List of Places to Generate Leads for Your Startup

When building a startup, getting your product or service in front of the right people is half the battle. But let’s be honest — generating high-quality leads consistently is one of the toughest challenges early-stage teams face.

For most sales and marketing teams, lead generation is not just a task, it’s a daily grind. You can’t rely on just volume anymore. You need quality — leads that convert, conversations that count, and opportunities that are actually worth pursuing.

At Lynkread, we’ve seen firsthand how inefficient traditional methods can be. You can burn hours sifting through spreadsheets, scraping data, or chasing the wrong leads. It’s exhausting, and often a waste of precious time — especially when you’re trying to scale fast.

That’s why we built our outbound strategy around LinkedIn — a goldmine for B2B lead generation when done right.

Why LinkedIn Works for Outbound

LinkedIn isn’t just another social platform. It’s where decision-makers live, where professionals talk business, and where startups can make real traction.

Here’s why LinkedIn outbound marketing is a winning strategy for startups like yours:

• Access to Decision Makers: You’re reaching founders, CXOs, VPs, and managers — directly.
• Real-time Engagement: Unlike email, LinkedIn messaging creates faster responses and better open rates.
• Contextual Targeting: You can personalize outreach based on job roles, industries, company size, and more.
• Trust Factor: People trust LinkedIn profiles more than cold emails from unknown addresses.

Building a Reliable Lead Source with LinkedIn + B2B Data Providers

To make LinkedIn outbound work at scale, you need reliable data. That’s where third-party B2B lead generation platforms come into play. Instead of scraping or manually collecting leads, these tools offer verified contact data that you can plug into your LinkedIn workflow.

At Lynkread, we tested over a dozen tools and shortlisted the ones that actually delivered results. These tools helped us build clean, verified, and high-converting lead lists — fast.

Here’s a quick comparison of the top platforms we’ve worked with to power our outbound on LinkedIn:

How We Use These Platforms at Lynkread

Here’s how our outbound team uses these tools effectively in our lead gen engine:

1. Define the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

• Industry: SaaS, B2B Tech, Agencies
• Job Titles: Founders, Heads of Growth, Demand Gen, Marketing Managers
• Company Size: 11–500 employees
• Regions: US, Canada, UK, Australia

2. Pull Data from the Right Tools

• For raw volume and variety: Saleshandy and Apollo.io work best
• For direct dials and verified emails: Lusha and ZoomInfo help a lot
• For cleaner enrichment: Cognism integrates well with CRMs and workflows

3. Upload to LinkedIn Campaign Tools

We use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to segment lists and run connection requests. Tools like Phantombuster or Waalaxy automate messaging while keeping it personal.

4. Nurture with a Value-First Approach

We avoid pitch-first messages. Instead, we lead with relevant insights, personalized lines, and short, non-pushy copy. That makes a big difference in reply rates.

Best Practices for LinkedIn Outbound

• Keep connection messages short: 300 characters or less
• Avoid selling in the first message
• Always personalize using role or industry info
• Send follow-ups 3–4 days apart, max of 3 touches
• Use clear CTAs: Example: “Open to a quick chat next week?”

Final Thoughts

For startups looking to scale efficiently, LinkedIn outbound isn’t just a growth hack — it’s a reliable, repeatable channel when paired with the right tools.

At Lynkread, outbound is a core part of our GTM strategy, and it’s helped us generate conversations with high-intent buyers across the globe. Whether you’re early-stage or ready to expand your sales team, investing in verified data and using LinkedIn strategically will save you time and give you better results.

If you’re still relying on outdated spreadsheets or random scraping tools, it’s time to upgrade.

The platforms listed above are not just lead providers — they’re growth partners. Use them smartly, build a workflow that fits your ICP, and focus your energy on closing deals.

Your next 100 clients might just be a few messages away.