow for the type of institution, programs, campuses, intake periods, purchasing roles and strict limits on student data.

FocusIdeal-customer rules for institutions, Research into program roles, Education sample
MeasureResearch into program roles, Education sample, A named person for updates and exclusions
Media

Publishers and media

For publishers and media companies, a prospect list has to allow for who owns each publication, how it earns from its audience, content rights, subscriptions, advertising roles and the line between editorial and sales.

FocusIdeal-customer rules for publishers, Research into sales and business roles, Media sample
MeasureResearch into sales and business roles, Media sample, A named person for updates and exclusions
Marketplaces

Marketplaces and directories

For marketplaces and directories, a prospect list has to allow for the type of platform, the seller and buyer sides, categories, regions, the quality of sellers and operations roles.

FocusIdeal-customer rules for marketplaces, Research into buyer-side and seller-side roles, Platform sample
MeasureResearch into buyer-side and seller-side roles, Platform sample, A named person for updates and exclusions
Travel

Travel and hospitality

For travel and hospitality, a prospect list has to allow for individual properties, brands, destinations, busy and quiet seasons, management groups and sales roles.

FocusIdeal-customer rules for hospitality, Research into property roles, Travel sample
MeasureResearch into property roles, Travel sample, A named person for updates and exclusions
Industrial

Industrial and manufacturing

For industrial and manufacturing companies, a prospect list has to allow for legal companies, factories and sites, products, certifications, distributors, engineers and purchasing roles.

FocusIdeal-customer rules for industry, Research into technical roles, Manufacturer sample
MeasureResearch into technical roles, Manufacturer sample, A named person for updates and exclusions
Membership

Memberships and communities

For membership groups and communities, a prospect list has to allow for the type of organization, local chapters, membership model, events, renewals and community roles.

FocusIdeal-customer rules for memberships, Research into community roles, Association sample
MeasureResearch into community roles, Association sample, A named person for updates and exclusions
Clear ownership

Building the list is separate from contacting people and selling

Softscotch is responsible for the data work named in your proposal. Buying-signal data products, CRM setup, writing messages, sending, making sure emails land in inboxes, handling replies and sales follow-up are separate unless they are listed in your proposal.

We deliver

The data work named in your proposal.

  • A brief on purpose, ideal customer and quality rules
  • A list of approved sources and details
  • Company and job role research
  • Collecting only the contact details you named
  • Contact checks, exclusions and a sample quality check
  • Secure delivery of the batch with clear notes
We coordinate

Inputs and work that other people are responsible for.

  • Your privacy and legal advisers
  • Your CRM and data team
  • Database and data link (API) suppliers
  • The person in charge of information security
  • Outreach teams and email delivery specialists
  • Sales managers and sales reps
You keep

Decisions on purpose, rules and how the list is used.

  • Legal purpose and which countries' laws apply
  • How long data is kept, how people are told and who to exclude
  • Decisions on sensitive categories and sources
  • Your outreach rules and how the list may be used
  • Sales team capacity and control of your CRM
  • Final approval of the sample and the full batch
How it fits together

Nine working records that let you check every step

Your team can follow the agreed purpose through each source, company, role, contact detail, check, exclusion, quality review, delivery and the next update.

Prospect List Building

01
Purpose and ideal customer brief

States the use, markets, what counts as one company, fit rules, roles, details needed, who to leave out, how fresh data must be, volume and who is responsible.

02
Sources and details record

Lists each supplier, how we access it, the terms decision, the details it gives, record references, dates, confidence, cost and restrictions.

03
Company fit record

Shows the legal company, website, where it operates, parent or sister companies, facts that prove fit, reasons to rule it out and who owns the account.

04
Role and contact record

Shows the department, job title, proof of employer, source, date seen, other routes to the right person and only the contact details you approved.

05
Contact check results

Keeps results separate: email format, domain, inbox, catch-all, shared team inbox, unknown, not available, rejected and conflicting.

