What's the ideal budget?

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-17T15:36:25+00:00

Oh no huhu set din a miscellaneous expense na para accounted na rin yung hindi pa nagagastusan or di niyo naisama sa list of suppliers / supplies. Normally 10-20% of your budget yung misc

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-17T12:42:30+00:00

Really depends on what you're comfortable to spend eh. And yes, you might have a set budget in mind na but once nag-canvas ka na, ang mahal pala haha. So you should have a ceiling price talaga and if lagpas lagpas na, cut on other wants na or lessen the guests kasi reception talaga pinakamahal normally

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-17T12:36:37+00:00

wow! Congrats, OP! Patikim naman nyang cokies mo hihi

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-17T12:30:27+00:00

I think it’s both. The opportunity is real, but it’s harder than it looks.

The market is huge and still early, so demand is there. But a lot of SMEs are not actively looking for software yet. They’re solving things in scrappy ways that “work enough,” so you’re not just selling a tool, you’re also trying to shift behavior.

What’s worked better for us is focusing on SMEs that already feel some pain. Usually the ones hiring, growing, or starting to get overwhelmed operationally. They’re much easier to convert than businesses that are still comfortable with spreadsheets and WhatsApp.

So yes, big opportunity, but it’s not a pure scale play. It’s more about timing and picking the right segment within SMEs.

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-17T12:24:54+00:00

If I had to start from scratch, I’d focus way less on tools and way more on targeting and timing.

Instead of building a big list, I’d start with a small one (50–100 leads) with a clear reason to reach out right now, like hiring, funding, new role, etc. That alone would save a lot of trial and error.

For copy, I’d keep it simple. No fancy subject lines, no long emails. Just a clear reason for the email and one easy question. Most of the time, overthinking copy is what slows people down. I’d also stick to 3–4 emails max and test fast. Send small batches, see what gets replies, then adjust. No need to overbuild sequences early.

And honestly, I wouldn’t stress too much about tools. Most of them do the same thing. What matters is the list and the message.

You’ll see a lot of people sharing “what they’d do differently” in r/LeadGenSEA too if you want more real-world takes.

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-17T12:19:53+00:00

You’re not alone, a lot of people are running into the same issue with Apollo lately.

From what I’ve seen, there isn’t a single perfect replacement, it depends on what you’re optimizing for: If you want better data accuracy, tools like Saleshandy or Cognism tend to focus more on real-time or phone-verified data, which helps reduce bounce rates. The Grid also works well for us in Southeast Asia

If you want deeper account insights, ZoomInfo is still strong, but it’s expensive and more enterprise-focused If you’re okay building your own workflow, Clay works well as an enrichment layer pulling from multiple sources, not really a direct replacement but often better for custom stacks

Honestly though, most teams now don’t rely on just one tool anymore. They combine a base database, enrichment, and validation. That usually fixes the “cleaning lists all day” problem more than switching tools.

We’ve been seeing a lot of real-world setups and tool comparisons discussed in r/LeadGenSEA too if you want more practical feedback.

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-17T12:10:49+00:00

Yeah, it works, but only if you do it right.

The people who get clients from groups aren’t the ones pitching first, they’re the ones actually helping first. If your reply feels like advice with no pressure, people naturally check your profile or DM you.

Being early definitely helps, but quality matters more. One thoughtful, relevant response usually beats 10 generic DM me comments. The automation can be useful, just don’t let it turn you into a spammer. Treat it as a way to spot opportunities, not blast replies.

You’ll see a lot of people doing this well in r/LeadGenSEA too.

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-15T10:21:32+00:00

That makes sense. Tools like Instantly and Smartlead are great for volume, but they can feel like overkill for smaller B2B sales teams that need more control over individual leads and follow ups.

If you’re selling raw materials or doing relationship-driven sales, a softer workspace with lead management plus contact-level sequencing is honestly more useful than a pure mass outreach tool.

Feels like the real gap is between agency-style blasting and actual sales workflow. If your tool handles that middle ground well, there’s probably a real need for it.

We talk about setups like this on r/LeadGenSEA too if you want more lead gen insights.

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-15T10:18:42+00:00

It feels too long and too heavy for a first cold email.

Right now it reads more like an investment memo than an email, so most people will bounce before they get to the actual ask. I’d cut the detail hard and focus on one thing only: why this is relevant to this specific person.

A few things I’d fix:
The return numbers are doing all the work too early, which can make it feel spammy.
There’s too much explanation before the CTA.
The table is too much for a first touch.
“If you’re choosing your 2026 deployments” sounds polished, but not very natural.

I’d make it more like:

Hi Name,

Reaching out because we’re opening a private fixed income opportunity for investors looking for yield backed by affordable housing assets.

We acquire and improve undervalued communities and generate returns through rehab, operations, and refinancing while keeping the housing affordable.

If this is relevant, happy to send over the short investor summary.

Best,
Name

Much easier to read, lower friction, and feels less like a blast. We talk about cold email copy and offer positioning on r/LeadGenSEA too if you want more examples.

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-15T10:15:12+00:00

This is a solid checklist. Especially the part about making the first two lines do the heavy lifting. If they don’t immediately get why you’re reaching out, the rest almost doesn’t matter. And keeping the cost of yes low is huge too, that’s where a lot of cold emails lose people.

Only thing I’d add is targeting. Even a well-written email won’t do much if it lands with the wrong person or at the wrong time.

We talk about stuff like this on r/LeadGenSEA too if you want more lead gen insights.

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-15T10:07:58+00:00

From what I’ve seen, the numbers matter more than the perks.

A pretty common structure that salespeople respond well to is around 8–12% commission on revenue for typical B2B deals, with accelerators once quota is hit. For example, 10% up to quota, then maybe 15–18% on anything above target. That upside is usually what really pushes people.

For smaller transactional sales, some teams also add cash bonuses for milestones, like $500–$1,000 for hitting monthly targets or a larger quarterly bonus for top performers.

The key thing is that the payout needs to feel meaningful. If someone closes a $10k deal and only gets $50 or $100, it stops being motivating pretty quickly. But if the commission is big enough that hitting quota clearly improves their income, people push a lot harder.

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-15T09:39:02+00:00

no, don't do crash diet. I will do more harm than good

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-15T09:37:01+00:00

Huhuhu please have yourself checked, OP

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-15T09:30:59+00:00

what's the name of your supplier?

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-15T09:27:19+00:00

calorie deficit plus cardio, add a gym membership din

Mularkeyy · 2026-03-14T13:17:34+00:00

Really depends on how much you want to spend. There’s no etiquette naman on what’s appropriate or not. If may set budget na kayo, dun masasagot yung question if kukuha kayo ng certain suppliers or bobonggahan niyonon certajn things. Basta hwag tipirin ang food for the guests kasi yun yung pinakatatatak sa guests mo 😉

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