Finding new business leads was always a big pain for me. I used to spend hours every day searching for emails, copying names, and adding them to my CRM. It was boring. And slow.
But guess what?
I found a better way! I used Apollo.io and Zapier to make the whole thing work like a machine — automatically!
Let me tell you how I did it, in very simple words.
Why I Wanted to Automate Lead Generation
I’m not a lazy person, but doing the same work again and again makes me tired. When you run a SaaS or marketing business, you need to grow fast. And fast growth needs smart tools.
So I thought — what if I can make the leads come in, and send emails, all by itself?
That’s when I started using Apollo.io and Zapier together.
What is Apollo.io and Why I Like It
Apollo.io is like a giant phone book of companies and people. You can search for business leads by:
- Job title (like CEO, marketing manager)
- Industry
- Company size
- Country (I choose USA)
- And many other filters
It even gives email addresses and LinkedIn profiles. Cool, right?
They also have a free plan that gives you some leads daily. Not bad for testing things out!
Now Comes the Fun Part – Automation with Zapier
Zapier is a tool that connects different apps together.
So I made this easy system:
✅ Step 1: Search & Download Leads from Apollo.io
I open Apollo and find people I want to contact.
Example: Marketing Managers in New York working in SaaS companies.
Then I export that list to a Google Sheet.
✅ Step 2: Set a Trigger in Zapier
Zapier watches my Google Sheet. When a new row is added, Zapier wakes up and starts the action.
✅ Step 3: Check if Email is Real (Optional but Safe)
Sometimes emails are fake or wrong. So I use an email checker (like NeverBounce). It removes the bad ones.
✅ Step 4: Add the Good Leads to My CRM
Now, Zapier adds the clean lead to my CRM (I use HubSpot).
It fills name, company, email — all auto. No typing needed.
✅ Step 5: Send the First Email Automatically
Yes, even the email goes by itself.
I write a short cold email and use Gmail (or MailerLite) through Zapier.
The lead gets it within seconds.
What Happened After I Did This
Before, I was adding maybe 50 leads a week.
Now, I can send emails to 500+ new people every month, without doing the same boring job again and again.
Also:
- My email open rate got better
- My time got saved
- I got more replies from real business people
Few Things You Should Know Before You Try
- Apollo free plan has limits (just a few leads daily)
- Zapier also has step limits if you’re using a free plan
- Always warm up your email first (don’t send 100 emails on day one)
- Double-check your filters (wrong list = waste of time)
Would I Recommend This Setup?
Yes, 100%!
Even if you are not a tech person, this system is easy to set.
Just drag, click, and connect.
I think every small SaaS business or marketer should try this. It’s like having a robot employee.
Bonus – Want My Google Sheet & Zapier Template?
I can share my starter template for free.
You just need to copy and connect it with your Gmail and CRM.
Let me know and I’ll email you the link.
Conclusion
This automation changed my business. It saved time, energy, and gave me more leads than I ever got manually.
So if you want to:
- Save hours every week
- Grow your SaaS faster
- Get more replies from real people
Then please try this method using Apollo.io and Zapier. You’ll thank me later! For more stunning ideas click here.