Free US sources
- Google Maps. Search a trade and a city, open every listing and note the ones with no website button. The six steps.
- State business filings. Every state's business entity search, usually run by the Secretary of State, lists new LLCs and corporations. A company formed last month is unlikely to have a site yet.
- Licence lookups. States license contractors, electricians, plumbers, cosmetologists and barbers, and most publish a searchable list. California's Contractors State License Board is one example.
- County DBA filings. Many counties publish “doing business as” names, which catches sole proprietors the state lists miss.
- Yelp, Nextdoor and Facebook. Business pages with no website link, or a link back to the same page, are leads.
The rules for contacting them
Email: CAN-SPAM
The FTC's compliance guide is plain about business email: “The law makes no exception for business-to-business email.” Every message needs:
- a subject line that reflects the content (“The subject line must accurately reflect the content of the message.”)
- your valid physical postal address
- a clear way to opt out, honoured within 10 business days
Source: FTC, CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business.
Calls and texts
The FTC says “Most phone calls between a telemarketer and a business are exempt from the TSR”, its Telemarketing Sales Rule. Calls selling nondurable office or cleaning supplies are the exception. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act, enforced by the FCC, separately restricts autodialled and prerecorded calls and texts, especially to mobile phones, so dial by hand and don't send marketing texts without consent.
Source: FTC, Complying with the Telemarketing Sales Rule. A summary for guidance; some states add their own rules, so take legal advice for your own case.
Scan a ZIP code
NoSite Leads scans US ZIP codes with a radius of 1 to 25 miles and lists every business with no website listed, with phone numbers and addresses. A scan of up to 50 businesses is US$1.99, and you see the price before you pay. Start a scan or see a sample list first.
Questions
Is it legal to cold email businesses in the US?
Yes, if you follow CAN-SPAM: an honest subject line and header, your valid physical postal address, a way to opt out, and opt-outs honoured within 10 business days. The FTC says the law makes no exception for business-to-business email.
Where can I find new US businesses that may not have a website yet?
Your state's business entity search (usually run by the Secretary of State) lists new LLCs and corporations, and state licensing boards list newly licensed contractors. Check each name for a website before you get in touch.
Does NoSite Leads work in the US?
Yes. Enter a ZIP code and a radius of 1 to 25 miles. A scan of up to 50 businesses costs US$1.99, shown before you pay.