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Lead Generation

How to find your first clients for Free

You can get started with cold emails for almost nothing. By taking advantage of the trials version of cold email software, we can set up a complete lead generation automated process

Michel Lieben
Michel Lieben
MAR 17 2026
How to find your first clients for Free

It can be difficult to get started with Cold Email. There are many tools among which to choose, and it can quickly get expensive once you add up all the costs.

The good news is that cold email software is a very competitive industry, this means that a lot of tools offer a trial version. We will take advantage of that to get started.

  1. The first step of the lead generation process is to source & filter an audience. To do that, you'll need the LinkedIn Sales Navigator. The good news is that they offer a 30-DAY trial version (cost = $0). [Alternatively, you can use Apollo to skip the first 3 steps of this tutorial.]
  2. Second step will be to extract your lead searches from LinkedIn to some Excel/Google Sheets. You'll need a tool such as Phantombuster to do this at scale. Once again, good news: they offer a 14-DAY trial (cost = $0)
  3. Third step will be to get the email addresses from your leads. BetterContact let you do that and you can find your first 50 email adresses for Free (cost = $0)
  4. Now you want to insert your list of email addresses to a sending tool that will automate your email sending and follow-ups. You can use Smartlead for that. Use LaGrowthMachine if you want to mix in some LinkedIn & Twitter Automaton. They offer a 14-DAY trial (cost = $0)
  5. Finally, you will want to warm up your email address to make sure you don't land in spam. Use Mailreach for that. No free Trial but it will keep you from landing in spam for only $20/month. You can also use Smartlead built-in warm-up feature.

The only additional costs will be to set up a domain and an email address from which to send. This can be done for less than $20.

That's it for now. However, if you wonder how to get clients for digital marketing agency, be sure to contact us. For those who wish to get started with Cold Emails, follow me (Michel Lieben) on LinkedIn. I post every day of the week and share my best tips on how I generate opportunities for myself and my clients.

Michel Lieben
Michel Lieben
Founder, CEO

Michel Lieben is the Founder & CEO of ColdIQ, a B2B sales prospecting agency trusted by 100+ organizations. He’s launched hundreds of outbound campaigns, mastered tools like Clay and Lemlist, and shares sharp, actionable insights on scaling sales with AI, automation, and strategy.

FAQ

Use email verification tools regularly to check deliverability before sending. Avoid purchasing large unverified lists as they often increase bounce rates. Also, maintain a clean email list by removing inactive addresses consistently.

Start by sending a small volume of emails to engaged contacts and gradually increase the number over days. This builds a positive sender reputation and reduces the chance of being marked as spam. Avoid sudden spikes in email activity.

Combining emails with LinkedIn messages or tweets reaches potential clients through various platforms. People respond better when approached in different ways, which boosts chances for engagement. This method keeps you visible without overwhelming one channel.

Filtering narrows down your audience to those who fit your ideal client profile. A focused list reduces wasted effort and increases response rates. It prevents spamming uninterested contacts and saves time by targeting relevant prospects only.

Use scheduling tools to space out emails evenly and automate follow-ups based on recipient behavior. Monitoring open and reply rates helps adjust timing and frequency. Consistent sending maintains sender reputation and improves long-term campaign success.

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