If you spend more time copying, pasting, and chasing cold leads than actually selling, you’re not alone. Most sales pros and founders find prospecting is a huge time sink—half admin, half guesswork. This guide is for anyone tired of spreadsheet chaos and manual follow-ups, and who wants to actually automate prospecting (not just talk about it).
Below, I’ll walk you through setting up real automation in Wume, including what’s worth your effort, what’s just hype, and how to keep it all from turning into a mess. No jargon, no magic bullets—just what actually works.
Why Automate Prospecting (and Where Most People Go Wrong)
Let’s be honest: most “automation” in sales is just basic mail merges or sending LinkedIn requests en masse. That’s not really saving you time, and it’s not winning you deals.
Real automation means your system does the grunt work, so you can focus on conversations that matter. With a tool like Wume, you can actually:
- Build targeted lead lists without hunting through eight tabs
- Automate multi-step outreach (emails, LinkedIn, whatever)
- Track replies and auto-sort leads—no more “oops, I already emailed them” moments
But here’s the catch: if you automate junk, you just get junk faster. So, before you set up anything, make sure you know who you want to reach, why, and what your best messages are. Automation amplifies what’s already there.
Step 1: Map Out Your Prospecting Workflow (Before Touching Wume)
Don’t skip this. If you just plug random tasks into Wume, you’ll end up with a tangled mess. Start by sketching out your ideal workflow on paper or a whiteboard. Here’s a simple version:
- Find target companies/leads — e.g., SaaS founders in the US
- Enrich with contact info — get verified emails, LinkedIn profiles
- Send personalized outreach — email, LinkedIn, or both
- Track replies and engagement
- Follow up or hand-off to sales
Ask yourself: - Where are you wasting time now? - What steps are repetitive or error-prone? - What absolutely needs a human touch?
Pro tip: If your current process is chaos, automate just one step at a time. Don’t try to build a Rube Goldberg machine out of the gate.
Step 2: Set Up Lead Sourcing in Wume
Once you know your workflow, log into Wume and start with lead sourcing.
What works: - Wume’s built-in filters are actually decent for targeting by industry, role, location, and company size. - You can import your own lists if you already have data (CSV is fine).
What to ignore: - Don’t just grab every lead Wume suggests. Use filters carefully, or you’ll waste time cleaning up junk data. - Skip “AI recommendations” unless you’ve checked they actually match your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile).
How to do it: 1. Go to the “Lead Finder” section. 2. Set your filters—be specific (e.g., “Head of Marketing” at B2B SaaS companies, 11–200 employees, US). 3. Preview results and spot check a few leads. If you see a bunch of irrelevant companies, tweak your filters. 4. Export or save the list to a campaign.
Pro tip: Quality beats quantity. Ten well-matched leads are better than a hundred random ones. Trust me, your reply rates will thank you.
Step 3: Automate Outreach Sequences
Now, the fun part—actually reaching out without typing the same email 500 times.
What works: - Wume lets you set up multi-step sequences (email, LinkedIn, maybe even calls). - You can personalize with variables (like {first_name}, {company}, etc.). - Built-in delays help avoid spam filters.
What to ignore: - Don’t use generic templates. “Hi {first_name}, I came across your profile…” = instant delete. - Skip sending 5+ follow-ups unless you want to annoy everyone on your list.
How to do it: 1. Create a new campaign. 2. Choose your leads (from Step 2). 3. Build your sequence: - Step 1: Personalized email (short, specific, not a novel) - Step 2 (wait 3 days): LinkedIn connection request with a brief note - Step 3 (wait 5 days): Follow-up email (reference your first note) 4. Use merge fields for real personalization—don’t just rely on “Hi {first_name}.” 5. Preview your messages before launching. Send a test to yourself.
Pro tip: Wume’s “conditional steps” (e.g., only send follow-up if no reply) are actually handy. Use them to avoid spamming people who already responded.
Step 4: Set Up Triggers and Automations
Now let’s cut even more manual work.
What works: - You can set triggers (e.g., “If lead clicks link, mark as ‘Interested’”). - Automate moving leads between campaigns (e.g., “If no reply after 2 weeks, add to nurture list”). - Integrate with your CRM, Google Sheets, or Slack for notifications.
What to ignore: - Don’t obsess over tracking every tiny metric (opens, clicks, time spent on email). Focus on replies and meetings booked. - Avoid over-automating. If your process is so complex you can’t remember what happens next, you’re setting yourself up for headaches.
How to do it: 1. In your campaign settings, look for “Automation Rules” or “Triggers.” 2. Set up basic triggers: - If reply received, stop sequence. - If link clicked, tag as “warm.” - If no reply after sequence, move to “cold” list or start a nurture campaign. 3. Connect to your CRM or Slack if you want automatic notifications (Wume has basic integrations—don’t expect miracles).
Pro tip: Start simple. One or two triggers is plenty to start. You can always add more once you know what works.
Step 5: Monitor Results (and Actually Learn from Them)
Automation without feedback is just guessing faster.
What works: - Wume gives you basic analytics: open rates, reply rates, bounce rates. - Focus on reply rates and positive responses. That’s what matters. - Adjust your messaging and targeting based on real results, not wishful thinking.
What to ignore: - Don’t get hung up on open rates—they’re easy to fake (Apple Mail privacy, bots, etc.). - Ignore “vanity metrics” like total emails sent. Nobody cares.
How to do it: 1. After running your first campaign, check the “Analytics” tab. 2. Look for: - % of leads who replied - % of positive responses (not just “unsubscribe”) - Any patterns in the types of leads who respond 3. Tweak your lists, messaging, or sequence timing. Rinse and repeat.
Pro tip: The best campaigns are “set it and test it.” Don’t expect gold on your first try—iterate, don’t overthink.
What’s Overhyped (and What to Watch Out For)
Let’s clear up a few things:
- “AI personalization”: Most of this is just mail merge with fancier branding. If you wouldn’t send it to a real person, don’t automate it.
- Huge lead lists: More isn’t better. That’s how you get blacklisted and burned out.
- Fancy dashboards: They look nice for the boss, but they won’t close deals for you.
Watch out for: - Sending too many emails too fast (your domain will get flagged) - Not testing your sequences (typos get automated, too) - Forgetting to check replies (automations can’t read context)
The best automations are boringly reliable, not flashy.
Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Over-Automate
Automation in prospecting isn’t magic, but it is a massive time-saver—if you keep it simple and focused. Set up your workflow step by step in Wume, start small, and improve as you go. Nothing wrong with revisiting your process every couple weeks. The less you fiddle, the more you’ll actually talk to real humans (which, last I checked, is how deals get done).
Remember: automate the boring stuff, not the important conversations. Good luck—and don’t be afraid to hit pause and fix what’s not working. That’s how real progress happens.