Doorstep, start to finish

Why it exists, what a cold approach takes without it, then one business from a Monday signal to a Friday proposal. Every company and figure in it is an example.

Back to Doorstep

Before Doorstep

The hours before the hello.

You know how to do this. The time is what runs out.

One cold approach, done properlyWhat each step has to produce
The marketWho is worth knowingWhich businesses on your patch are big enough, growing, and not a client's rival.A shortlist
The businessWhy nowCompanies House, their site, the news, their ads, the agency in the seat. Then a reason to call that isn't "we're an agency".A reason to call
The personWho buysWho holds the budget, whether they still work there, and what they care about.The right name
The first moveWhat to sayOne line that doesn't read like a template, with a fact that earns the reply.A line worth a reply
All four, for one companybefore a single word is sent

So most people do five properly, and send the template to fifty.

The marketMost people skip this and work the names they already know.
The personTitles go stale. A name from last year is the commonest wasted email.

Doorstep does those hours overnight.

The same method, for every name on the list, every week. Your time goes on the part only you can do: the conversation.

MonTueWedThuFri

Monday

06:52

As the day gets started, Doorstep has already looked again at every name it watches.

One of them just moved.

Money
Harlow & FinchAccounts filed on time
Left out
Site
Brookmere GroupCareers page updated
Neutral
Leadership
Kestrel Lane HomesNew Marketing Director in post
Opens
Hiring
Ashcombe InteriorsContent executive advertised
Cools
News
Tamworth Oak Co.Confirmation statement filed
Left out
OpensScored for the buyer: a new marketing lead reviews agencies in their first 100 days.
Left outRoutine filings never reach you. No noise to wade through.
MonTueWedThuFri08:52

Prospecting

It comes to the top with a reason.

  1. Open the read
  2. See why now
  3. Pick it
Example data

Morning, Sara.

41 on the Hotlist, waiting for a pick.One read is picked for a deep dive.

Picked for a deep dive01
Moved this fortnight7
Going stale2
FitCompanyOpeningBuyerOwnerPick
84Kestrel Lane HomesMoved1.6Marketing Director+
The case

Three spring launches and a marketing lead four weeks into the job. Their site ranks for its own name and almost nothing a buyer types.

The opening line
Three launches in one spring. Let's make sure buyers find them first.
Company

£86m revenue · 210 staff
Regional housebuilder, family owned

Why now
  • New Marketing Director, Sep 2026
  • Three developments launch, spring 2027
Their marketing, weakest first
AI visibility1/5
SEO presence1/5
Paid search2/5
Content2/5
77Brookmere Group2.2Head of MarketingA
71Ashcombe Interiors2.4Marketing DirectorR
Picked for a deep dive. Saved for everyone.
Fit, out of 100How well the business suits us: size, money, timing, fame and fun.
MovedSomething changed since the read. It's why this one is on top today.
Why nowThe reason to call this month, dated and sourced.
Their marketing, weakest firstScored out of 5 across 13 areas. A low score is our way in.
PickAsks for the deep dive. No send button: it saves for the whole team as you tick.
MonTueWedThuFri

The deep dive

The legwork, done before anyone picks up the phone.

The market, the business and the person, read properly. Each finding is sourced and dated.

Kestrel Lane Homes
Deep dive · housebuilding · example data
0 sources
Companies HouseBusiness
Their websiteBusiness
LinkedInPerson
Search and AI answersBusiness
HiringBusiness
Audience panelMarket
Case studyProof
Read in full. Ready for the team on Tuesday morning.
MonTueWedThuFri09:10

Deep Dive

The read in a minute.

  1. Read the verdict
  2. See why it is winnable
  3. Check the gaps
  4. Going for it
Kestrel Lane Homes
Housebuilding · Worcester · example data
Save as imageTake it with youI know someone hereGoing for

A growing housebuilder with three launches and a new marketing lead, missing from the places its buyers now look.