06
Exclusions and data-keeping record

Shows where exclusion lists came from, how they were matched, objections, how the data may be used, review dates and the rules for deletion and keeping "do not contact" records.

07
Matching and CRM plan

Sets how companies, people and the links between them are identified, which details win, how conflicts are handled, how the test upload works and how to undo it.

08
Sample and batch quality report

Shows how the sample was chosen, the scores for each detail and row, serious errors, rework, special cases and approval.

09
Secure handover and update plan

Records the column layout, checksum, recipient, when access ends, known limits, how feedback comes back, when to refresh and the person responsible.

The connected growth engine

Research

Responsible for company and role research from approved sources, where each detail came from, dates, conflicts and the quality of the proof.

Data quality

Responsible for contact check results, removing duplicates, sampling, pass marks, special cases and making sure batch totals add up.

Privacy and compliance

Responsible for purpose, the legal reason for using data, telling people, how long data is kept, people's rights, sensitive uses, platform terms and legal decisions.

CRM operations

Responsible for ID fields, matching columns to CRM fields, which details win, test uploads, permissions, rejected rows and how to undo an upload.

Outreach and sales

Responsible for messages, sending, handling objections, replies, deciding which leads are worth pursuing, meetings, the sales pipeline and quality feedback.

Your team's decisions

Responsible for the ideal customer, exclusions, sources, details needed, sales capacity, who may receive the secure file and final approval.

One connected scope. Prospect List Building is coordinated with the strategy, creative, experience, data and reporting it depends on, so responsibilities and handoffs stay visible in one written plan.

What to expect

How long it takes: from an agreed ideal customer to a checked batch of contacts

The brief that sets out your ideal customer, the details needed, your purpose, sources and who to leave out usually takes 2 to 4 business days. A test sample that represents the full list usually takes 3 to 5 business days after you approve the brief. A finished, accepted batch usually takes 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the regions, details needed, number of contacts, source limits, checking, quality review and how quickly your team reviews it.

Prospect list building: your first delivery cycle

Days 1 to 2

Purpose and access check

Confirm how the list will be used, which countries' rules apply, who handles privacy, which exclusion lists you have, access to sources, secure delivery and what happens after delivery that is outside our work.

KPI Decision-makers confirmed
Days 2 to 4

Ideal customer and quality brief

Approve what counts as one company, why companies fit, roles, details needed, sources, exclusions, how fresh data must be, volume, check results and the quality bar.

KPI Brief approved
Usually days 3 to 5

Test sample

Research and check a small, fixed mix of rows that represents the full list, with source history, doubts, exclusions, conflicts and the delivery format.

KPI Sample delivered
After sample review

Approval and fixes

Review the sample, fix any problems with details or matching, approve the source and quality rules and redo any work that needs it.

KPI Sample accepted
Usually weeks 1 to 3

Building the full batch

Complete the agreed work in stages, with research, contact checks, duplicate checks, exclusion checks and special-case checks along the way.

KPI Batch ready
After final QA

Secure delivery and handover

Deliver the agreed column layout, the data, the source record, quality results, known limits, notes on how long to keep it and who owns updates, through the approved secure method.

KPI Batch accepted

Our full growth plan (all services together), month by month

Month 1

Setup and first launch

Agree priorities, fix the biggest problems and launch the first approved work once we have access, content, budget and your sign-off.

KPI First work live
Month 2

Build and improve

Use the first report to improve the live work and build the next agreed materials, campaigns, pages or follow-up steps.

KPI Improvements live
Month 3

Do more of what works

Do more of the messages, audiences, pages or channels that the results show are working, while keeping budgets and quality checks within the limits we agreed.

KPI What works, expanded
Month 4

Strengthen results

Fix weak handovers between teams, gaps in tracking and anything slowing delivery, then test the next priorities against measures that matter to your business, such as lead quality and sales.

KPI Blockers removed
Month 5

Turn more visitors into customers

Improve the offer, message, page and follow-up steps wherever the results show people getting stuck or leads that aren't a good fit.

