How Scrape.do Reached $1M ARR with Smart Outbound
When I started at Scrape.do, the company had zero outbound marketing processes in place. We had an amazing technical team and a fantastic founder, but our product wasn't reaching the right audience due to limited marketing spend.
While the product itself was far superior to competitors, the lack of a marketing budget meant we didn't have many customers in the market. We had a strong product, but to make it work, we needed to focus on creating a successful outbound strategy.
The Key to Outbound Marketing: Having a Superior Product
The first thing I realized was that having a better product is crucial for outbound marketing. If your product stands out, people will be more inclined to listen to you. But the next step is understanding the three types of customers you'll target:
People aware of the problem
These people are already aware of their pain points and are open to testing tools that can solve them. They will compare your tool with others and eventually decide. They tend to be quicker to convert.
People unaware of the solution
These potential clients don't even know such tools exist. When you reach out to them, the first step is educating them about the problem and showing them the solution. While they may be intrigued, their buying process tends to take longer.
People using similar tools, but with worse products
This is the hardest group to convert but offers the highest revenue potential. These prospects are already using a similar tool but may not be getting the best results. If you can show them that your product offers better quality or performance, they are likely to switch.
The Outbound Marketing Evolution
In the beginning, our outbound approach was as simple as sending bulk emails and LinkedIn messages. But as time passed, the market became more saturated, and it became harder to get responses. There were restrictions on emails, LinkedIn became crowded, and people started ignoring cold calls.
Today, we leverage a variety of channels to reach prospects, including:
- Slack Communities
- WhatsApp and iMessage
However, simply using these channels is no longer enough. Building a personal brand on LinkedIn and engaging thoughtfully with potential customers is now essential to stand out.
But here's the key: None of these challenges are excuses. You must adapt and push forward.
Choosing the Right Customer Segment
It's critical to choose which type of customer you will focus on because the outreach messaging for each group will be different. The copy needs to be tailored to address their specific needs and understanding.
The First Two Months
When I first started at Scrape.do, the first two months were tough. We only managed to get two calls. However, one of them had a massive potential—$20K per month in revenue. This single opportunity kept us motivated and showed us that our approach could work if we kept refining it.
Over the next 9 months, we refined our approach and achieved remarkable results: $1M ARR through strategic outbound marketing. Our average reply rate reached 2.3%, which translates to roughly 1 lead for every 43-44 people contacted. In just 3 months, we generated 87 qualified leads.
The Technical Implementation:
Our goal was clear: Book meetings within a couple of weeks. To achieve this, we built a comprehensive outbound infrastructure that could scale from day one. Here's how we systematically executed our technical roadmap:
1Week 1: Infrastructure & Data Foundation
We deployed 3 dedicated IP addresses with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication. Our ICP model identified 2,847 target accounts with 15+ technographic signals per account. Lead enrichment achieved 94% data completeness.
2Week 2: Campaign Architecture & Automation
Created 5 multi-touch sequences with A/B testing variants. Mailbox warm-up achieved 98% deliverability rate. Integrated with HubSpot, Salesforce, and Slack for real-time notifications. Set up 3 automated nurture flows.
3Week 3: Execution & Optimization
Deployed 3,783 initial contacts across 5 sequences. Achieved 2.3% reply rate within first week. Implemented real-time lead scoring with 7-point qualification criteria. Set up automated follow-up sequences.
12Week 12: Scale & Results
Achieved $1M ARR milestone. Generated 87 qualified leads with 23% conversion rate to meetings. Scaled to 12,000+ contacts across 15 campaigns. Implemented predictive analytics for lead prioritization.
Crafting the Right Message
Initially, I wrote messages targeting customers from Type 1 (those aware of the problem). The general copy was simple, but the problem in the market was already so visible that many potential customers were already using other tools. Attracting customers who are already using another tool is difficult unless your message clearly shows how your product is superior.
This is where PQD (Price, Quality, and Differentiation) comes into play. It's not just about having a lower price or better features—it's about differentiating yourself in a way that makes your offer irresistible.
What did I do differently?
Instead of focusing too much on the competition or endlessly personalizing, I focused on making the customer understand we were aware of their challenges and we had a better solution. Here's how I structured the approach:
Example Outreach Message for Sales Automation Tool
First Email:
Subject: Improve Your Sales Cycle with [Tool Name]
Hi [First Name],
Are you looking for a way to optimize your sales cycle?
[Tool Name] helps companies automate their sales processes, improving lead generation and boosting conversions at the same time.
Trusted by [Notable Customers/Brands].
Would you like to learn more about how we can help?
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Company]
Follow-Up Email:
Subject: Just Following Up on [Tool Name]
Hi [First Name],
I understand you might be busy or already have a solution in place, but I'm confident that [Tool Name] offers superior quality and services that could greatly benefit your team.
Would you be open to a quick chat to explore how we might help?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Company]
These simple, yet clear messages were effective in engaging prospects. The first email provided value upfront, and the follow-up served as a gentle reminder that we had something better to offer.
Final Thoughts
Outbound marketing isn't easy. It requires consistency, understanding your market, and adapting your message as you learn more about your audience. In our case, focusing on quality, personalization, and differentiation allowed us to create a process that ultimately resulted in $1M ARR in just 9 months.
The numbers speak for themselves: a 2.3% reply rate, 87 leads in 3 months, and 1 lead for every 43-44 people contacted. While the journey was challenging, having a great product, being persistent, and refining our outreach made all the difference.