AI Lead Search is Eve's flexible prospecting tool that allows you to find leads across a broader universe of companies beyond your pre-defined ICPs. Unlike ICP-based searching (which finds leads at specific companies you've already identified), AI Lead Search casts a wider net, discovering prospects across any companies that match your custom criteria.
Use Cases for AI Lead Search:
Broader Market Exploration:
Explore beyond your ICP companies to discover new opportunities
Test targeting hypotheses without committing to full ICP creation
Find prospects in adjacent markets or industries
Custom Criteria Searching:
Search based on specific job titles, locations, or company characteristics
Create one-off searches that don't fit existing ICPs
Experiment with different targeting parameters
Import Your Own Lists:
Upload contact lists from events, conferences, or trade shows
Import CRM exports or purchased lists
Bring in prospects from other sources
Account-Based Marketing (ABM):
Target specific companies not in your ICPs
Build targeted lists for strategic accounts
Support sales-driven account selection
Quick Testing:
Rapidly test new personas or industries
Validate market assumptions before creating formal ICPs
Explore emerging segments
Key Difference from ICP Lead Finding:
ICP Lead Finding: Finds prospects at specific companies within your defined ICPs (structured, repeatable)
AI Lead Search: Finds prospects across any companies matching your criteria (flexible, exploratory)
Both methods ultimately feed leads into campaigns—choose based on whether you want structured ICP-based targeting or flexible custom searching.
AI Lead Search provides a powerful interface for discovering prospects using natural language descriptions and specific criteria. Here's how to leverage it effectively.
Navigate to AI Lead Search from the left-hand menu
You'll see the AI Lead Search interface with search options
You'll also see any previously created lead lists
Step 1: Name Your List
Click "Create New List" or "+ New Search"
Enter a descriptive List NameUse clear, specific names that indicate what you're searching for
Examples: "West Coast SaaS CTOs," "Healthcare CFOs Mid-Market," "Series A CMOs"
Good naming helps you manage multiple lists
Step 2: Select ICP (Optional)
You can optionally link your search to an existing ICP
Why Link to ICP: Applies that ICP's criteria as a starting point
When to Link: You want to find more leads similar to an ICP but across a broader company set
When to Skip: You're exploring completely new targeting criteria
Most AI Lead Searches are independent of ICPs, but linking can provide helpful defaults.
Step 3: Enter Job Titles
Define the roles you want to target:
How to Enter:
Type job titles separated by commas
Include variations and synonyms
Consider seniority levels and abbreviations
Examples:
"CTO, Chief Technology Officer, VP of Engineering, VP Engineering"
"Marketing Director, Director of Marketing, Head of Marketing, VP of Marketing"
"CFO, Chief Financial Officer, VP of Finance, Finance Director"
Best Practices:
Include 5-10 title variations to capture role diversity
Add both abbreviated and full forms ("VP" and "Vice President")
Include common synonyms ("Head of" and "Director of")
Stay within the same functional area and seniority range
Step 4: Select Company Criteria
Define the types of companies where you want to find prospects.
Company Size (Employee Count):
Select size ranges: 1-10, 11-50, 51-200, 201-500, 501-1,000, 1,001-5,000, 5,001-10,000, 10,000+
Can select multiple ranges
Tip: Start with 2-3 adjacent ranges (e.g., 51-200, 201-500, 501-1,000 for mid-market)
Industry:
Select from industry categories
Options typically include: Technology, Healthcare, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Retail, Professional Services, Education, etc.
Can select multiple industries
Tip: Start with 1-3 related industries for focused targeting
Location/Geography:
Select countries, regions, or specific locations
Options: North America, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Europe, APAC, etc.
Can narrow to specific states/provinces if needed
Tip: Start broader (e.g., "United States") unless you have specific geographic focus
Step 5: Describe the Type of Person (Natural Language)
This is where AI Lead Search becomes powerful. Describe in natural language what type of person you're looking for.
What to Include:
Role Characteristics:
"Responsible for sales operations and revenue forecasting"
"Manages a team of 10+ sales reps"
"Oversees marketing technology stack"
Company Situation:
"At companies that are rapidly growing"
"At organizations using Salesforce"
"At startups that have raised Series A or B funding"
Specific Qualifications:
"With experience in B2B SaaS"
"Working at companies with 50-200 employees"
"In the healthcare technology sector"
Problem Indicators:
"Struggling with manual reporting processes"
"Looking to improve sales team productivity"
"Focused on scaling operations"
Examples of Effective Descriptions:
Example 1: SaaS Sales Leader
VP of Sales or Sales Director at B2B SaaS companies with 100-500 employees. Looking for leaders responsible for scaling sales teams and improving sales processes. Ideally at companies that have raised Series A, B, or C funding and are in growth mode.