KPI Improvements to win more customers live
Month 6

Plan the next round

Review what changed, what the results really show, what should stop and which work deserves budget and attention in the next period.

KPI Next round agreed
How we compare

A list you can check, not just a big number of exported contacts

We keep the reason each company fits, the sources, the dates, any doubts, who was left out, how we matched people and companies and any special cases, instead of marking every row as "valid".

The risk of using a different agency for everything
  • Starts with how many contacts you want
  • Treats broad filters as proof of fit
  • Hides sources once extra details are added
  • Treats public data as data you may freely use
  • Calls every possible email "verified"
  • Removes excluded people after the list is built
  • Treats an email address as a person's permanent ID
  • Uploads straight into your live CRM
  • Reports only how many fields are filled in
  • Promises replies or meetings
vs
Softscotch
  • Starts with your purpose and quality rules
  • Gives a reason for every company that fits
  • Keeps the source and date for every detail
  • Uses only approved sources and uses
  • Keeps "catch-all" and "unknown" results visible
  • Removes excluded people before and after research
  • Sets clear rules to match people and companies
  • Tests the CRM upload in a safe area first
  • Checks accuracy on a sample and notes special cases
  • Keeps outreach and sales as separate services
The numbers

Results from Softscotch client work.

These totals come from work for Softscotch clients across search, paid ads, websites and lead generation, as published on softscotch.com. Past results don't guarantee future results.

$12M+Ad spend managed for clients
87,200+Leads generated for clients
2,140+Search terms ranked on Google's first page
$28M+Revenue generated for clients
Client case studies

All six Softscotch client stories.

Every Quick Story currently published on Softscotch.com, covering education, ecommerce, healthcare and SaaS. Stock photography represents each client industry; the figures are reported historical results and do not guarantee future performance.

Education consultant speaking with a prospective student Education Ads + local SEO
+183%leads

183% more leads for an education consultancy

WordPressQuora adsLocal SEO
The challenge

An education consulting business in India needed to build its digital presence and lead flow from scratch.

What changed
  • Built a new WordPress website
  • Used Quora ads to grow daily lead volume
  • Added Local SEO and community engagement
+183% leads25+ leads/day-38% bounce rate+273% new users
Bright modern home interior representing the home-solutions client Home solutions Shopify + SEO
+82%Shopify sales

Home-solutions ecommerce growth

ShopifyOrganic searchAmazon ads
The challenge

A home-solutions business was dependent on business-to-business (B2B) marketplaces, losing sales and recovering from a Google penalty.

What changed
  • Resolved the Google penalty
  • Revamped the website and online store
  • Improved organic visibility and Amazon campaign performance
+82% Shopify sales+147% organic+23% Amazon ROAS
Mother and baby representing the lactation-consultant client Health consultant $20/day
5/daybooked calls

Five booked calls a day for a health consultant

Facebook adsGoogle AdsLocal SEO
The challenge

A Houston lactation consultant needed to recover a malware-damaged website and rebuild local patient acquisition.

What changed
  • Rebuilt the hacked site and migrated it to secure hosting
  • Ran targeted Facebook and Google campaigns
  • Reached top-three local Google positions
5 calls/day$20 daily spend+87% local traffic+34% new users
Ecommerce owner preparing customer orders beside a laptop Ecommerce 10 months
+315%organic traffic

315% organic growth for an ecommerce site

Content strategyOn-page SEO
The result

Softscotch reports a 315% increase in ecommerce organic traffic over 10 months through focused on-page SEO.

What changed
  • Optimized product and collection pages
  • Improved the links between pages and the page addresses (URLs)
  • Made the site easier for Google to explore and better matched to what people search for
+315% organic10 monthsProductsCollections
SaaS team reviewing campaign data around a laptop SaaS platform Cold outreach
16%reply rate

9% close rate for a transcription SaaS

ProspectingSMTP
The challenge

A transcription platform needed a qualified prospect list and a reliable email-sending setup for outreach we managed.

