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Portfolio Case Study · LinkedIn Lead Generation AI Startup / 2023-2024
Case Study

LinkedIn Outreach Campaign That Built an Inbound Pipeline for an AI Startup

Researched target demographics, built filtered prospect lists using Sales Navigator, and ran an automated outreach campaign through the CEO's LinkedIn profile via Dripify — generating a consistent pipeline of C-level leads across the US with no ad spend.
3-4K Total leads targeted
49.4% Connection acceptance rate
15.7% Response rate
0$ Ad spend
What I did

No paid budget. Ran a founder-led LinkedIn outreach campaign through the CEO's profile targeting C-suite decision-makers across the US AI sector.

Researched target demographics and prioritized states by AI adoption. Built Sales Navigator lists, wrote all sequence copy, automated via Dripify. After batch one, re-assessed performance and adjusted filters — improved both rates in subsequent runs.

What I built
01 Demographic research: identified target job titles, industries, company sizes, and US states with the highest AI adoption potential before building any list.
02 Sales Navigator filter builds: translated research into precise lead filters — title, industry, company size, geography — to generate qualified prospect lists.
03 Dripify automation sequences: built two separate drip flows — one for accepted connections (3 steps) and one for non-accepted (4 steps) — each running over a one-month window.
04 Campaign copy: wrote all connection requests, follow-up messages, and email touchpoints in the sequence.
05 Post-campaign analysis and retargeting: reviewed batch 1 results, identified what was and wasn't converting, and adjusted the list filters for batch 2 to improve performance.
Campaign sequence structure
Accepted connection flow 3 steps
1 Connection request sent with personalized invite
2 Profile visit + post like (warm-up before messaging)
3 Follow message + follow-up email within the month
Non-accepted follow-up flow 4 steps
1 Initial connection request
2 Profile visit to stay on radar
3 Post like to increase visibility
4 Follow nudge at end of window
Targeting criteria used
Job titles
C-level executives (CEO, CTO, COO, CMO) and senior decision-makers
Industries
Companies open to AI tools, investment, or technology adoption
Geography
US-based, prioritized by states with strong AI adoption landscape
49.4%
Connection acceptance rate
LinkedIn avg is ~25-30%
15.7%
Response rate
Across all accepted connections
3-4K
Leads reached across batches
Zero paid ad spend
Tools used
LinkedIn Sales Navigator Dripify LinkedIn (CEO profile) Google Sheets (tracking)
Why it worked
Running through the CEO's profile made every touchpoint feel founder-led, not sales-automated. Combined with precise targeting and iterated list-building, the campaign consistently outperformed typical cold outreach benchmarks.