Selling directory listings and AI answering services gets much easier when outreach is structured instead of improvised. Jumping straight into cold tactics without testing usually wastes money and attention. A better approach is to validate the offer with people who already know your brand, then scale using form submissions and automation once conversions are proven. In this post, we break down how to combine warm outreach, cold form submissions, and AI call handling into a repeatable system that sells efficiently without overwhelming your team.
Table of Contents
Why start with a lukewarm list first
Cold outreach is cheap, but conversions are often low. When we contact people who already know our brand, conversion goes up. We use our directory and CRM to pull names and emails, clean that list, and send targeted offers first. That gives us a quick win and real data to improve our messaging.
Example: we had about 2,300 contacts from a directory. After merging, deduping, and running email checks, we ended up with around 1,300 clean emails. That smaller, verified list is the place to test headlines, landing pages, and pricing.
Form submission services: what they are and why they work
Form submission services fill out contact forms on other sites for you. They reach business owners through a channel that many ignore: website contact forms. These messages often look more natural than cold email and can be cheaper per lead.
Benefits of using form submissions:
- Lower cost per touch than many cold email systems.
- Different channel that can pick up people who ignore email.
- High volume delivery when you need to scale quickly.
When to use them
Use form submissions after you prove your offer with the lukewarm list. We test subject lines, landing pages, and funnel flow first. Once something converts reliably, we scale with form submissions to amplify results.
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Tools to build scalable workflows
There are two ways to run form submission and follow-up systems: buy a third-party service that already has scale, or build in-house with automation tools.
Lindy and conversational workflows
Lindy lets you design conversational workflows with natural language. You can scrape sites, extract contact forms, and build multi-step submissions that feel human. It is user friendly and avoids heavy technical work.
Alternatives like Make can do similar work but may need more setup. If you want speed and less assembly, a service that already has the pipeline built is often worth the cost.
Third-party form services
Some companies will do form submissions at scale. For example, a provider might charge around $430 for 10,000 contact form submissions. That is cheap if the conversions are there, and it saves us from building and maintaining the infrastructure.
AI answering and appointment setting
We pair form submissions with an AI phone agent to handle calls and set appointments. The AI answers calls, asks qualifying questions, and can book times on a calendar.
Why this matters:
- Every lead gets instant attention. No missed calls when outreach scales up.
- Consistent qualifying. The AI can use a script to gather the same info every time.
- Saves time. Our team only handles truly qualified appointments.
We use AI answering as a core part of a product called Canopy Call Lead Rescue. When someone responds via form or email, the AI sales agent is ready to engage by phone. This raises lead quality and appointment show rates.
Newsletter automation and cost savings
We switched newsletter production to an automated tool to cut costs. Previously, we paid a company about $1,600 a month for two newsletters. Now we use an AI-first newsletter platform for about $129 a month per brand.
Benefits of the new approach:
- Lower monthly cost for the same reach.
- Easier setup and faster edits.
- Built-in contact limits that match our list size.
We hired a freelancer to set everything up. Once the newsletter runs, we can segment and send small promotions to test different offers to parts of the list.
Cleaning and verifying lists
Good outreach starts with clean data. Our process:
- Export contacts from the directory and CRM.
- Merge and dedupe the list.
- Remove obvious bad data.
- Run the list through an email verification service like NeverBounce.
- Segment the verified list for split testing.
We had about 2,300 raw contacts and ended with roughly 1,300 verified contacts. That is the audience we used for the first round of offers.
Launch plan and split testing
We run a small launch to test messaging before spending on large-scale form submissions. Our test plan looks like this:
- Split the clean list into small segments.
- Test different subject lines and landing page headlines.
- Measure conversions: reply rate, call rate, booked appointment rate.
- Iterate on copy and funnel flow based on results.
- Once conversions are solid, scale with form submissions and AI calling.
Testing on a warm audience gives clearer signals. We see what works, then use those winners when we go cold.
In-house vs. outsourced: which to choose
If you want full control and can build automations, make or Lindy can work well. If you want speed and volume without the tech work, a third-party form submission company is easier.
We use both approaches. Start with our list and newsletter tests. Then add form submissions for scale and an AI phone agent to capture calls. Use the right mix to match budget and technical skill.
Action checklist
- Export directory and CRM contacts.
- Merge, dedupe, and clean the list.
- Verify emails with an email verification tool.
- Set up an email platform and small newsletter campaigns.
- Test offers on small segments and track conversions.
- Choose form submission provider or build automation with Lindy or Make.
- Plug an AI answering service into the funnel for calls and booking.
- Scale with form submissions once conversion is proven.
FAQ
Should we use form submissions or cold email first?
Start with your lukewarm list. Test offers and landing pages there. Once you have a high-converting message, add form submissions to scale to cold audiences.
Can we build form submission workflows ourselves?
Yes. Tools like Lindy let you build conversational workflows without heavy coding. Make can also do it but may need more setup. Use a third-party service if you want speed and volume without building infra.
How do we handle phone calls when outreach scales?
Use an AI answering and appointment setting agent. The AI screens calls, asks qualifying questions, and books appointments. That way the team only handles good leads.
How do we know our list is clean enough?
Merge and dedupe contacts, remove bad entries, and run the full list through an email verification tool like NeverBounce. Only use verified contacts for early tests.
How much do form submission services cost?
Prices vary. Some services charge around $430 for 10,000 form submissions. Compare pricing, delivery speeds, and how the provider handles duplicates and retries.
How do we test headlines and landing pages?
Split your clean list into small segments and run different email subject lines or landing pages to each. Track open rates, reply rates, and booked appointments. Keep what converts.
Final note
Mix warm outreach, clean data, targeted tests, and scalable automation. That gives you a repeatable system: prove the offer on people who know you, then scale with form submissions and AI answering to capture and qualify more leads.