First LLC, a B2B lead generation agency specializing in tech startups and scale-ups, transitioned from other tools to Smartlead to achieve superior scalability and cost-efficiency.Â
In their first year of agency scaling, founder Phil leveraged Smartlead's advanced automation features, particularly sub-sequences and out-of-office detection, to book 1,704 qualified calls for clients while managing thousands of daily emails across multiple European markets.
Phil Sergenti founded First LLC (or Mailfirst) to help B2B companies in the tech sector—specifically startups and scale-ups—acquire qualified leads through cold outbound and LinkedIn strategies. The agency focuses on full demos and meetings, targeting prospects who aren't actively searching for solutions.
"You can really sell a consulting service to help hotels become dog-friendly. You can't sell that on Google or Facebook. You kind of have to go forward and meet people," Phil explained.
They operate across multiple European markets, requiring sophisticated multilingual campaign management. The agency's first full year represented a pivotal transition from solo consulting to a fully-fledged agency with dedicated inbox management teams.
After finding Smartlead "very famous in our industry," Phil made the switch based on cost-efficiency and focused features that directly addressed First LLC's operational needs.
Implemented sub-sequences as the foundation for inbox management, enabling automated follow-up scheduling across hundreds of daily replies.Â
"They really help when it comes to inbox management," Phil emphasized.
Deployed automatic out-of-office detection with scheduled re-engagement, which is a critical feature most tools lacked—eliminating manual tracking for European vacation periods.
Leveraged Smartlead's real sending data for email validation.
"The best one is actually real sending data... you have real hard data, which is, this actually bounced for three other users."
Utilized Smartlead's proprietary lead database, discovering 12% unique company coverage compared to Apollo while maintaining cost-efficiency.
Tested Smartlead's AI auto-reply and auto-drafter technology to handle multilingual campaigns without expensive multilingual hiring, maintaining human oversight for quality.
Combined Smartlead's infrastructure with Clay's data processing to achieve the "fine targeting" and "nitty-gritty details" needed for non-commodity B2B services.
Booked 1,704 qualified calls for B2B tech clients during the first full year of agency scaling—validating First's transition from consulting to agency model.
Successfully sends thousands of emails daily while processing hundreds of replies without losing leads or missing follow-ups.
Achieved 12% unique lead coverage through Smartlead's proprietary database versus Apollo, accessing prospects that competitors cannot reach.
Reduced tooling costs compared to other tools in the marketing, while gaining needed features, enabling budget reallocation to team growth and client acquisition.
Built systematic processes supporting agency team growth, with dedicated inbox managers handling multiple client campaigns across European markets.
Deployed AI-assisted reply management for campaigns across multiple European languages, reducing expensive multilingual hiring needs.
Phil identified several critical factors that made Smartlead the superior choice:
"The product is solid. I don't feel like I need that many features because the basics are covered. What I need is actually what I'm getting."
First LLC continues expanding its Smartlead implementation, testing AI-assisted features for multilingual management as the agency scales further.
By switching to Smartlead, First LLC transformed from a solo consultancy to a scaled agency, booking 1,704 qualified calls in year one.Â
The platform's focused feature set—particularly sub-sequences, out-of-office automation, and superior validation data—enabled efficient high-volume operations across multiple European markets without the cost overhead of feature-bloated alternatives.
This case demonstrates how B2B agencies can leverage Smartlead's reliable core functionality and cost-efficiency to scale operations, manage complex multilingual campaigns, and deliver exceptional results during critical growth phases.
Ready to scale your B2B agency like First LLC? Sign up for Smartlead's 14-day free trial and discover how focused features and superior support can drive your growth.
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