Marc Lou grew a SaaS to $80,000+ using only cold email, for $0
- $80,000
- Revenue
- $0
- Budget
- Not disclosed
- Duration
Marc Lou says he grew a B2B SaaS from zero to $80,000+ with cold email as the only channel and $0 spend: directory-sourced leads, a CRM, a template email, a sales call, and a short drip sequence.
01The problem
Most developers never try outbound. Marc wanted a repeatable way to reach B2B buyers without ads or an audience in that niche.
02The experiment
1. Pull B2B leads from public directories like TripAdvisor and Yelp. 2. Enrich each lead: owner's name, city, their latest Instagram post. 3. Put them in a CRM pipeline (he uses Streak). 4. Send a first email from a template. 5. Get on a call with the business owner and explain the outcome your product gets them. 6. Set up 2–3 automated drip emails to recover leads that go quiet.
03Results
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Revenuestated as “0 to $80,000+”; period and whether this is MRR are not specified | $80,000 |
| Spend | $0 |
“Not disclosed” means the source doesn't say. We never estimate or fill in missing numbers.
04What worked — and what didn't
What worked
- Sourcing leads from public business directories (TripAdvisor, Yelp)
- Personalising with details like the owner's name, city and latest Instagram post
- Closing on a call, selling the outcome rather than the tool
- 2–3 automated drip emails for leads that go quiet
“It's boring. But you will make money faster than with any other marketing channel.”
05Source & evidence
- View original
Originally shared on X · Apr 24, 2025
I grew a SaaS from 0 to $80,000+ using cold emails ONLY
Public source. Extracted from publicly available content by the founder.
Want to try this?
Copy this experiment
A checklist built from what Marc Lou actually did. Their numbers are a reference, not a promise.
- 1
Pick the channel and tactic
Cold email — Directory-sourced leads, personalised cold emails.
- 2
Set a budget cap
Marc Lou spent $0. Decide your own cap before you start.
- 3
Set an end date
Marc Lou didn't say how long it ran. Pick a review date before you start.
- 4
Copy what worked
From Marc Lou's experience:
- ☐Sourcing leads from public business directories (TripAdvisor, Yelp)
- ☐Personalising with details like the owner's name, city and latest Instagram post
- ☐Closing on a call, selling the outcome rather than the tool
- ☐2–3 automated drip emails for leads that go quiet
- 5
Track the same numbers
So you can compare like for like:
- ☐Revenue
- 6
Compare, then share what happened
Marc Lou's headline result: $80,000 revenue. Yours will differ — that's the point. Win or flop, the result is worth sharing.
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