Example 2: Healthcare IT Decision Maker
CIO, IT Director, or Head of Technology at healthcare organizations including hospitals, clinics, and health systems. Focus on decision-makers responsible for clinical technology, EHR systems, and digital health initiatives. Looking for organizations with 200+ employees.
Example 3: Marketing Technology Buyer
Marketing Director or VP of Marketing at mid-market B2B companies. Responsible for marketing technology stack, demand generation, and marketing operations. Seeking marketers at companies using HubSpot or Salesforce who are focused on improving marketing ROI.
Best Practices for Descriptions:
Be specific: Vague descriptions yield vague results
Focus on observable characteristics: Things Eve can identify from public data
Include context: Why this person would need your solution
Natural language: Write conversationally, not like keyword stuffing
Length: 2-4 sentences is ideal—enough detail without overwhelming
Step 6: Review and Generate
Review all your criteria:
List name
Job titles
Company size
Industry
Location
Description
Click "Generate Search" or "Find Leads"
Eve begins searching, which typically takes 2-5 minutes depending on criteria breadth
Results appear showing prospects who match your criteria
Results Display:
After searching, you'll see a list of prospects with:
Name: Prospect's full name
Job Title: Current role
Company: Where they work
Location: Geographic location
Match Score: How well they fit your criteria (0-100)
LinkedIn Profile: Link to their LinkedIn (if available)
Email Status: Verified, Unverified, or Not Available
Phone Status: Available or Not Available
Match Score Interpretation:
80-100: Excellent Match
Strongly aligns with all your criteria
Job title, company, and description match well
Action: Prioritize these leads
65-79: Good Match
Solid alignment with most criteria
Minor mismatches or less complete data
Action: Include in campaigns
50-64: Fair Match
Partial alignment with criteria
Some characteristics match, others don't
Action: Review carefully before including
Below 50: Weak Match
Limited alignment with criteria
May be tangentially related
Action: Generally skip unless specific reason to include
Selection Process:
Review top results:
Do job titles make sense?
Are companies appropriate?
Do match scores feel accurate?
Select leads to add to campaigns:
Check boxes next to individual leads
Or use "Select All" for top results
Or favorite high-priority leads
Access contact information if needed (costs credits)
Add to campaign (see next section)
Quality Control:
Before selecting large numbers of leads:
Spot-check 10-15 results: Do they truly match your intent?
Review company types: Are these companies you actually want to target?
Check job title relevance: Are titles appropriate for your solution?
Assess match scores: Is average score 65+?
If results don't match expectations, refine your search criteria and search again.
Saved Lists:
Once you've created a search, it's saved as a list you can return to:
View in the AI Lead Search section
Shows list name, date created, number of leads
Can be accessed anytime to add more leads to campaigns
List Management:
Archiving Lists:
Click the three dots next to a list
Select "Archive" or "Delete"
Archived lists are removed from active view but data may be retained
Re-running Searches:
You cannot automatically "re-run" a search to find new people
To find additional leads with same criteria, create a new search with identical parameters
This finds fresh prospects not in your previous search
Organizing Lists:
Use clear, descriptive naming conventions
Date-stamp lists if running similar searches over time (e.g., "Q1 2025 - Healthcare CTOs")
Archive old/unused lists to keep interface clean
AI Lead Search also allows you to import existing contact lists from other sources.
Import Process:
In AI Lead Search, look for "Import Contacts" or "Upload CSV" option
Click to open import dialog
Prepare your file:Format: CSV (comma-separated values)
Include columns: First Name, Last Name, Email, Company, Job Title, LinkedIn URL (optional), Phone (optional)
Ensure column headers are clear
Upload file
Map fields:Eve will attempt to auto-detect fields
Verify mappings are correct (First Name → First Name column, etc.)
Correct any incorrect mappings
Import
Eve processes the list and creates a new lead list
Post-Import:
Eve may enrich data (find missing emails, verify emails, find LinkedIn profiles)
Leads appear in a new list in AI Lead Search
You can then add these leads to campaigns
Import Use Cases:
Conference/Event Attendees:
Import badge scan data from trade shows
Follow up with qualified attendees
Webinar Registrants:
Import registration lists
Follow up with engaged prospects
CRM Exports:
Export target accounts or contacts from your CRM
Import into Eve for automated outreach
Purchased Lists:
Import third-party purchased lists (ensure compliance and quality)
Enrich with Eve's data and add to campaigns
Important: Ensure you have permission and legal right to contact imported leads. Follow CAN-SPAM, GDPR, and other regulations.