Fit84 ConfidenceHigh WinnabilityMediumMedium. A local agency handles their PR. Search and AI answers are unclaimed. Read13 Oct 2026
Who to callMarketing DirectorConfirmed in post 12 Oct 2026Four weeks into the job
Angle and next stepOwn the spring launches in search and AI answers.Next step: a door-opener
Gaps and cautions
!Local PR agency on a retainer
!Audience figure is a proxy
!Angle holds until spring 2027
✓Buyer confirmed this week
✓Case study matched from the library
Top triggers
Sep 2026New Marketing Director
Oct 2026Two marketing roles open
Spring 27Three launches
The opening line“Three launches in one spring. Let's make sure buyers find them first.”Proof: a matched launch case study
Going for. Sara owns it, and the team can see.
The verdictThe whole read in one line. If you read nothing else, read this.
Confirmed this weekWe check the buyer is still in post, so nobody emails last year's name.
Gaps and cautionsWhat we don't know yet, said before you pick up the phone.
MonTueWedThuFri09:3015:40

Going For

One stat. One line. A soft ask.

  1. Open with what the read found
  2. Send it
  3. Book the meeting
Example data
Kestrel Lane Homes
Going for · owned by Sara
Where it is
In playMeeting bookedProposal outNegotiatingWon
Two ways inDoor-openerTailored opener
0 of 5AI answers for “new homes in Worcestershire” name Kestrel Lane.

Built from the readSearch and AI answersTheir marketingAudience panel
Reply from the Marketing Director“Timely. Can you come in tomorrow?”
Meeting booked, Thu 15 Oct. Saved for everyone.
One stat from the readBuilt from what we found, with its source. Pick another stat or tone and the draft rewrites.
Nothing sends by itselfIt's your draft, in your words. Copy it to wherever you send from.
Where it isOne click, and everyone sees the pursuit has moved on.
MonTueWedThuFri08:4011:30

Thursday

Walk in prepared. Walk out with it written down.

  1. Take it with you
  2. Have the meeting
  3. Add the notes
Kestrel Lane Homes
Going for · meeting today

A growing housebuilder with three launches and a new marketing lead, missing from the places its buyers now look.

Fit84ConfidenceHighWinnabilityMediumMeetingThu 15 Oct
Copied. Paste it into your assistant.
Meeting notes · on the company

Intro with the Marketing Director, 15 Oct. They want a proposal for the three spring launches. Budget is set in January.

Saved for the team and sent for review. Took out 1 phone number.
Every part tickedUntick what you don't need. Names and roles only, never contact details.
Paste it or drop the Word docHowever you write your notes. Phone numbers and emails come out first.
On the companyEvery read of Kestrel Lane sees it, and the next deep dive starts from it.
MonTueWedThuFri

Brief the team

Ask for the proposal. Hand over the read.

  1. Choose what you need
  2. Add what the room should know
  3. Send the brief to the team
Kestrel Lane Homes
Going for · meeting held
Briefed. The team has the full read, your notes and your ask.
MonTueWedThuFri

The proposal

Every claim traces back to the read.

Built by the team on Friday, for the meeting on Tuesday.

CoverWhat we foundThe ideaNext
Kestrel Lane Homes · proposal

Be the name buyers find first.

October 2026 · For the Marketing Director · Example
What we found
0 of 5AI answers for “new homes in Worcestershire” name Kestrel Lane.Source: search and AI answer test, 13 Oct
Three launches in spring 2027Their website
A marketing team that is growingTwo roles on LinkedIn
Buyers start on a phone, then a searchAudience panel
The idea

Launch where the search starts.

NowFix the foundations: the site, search and AI answers.
WinterBuild the story of each development before it opens.
SpringLaunch all three and measure every week.

Monday's signal.
Friday's proposal.

Doorstep. Who to knock on next, and why now.

The hours before the hello, done for you.

Every company and figure in this film is an example.

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