What changed
  • Built a comprehensive prospecting list
  • Managed the cold outreach campaigns
  • Set up reliable email-sending servers (SMTP)
9% close rate16% reply rateSaaSManaged outreach
Healthcare professional consulting with a patient Healthcare 6 months
+182%organic traffic

182% organic growth for a healthcare clinic

HealthcareOn-page SEOOff-page SEO
The challenge

A clinic in a competitive location needed to build organic search visibility from the ground up.

What changed
  • Built the clinic's foundation for unpaid (organic) Google search
  • Combined on-page and off-page SEO
  • Reached top-five positions in Google Search
+182% organic6 monthsTop 5 Google
01 / 06
In their words

Teams that stopped leaving clicks on the table.

★★★★★

"The Softscotch team has been a solid partner as our business evolved over the last five years. Unlike most agencies, they have never charged us for work that falls outside the agreement. That is what sets them apart."

IM
Imtiyaz MominHairareus
★★★★★

"Without their knowledge, we would be in a very different place than we are now. Whenever they find something that can be improved, they implement it quickly. I could not be happier with their performance and response time."

AP
Aaron PaulsonBaby Pavilion
★★★★★

"Softscotch goes above and beyond the scope. The time, effort and dedication they put in is like having your own in-house marketing team. They are not just another marketing company."

TM
Tabassum MithaniTRS Care
★★★★★

"We are extremely happy with Softscotch, such an attentive team. No project is too small, and they give their 100%. We are extremely satisfied with their work."

SH
Safiya HafiziSimply Lactation
★★★★★

"Softscotch is a great team to work with: transparent, reliable and genuinely invested in the growth of your company. They are good partners to have by your side."

MJ
Malvika JainCyclop
★★★★★

"The Softscotch team has been a solid partner as our business evolved over the last five years. Unlike most agencies, they have never charged us for work that falls outside the agreement. That is what sets them apart."

IM
Imtiyaz MominHairareus
★★★★★

"Without their knowledge, we would be in a very different place than we are now. Whenever they find something that can be improved, they implement it quickly. I could not be happier with their performance and response time."

AP
Aaron PaulsonBaby Pavilion
★★★★★

"Softscotch goes above and beyond the scope. The time, effort and dedication they put in is like having your own in-house marketing team. They are not just another marketing company."

TM
Tabassum MithaniTRS Care
★★★★★

"We are extremely happy with Softscotch, such an attentive team. No project is too small, and they give their 100%. We are extremely satisfied with their work."

SH
Safiya HafiziSimply Lactation
No black box

You'll always know exactly what we changed.

Plenty of agencies go quiet after the audit and you never quite know what you're paying for. We do the opposite. You get a live view of every change and what it moved, in plain language you can act on.

Your delivery, at a glanceSample
Changes shipped12
Pages reviewed28
StartMidpointNow
Delivery activity✓ Up to date
HTML mockupExplore mockup ↗

Live client dashboard

Every change, score and ranking in one place you can open any time, not a monthly PDF you wait around for.

This week, explainedSample
✓Titles updated
Ready for your review
SSSoftscotch weekly update
0:00
2:00
HTML mockupExplore mockup ↗

Weekly video summary

A short screen-recorded video (Loom) each week walking you through exactly what shipped and what it moved, so nothing is a mystery.

The change is clearSample

Before

Titles30 / 100
Structure42 / 100
Content28 / 100

After

Titles84 / 100
Structure79 / 100
Content90 / 100
Same page. Reviewed changes.
HTML mockupExplore mockup ↗

Before/after score per page

See the exact lift on every page we touch, not a vague "it's improving" you have to take on faith.

Your weekly reportSample
01
What shipped

Approved page updates are live.

02
What we learned

Product details need a review.

03
What happens next

Confirm the next priority pages.

HTML mockupExplore mockup ↗

Plain-English reporting

Clicks, rankings and revenue, explained in words you can act on, instead of a wall of charts about how often you were seen (impression charts.

Your data. Your view.Sample
Organic search
StartMidpointNow
Sample report preview↗
HTML mockupExplore mockup ↗

Reports on demand

Ask for any cut of the data whenever you need it and get it, no waiting for the end of the month.

