Sourcing new prospects

Tools & Technology
Written By David Bush

One of the biggest challenges in business development today isn’t sending messages, it’s consistently sourcing the right prospects and getting them into a system that actually drives conversations.

Most platforms limit you to one data source or force you into clunky imports, manual cleanup, and disconnected workflows. BDR.ai was built differently.

BDR.ai gives you seven powerful ways to source prospects all designed to meet you where you already work and automatically add them into live campaign sequences for structured, value-driven outreach.

With BDR.ai, you can source prospects from:

  1. LinkedIn Basic Search & Sales Navigator searches

  2. Premium data searches and advanced filtered lists

  3. BDR.ai’s internal prospect database of 270+ million records

  4. LinkedIn Events

  5. LinkedIn Groups

  6. LinkedIn post engagement (likes and comments)

  7. CSV uploads from your existing lead lists

Below is a complete breakdown of every way BDR.ai can source prospects for you 👇

1. LinkedIn Search Filters (Basic LinkedIn + Sales Navigator)

LinkedIn remains one of the most powerful places to identify decision-makers—if you know how to filter properly. BDR.ai lets you turn any LinkedIn search into a live prospect source.

Using Basic LinkedIn Search

You can pull prospects from standard LinkedIn searches using filters like:

  • People

  • Location

  • Current Company

  • Industry

  • Job Title

How it works:

  1. Perform your search directly on LinkedIn

  2. Copy the full search URL from your browser

  3. Log into BDR.ai and open your campaign

  4. Click Add Lead Source → LinkedIn Search

  5. Paste the URL and save

BDR.ai automatically:

  • Navigates through the search result pages

  • Extracts matching profiles

  • Adds them directly into your campaign queue

Using LinkedIn Sales Navigator

For advanced targeting, Sales Navigator searches work the same way—just with deeper filters.

How it works:

  1. Build a Lead search in Sales Navigator using advanced filters

  2. Copy the Sales Navigator search URL

  3. Open your campaign in BDR.ai

  4. Select Add Lead Source → Sales Navigator Search

  5. Paste and save

📌 Important: BDR.ai processes these links automatically—no CSVs, no scraping tools, no manual imports.

2. Premium Data Searches & Lists (Advanced Segmentation) * Extra fee may apply. Contact us for details.

Sometimes LinkedIn isn’t enough. BDR.ai also gives you access to premium data sources with enterprise-level filtering so you can go far beyond surface-level targeting.

Primary Segmentation Types Available

Demographic Data (Who they are)

  • Job title

  • Education

  • Income ranges

  • Seniority level

Firmographic Data (Company profile)

  • Industry

  • Company size

  • Revenue

  • Employee count

  • Ownership structure

  • Growth rate

Technographic Data (What they use)

  • Software platforms

  • CRM usage

  • Marketing tools

  • IT infrastructure

  • Technology adoption stage

Psychographic Data (Why they buy)

  • Values

  • Interests

  • Motivations

  • Attitudes

  • Buying mindset

Behavioral Data (What they do)

  • Website activity

  • Content engagement

  • Purchase behavior

  • Email interaction history

Geographic Data (Where they are)

  • Country

  • State

  • City

  • Metro area

  • Urban vs. rural

Chronographic / Event Data (When they change)

  • Hiring spikes

  • Funding rounds

  • Leadership changes

  • IPOs

  • Expansion signals

Specialized & Niche Filters

BDR.ai also supports highly specific segmentation, including:

  • Intent data (signals based on online behavior)

  • Needs-based segmentation (problems they’re actively trying to solve)

  • Value-based segmentation (CLV, profitability)

  • Sales/account filters (persona, CRM stage, signals)

  • Business specifics (women-owned, home-based, import/export, foreign-owned, and more)

All of these lists can be directly attached to campaigns—no extra steps required.

3. BDR.ai Internal Database (270+ Million Records)

BDR.ai maintains a massive internal database with over 270 million records, giving you another powerful sourcing option without relying on external tools.

How to Add Prospects Using BDR.ai Search

  1. Log into your dashboard

  2. Click Search or Prospects

  3. Apply filters such as:

    • Job title

    • Industry

    • Company size

    • Location

    • Keywords

  4. Review matching profiles

  5. Select individual contacts or choose Select All

  6. Click Add to Campaign

  7. Choose your campaign and confirm

Those prospects are immediately placed into your campaign queue and ready for outreach.

4. LinkedIn Events (Highly Engaged Audiences)

LinkedIn Events are gold mines for warm, topic-aligned prospects—and BDR.ai makes them easy to leverage.

