The Core 4

The Core Four: How Simple Outreach Strategies Can Supercharge Your Leads

We get it – with every day that brings in a new marketing strategy, it’s easy to be overwhelmed and overthink the process. We often get caught up in the smaller details, sometimes forgetting that success often lies in the simplest actions. 

That’s where Alex Hormozi’s Core Four comes in. Hormozi, author of $100M Offers: How to Make Offers So Good People Feel Stupid Saying No, outlines a framework that strips lead generation down to its essentials. And the best part? It’s all about execution.

The Core Four

The Core Four is a simple approach to generating more leads and converting them into paying customers. It consists of four outreach strategies:

1. Warm Outreach – Reaching out to people who already know you.
2. Cold Outreach – Reaching out to strangers.
3. Post Free Content – Sharing valuable content with your network.
4. Paid Ads – Reaching a wider audience through advertising. (This one comes with a caveat, which we’ll discuss later.)

Each of these plays a key role in creating a balanced and effective marketing strategy. Let’s look into what makes each one work.

Warm Outreach: Your Fastest Path to Qualified Leads

This is your golden ticket! Warm outreach involves contacting people who already know, like, and trust you. It’s the quickest route to generating qualified leads because the relationship is already established. 

Whether through email, WhatsApp, or a direct message on social media, warm outreach offers a personal touch that’s hard to ignore.

Tip: Schedule regular coffee meetings or check-ins with your warm leads. They may not always buy from you, but they could refer you to someone who will.

Cold Outreach via Email and LinkedIn: The Numbers Game

Cold outreach might feel a bit uncomfortable, but it remains one of the most effective ways to build a pipeline of potential clients. The goal here is volume – the more outreach you do, the better your chances of finding leads. Whether it’s cold emailing, LinkedIn messaging, or even making cold calls, the effort can pay off if done consistently.

Success Story: One of our team members sold their previous business purely through cold outreach. It works, but you have to be prepared for the long haul.

Content Marketing: The Power of Free Content

Sharing free content is a powerful way to stay at the forefront of your audience’s mind and build credibility in your industry. A consistent content marketing strategy helps nurture your audience and keeps them engaged. Whether it’s a blog post, a YouTube video, or a LinkedIn article, valuable content builds trust and positions you as an expert in your field.

Platform Choices: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and even TikTok are excellent channels to get your content in front of your audience depending on their demographics.

Paid Ads: Proceed with Caution

Paid ads can be tricky, especially for B2B businesses. While some companies have seen a strong return on ad spend (ROAS), others, like us, have found paid ads challenging. The key is to approach with caution and test what works for your industry. When done correctly, paid ads can deliver significant results, but it’s not a guaranteed win.

Caveat: If you’re just starting out, it’s best to focus on the other three tactics before venturing into paid ads. Once you’ve built a solid foundation, you can experiment with ads to see if they work for your business.

Putting the Core Four into Action

At Growth Experts, we’ve started asking ourselves three simple questions regarding lead generation:

1. Are we using each of the Core Four tactics?
2. Have we built a process around each one?
3. Are we continuously measuring, learning, and adjusting?

By focusing on these four fundamental strategies, we’ve seen a shift in how we approach our outreach efforts. The Core Four might not be new, but seeing it laid out so clearly has reinvigorated our approach to lead generation.

Sometimes, simplicity is the secret ingredient.

If you’ve been overcomplicating your marketing and outreach strategies, take a step back and revisit the basics. The Core Four is a tried-and-tested framework that can help you stay focused on what really matters: connecting with people, adding value, and closing sales.

What steps can you take today to implement the Core Four in your business? Let us know – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Jason Bagley Founder, Growth Experts

I'm a business builder, the founder of Growth Experts, sometimes public speaker, and a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization. Mostly though, I’m just a dad to Eva & Cruz and a husband to Karina.