Every step, visibleSample
  1. ✓
    Proposed

    Softscotch prepares the change.

  2. ✓
    Approved

    Your team gives the go-ahead.

  3. ✓
    Published

    Checked live and recorded.

HTML mockupExplore mockup ↗

Ethical, transparent, always on

One accountable team, strictly white-hat (only methods search engines and platforms allow), no shortcuts and no surprises. Support whenever you need it.

One plan, full-stack access

One Softscotch plan gives you access to the full service stack, coordinated around your priorities.

You do not need a separate agency or retainer for every channel. Your plan can draw from search, paid media, web, ecommerce, outreach, automation, lead generation, messaging, content, creative and operations. The agreed scope sets what is active, in what order and at what capacity.

Pricing approach

One price for everything, not a stack of separate retainers.

You get one price for your whole marketing, not a separate retainer for every service. SEO, paid ads, your website, automations, cold email and newsletters, we run all of it as a single scope, so you get the most result for what you pay. Agencies sell each of these on its own, so the invoice climbs whether or not that line drives a single lead.

Bought separately, service by service

A different agency or retainer for each service. The bill stacks up fast, and keeps climbing whether or not each one moves a single lead.

SEO (technical, on-page, content)$2,000–3,500/mo
Local SEO+$750–1,500/mo
Programmatic SEO+$1,000–2,500/mo
CRO & landing pages+$2,000–3,500/mo
Paid ads (Google & Meta)+$2,500–4,000/mo
Marketing automations+$1,500–3,000/mo
Cold email outreach+$1,500–2,500/mo
Email marketing & newsletters+$750–1,500/mo
Website management & care+$750–1,500/mo
WordPress build & setup+$2,500–6,000 once
10 separate services$12,750–23,500/mo

Plus the one-off build, and a fresh contract, kickoff and onboarding delay for every new service you add.

All of it, one scope

We run your whole marketing as one engagement, so you get the most result for what you pay, not a pile of disconnected invoices.

  • SEO: technical, on-page, content, local and AI search
  • Template-built pages (programmatic SEO), links from other websites (backlinks) and authority
  • CRO and landing pages
  • Paid ads across Google and Meta
  • Automations, cold email and newsletters
  • WordPress build, setup and ongoing care
  • One team, one roadmap and one point of contact
  • Reporting tied to qualified leads and revenue
Everything above. One flat monthly fee.A fraction of the cost of the stack on the left
Plus free access to our own platforms
Post InstantlyVerified WidgetsTrending FunnelsBrands for CreatorsDarnItSEOGoHighLevel

Priced to your site after the audit. No sticker price, and no per-service creep.

What shapes your quote
Site sizePage count, templates and how much of the site actually needs work.
Market competitionHow hard the terms you want to win are, and who you are up against.
Content needsHow much new writing, rewriting and production the plan calls for.
Build complexityYour website platform (CMS, the system you edit your site in), your other tools and how involved the changes are to make.
Final pricing comes after the audit, once we have seen the four things above on your actual site. You get a written scope and a fixed quote before any work begins: no lock-in, no surprise line items, and no upfront number that ignores your market.
Request a custom scope
Questions, answered

Prospect list building FAQs

These answers cover why you need the list, sources, which details we collect, personal data, how contacts are checked, who is left out, costs, timing, delivery and what results we can and can't promise.

Filter
What is included in Softscotch prospect list building?

Your proposal can include defining your purpose and ideal customer profile (ICP: a description of the companies and people who fit you best), research from approved sources, proof of company fit and job roles, the contact details you name, where each detail came from, contact check results, removing people who must not be contacted, removing duplicates, a sample quality check, a file set up for your CRM, secure delivery and instructions for keeping the list up to date. It names the markets, the number of contacts and the details included.

Why do we have to agree how the list will be used first?

Your purpose decides which data you really need, which sources and countries' rules need checking, how long details stay useful, who must be left out and which later activities, like contacting people, need separate decisions from your team.