Adding Prospects from a LinkedIn Event

  1. Copy the LinkedIn Event URL

  2. Open your campaign in BDR.ai

  3. Click Add Lead Source → LinkedIn Event

  4. Paste the link and save

BDR.ai will automatically:

  • Identify attendees

  • Import them into your campaign

  • Begin processing outreach sequences

📌 Bonus Tip:
If you RSVP to an event, you can also:

  • Open the attendee list

  • Copy that attendee URL

  • Paste it into the LinkedIn Search lead source inside BDR.ai

5. LinkedIn Groups (Community-Based Targeting)

Groups allow you to tap into pre-qualified communities built around industries, roles, or shared interests.

How to Source from LinkedIn Groups

  1. Navigate to the LinkedIn Group

  2. Copy the group URL

  3. Open your campaign in BDR.ai

  4. Select Add Lead Source → LinkedIn Group

  5. Paste the link and save

BDR.ai will identify group members and add them to your campaign.

📌 Note: You typically need to be a member of the group for LinkedIn to expose the member list.

6. LinkedIn Post Engagement (People Already Raising Their Hand)

Want to reach people who are already active and engaged? Target users who liked or commented on a post.

How to Add Prospects from a LinkedIn Post

  1. Find the LinkedIn post

  2. Click the three dots (…) → Copy link to post

  3. Open your campaign in BDR.ai

  4. Select Add Lead Source → LinkedIn Post Engagement

  5. Paste the link

  6. Choose:

    • Likes

    • Comments

    • Or both

  7. Save and process

BDR.ai will identify those engaged users and add them directly into your campaign.

7. Uploading a CSV File (Bring Your Existing Lists Into BDR.ai)

Sometimes your best prospects are already sitting in a spreadsheet.

Whether they came from:

  • Past campaigns

  • Events or webinars

  • Referrals

  • CRM exports

  • Purchased or curated lists

Importing a CSV file into BDR.ai makes it easy to activate those leads inside a live outreach campaign without rebuilding lists from scratch.

How to Upload a CSV File into a Campaign

Step 1: Prepare Your CSV File
Make sure your file includes these key columns:

  • LinkedIn Profile URL (most important)

  • First Name

  • Last Name

👉 The LinkedIn Profile URL is critical because it allows BDR.ai to correctly identify and match each prospect.

Step 2: Navigate to Campaigns
Log into your BDR.ai dashboard and click on the Campaigns tab.

Step 3: Select Your Campaign
Open the specific campaign you want to add these prospects to.

Step 4: Add Lead Source
Click Add Lead Source and select CSV Upload.

Step 5: Upload Your File
Choose the CSV file from your computer and upload it.

Step 6: Map Your Columns
BDR.ai will prompt you to map each column in your file to the appropriate system fields (for example:

  • “Profile” → LinkedIn Profile URL

  • “First_Name” → First Name

  • “Last_Name” → Last Name)

Step 7: Finish Import
Once mapping is complete, click Save or Import.

BDR.ai will then:

  • Validate the records

  • Match LinkedIn profiles

  • Add qualified prospects directly into your campaign queue

Why CSV Uploads Are Powerful

CSV uploads give you:

  • Full control over legacy data

  • A fast way to activate warm or dormant lists

  • A bridge between past efforts and new automation

  • Zero dependency on one single data source

📌 Tip: If you run into formatting issues or need help mapping columns, the BDR.ai support team can assist quickly—so you’re never stuck.

No matter where your prospects come from, BDR.ai turns them into actionable opportunities without spreadsheets, copy-paste, or fragmented systems.

The real advantage of BDR.ai isn’t just automation—it’s flexibility without complexity.

Instead of being locked into one list provider or one sourcing method, BDR.ai allows you to pull prospects from seven different sources, including:

  • Live LinkedIn searches

  • Sales Navigator filters

  • Premium and intent-based data

  • A massive internal database

  • LinkedIn Events and Groups

  • Post engagement from people already raising their hand

  • And your own CSV files and legacy lists

Every source feeds directly into the same system:

  • Campaign sequences

  • Follow-up workflows

  • Relationship-first messaging

  • Scalable pipeline generation

That means fewer tools, less friction, and far more consistency in how you build trust, start conversations, and create opportunities.

Whether you’re activating warm relationships, expanding into new markets, or scaling outbound efforts, BDR.ai gives you one place to source smarter, follow up better, and grow with intention.

Would you like us to help source and load fresh prospects for you, or would you prefer to add more using one of the options above?

CONTACT US TODAY!

David Bush
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