How do you decide whether a company fits?

We follow the rules you signed off for who fits and who doesn't, and keep the real business facts that support each company we accept. We don't guess that a company is ready to buy just because it matches a broad filter or appears in a company register.

Which data sources will you use?

Only the company registers, company websites, data suppliers, databases, API links and your own records approved in your proposal. The list of sources shows how we access each one, the details it gives, dates, the terms or license decision, limits, costs and what you may use it for.

Can publicly available data always be collected and used?

No. Information being public does not automatically mean you can use it. Privacy laws, website terms, your purpose, what people would reasonably expect, how they are told, any objections and the country involved all still need decisions from your team and your legal advisers based on the facts.

Will you scrape LinkedIn profiles?

No. We don't include unauthorized scraping (automatically copying data from websites) or automated access. LinkedIn's User Agreement bans scraping, bots and other automated tools that copy data from its site. Any source we use must have a written, approved way to access it and a clear rule on how the data may be used.

Can you provide personal email addresses?

Only if that detail is clearly approved for your purpose and the source allows it, and never as a promised part of the delivery. We don't promise to find personal addresses, or that they belong to the right person, that you have permission to use them, that emails will arrive or that they will stay accurate.

What does a "verified" email mean?

Your proposal explains each check and each result. An email that is written correctly, a domain set up to receive mail or a positive reply from the mail server (an SMTP check) cannot guarantee who owns the inbox, that you have permission, that it will keep accepting mail, that your message will arrive or that a person will read it.

How are catch-all or unknown results handled?

A catch-all server accepts mail for any address, so a specific inbox can't be confirmed. These results stay marked as catch-all, unknown, not available or held, following the rules you approved. We never quietly relabel them "valid" to make the delivered count look bigger.

When do you remove people who must not be contacted?

Before we add any extra details, and again before the file is exported or loaded into a test area. You give us your customers, open deals, objections, "do not contact" records, competitors, excluded types of business and any other approved exclusion lists.

How do you prevent duplicate people and companies?

Before the full batch or any test upload to your CRM, we agree how to identify companies, people and the links between them, rules for parent and sister companies, what happens when people change jobs, which source wins and which cases a person checks by hand.

Is uploading the list into our CRM included?

Only if it's listed in your proposal. The standard delivery can give you a file laid out ready to import, but matching columns to your live CRM, creating and updating records, linking people to companies, permissions and an undo plan are tested and approved separately.

Does the service include cold email or calling?

No, unless it's quoted separately. Writing messages, email domains, mailboxes, making sure emails reach inboxes, sending, handling opt-outs, replies, calls, deciding which leads are worth pursuing and follow-up are all separate services.

How is the list delivered?

Your proposal names the approved encrypted or access-controlled delivery method, who may open it, when access ends, how it is deleted, the checksum (a code that proves the file wasn't changed), the file's column layout and the person responsible for the handover.

What outside costs may apply?

Costs for databases, company registers, API links, adding extra details, email checking, user seats, exports, translation, privacy or technical review, storage and secure file transfer are separate unless they are listed in your proposal.

Can you guarantee complete coverage, replies or meetings?

No. Softscotch is responsible for the agreed research, contact checks, exclusions, quality checks and handover. What data exists, permissions, how accurate it stays over time, your messages, whether emails reach inboxes, how your sales team follows up and how the market responds all affect the results.

How long does it take to build a prospect list?

The brief usually takes 2 to 4 business days, a test sample 3 to 5 business days after you approve the brief, and a finished, accepted batch 1 to 3 weeks. Timing depends on the markets, details needed, number of contacts, source limits, contact checks, quality review and how quickly your team reviews.

How is prospect list building priced?

Pricing depends on the markets, the number of companies and contacts, the details needed, sources, how fresh data must be, how much research is done by hand, contact checks, exclusions, removing duplicates, the sample quality check, secure delivery, API links, tools and any specialist review. Your proposal states what is and isn't included up front.

Related services and industries