Start Narrow, Then Expand:
Begin with specific criteria (1-2 industries, 2-3 company sizes, clear job titles)
Review results quality
If too few results, broaden criteria
If too many poor fits, narrow criteria
Quality Over Quantity:
50 highly relevant leads beat 500 marginal ones
Prioritize match scores above 70
Review results before bulk adding to campaigns
Test Before Scaling:
Add 30-50 leads from new search to test campaign
Monitor performance for 2-3 weeks
Only scale to hundreds of leads after validating fit
Use Natural Language Effectively:
The description field is powerful—use it
Be specific about role responsibilities, company situations, and buying signals
Don't just repeat job titles—add context about what makes someone a good fit
Combine with ICPs:
AI Lead Search complements (doesn't replace) ICP-based searching
Use ICPs for core, repeatable targeting
Use AI Lead Search for exploration and special cases
Document Learnings:
Keep notes on which search criteria yielded good vs. poor results
Use learnings to refine future searches
Share successful search patterns with team
Regular Refresh:
Markets and companies change
Re-run successful searches quarterly to find new prospects fitting same criteria
Archive old lists and create fresh ones
Q: What's the difference between AI Lead Search and finding leads at ICP companies? A:
ICP Lead Finding: Finds prospects at specific companies you've already identified in your ICPs. Structured, repeatable, tied to your strategic ICPs.
AI Lead Search: Finds prospects across any companies matching your custom criteria. Flexible, exploratory, not tied to ICPs.
Use ICPs for core prospecting strategy; use AI Lead Search for exploration, testing, and special circumstances.
Q: How many leads can I find through AI Lead Search? A: There's no hard limit on the number of leads you can search for. However:
Practical limits include campaign capacity and credit availability (for accessing contact info)
Start with 50-100 leads per search to keep manageable
Most users run 3-10 different searches rather than one massive search
Q: Can I save my search criteria to reuse later? A: Searches are saved as lead lists, but to re-run the exact same search to find new prospects, you'll need to re-enter the criteria manually and create a new search. Best practice: document successful search parameters in a separate document for easy replication.
Q: How specific should I be in the description field? A: Be as specific as possible while staying realistic about what Eve can identify from public data. Include:
Role responsibilities
Company characteristics
Technologies used (if relevant)
Growth stage or funding Avoid overly specific criteria that would be impossible to verify (e.g., "budget of exactly $50K" or "personally passionate about sustainability").
Q: What if I get zero results from my search? A: This means your criteria are too narrow or specific. Try:
Broaden job titles (add more variations)
Expand company size range
Add more industries or locations
Simplify the description (remove very specific requirements)
Test one criterion at a time to find where the restriction is
Q: Can I search for multiple different personas in one search? A: Not recommended. Create separate searches for each persona (Sales Leaders, Marketing Leaders, Finance Leaders, etc.). This maintains targeting clarity and makes it easier to create persona-specific campaigns. Mixing personas in one search dilutes both targeting and messaging.
Q: How do I know if my search criteria are good? A: Indicators of good search criteria:
Returns 50-300 leads (enough for campaigns, not overwhelming)
Average match score is 70+
Job titles and companies look relevant when you review results
When you add leads to campaigns, response rates are solid (2%+)
Indicators of poor criteria:
Too few results (< 20 leads) or too many (> 1,000 leads)
Low average match scores (< 60)
Job titles or companies look irrelevant
Low response rates when leads are added to campaigns
Q: Should I use AI Lead Search or create a new ICP? A: Use AI Lead Search when:
Testing new targeting hypotheses
One-off searches for special campaigns
Quick exploration of adjacent markets
Importing your own contact lists
Create a new ICP when:
You've validated targeting through AI Lead Search and want to make it repeatable
This is a core target segment you'll prospect regularly
You want structured, organized company and lead management
You need intent signals and deep company research
Think of AI Lead Search as exploration; ICPs as established strategy.
Q: Can I combine results from multiple searches into one campaign? A: Yes. You can add leads from multiple AI Lead Search lists to the same campaign. For example:
Search 1: Healthcare CTOs in West Coast
Search 2: Healthcare CTOs in East Coast
Add both to the same "Healthcare CTO Campaign"
This is useful for segmenting searches geographically or by company size while keeping messaging unified.
Q: What happens if I search for criteria that overlap with my existing ICPs? A: AI Lead Search operates independently of ICPs, so you may find leads at companies already in your ICPs. This is okay—leads won't be duplicated if you add them to the same campaign. However, for efficiency, use ICP-based lead finding for companies already in your ICPs, and save AI Lead Search for companies outside your ICPs.
Q: How often should I run new AI Lead Searches? A: Depends on your campaign velocity and market:
High-velocity teams: Run new searches weekly or bi-weekly to maintain lead pipeline
Medium-velocity teams: Monthly searches as you exhaust previous results
Low-velocity teams: Quarterly or as needed
Also run new searches when entering new markets, testing new messaging, or exploring different segments.
Q: Can I export leads from AI Lead Search? A: Export functionality depends on your plan and platform features. Check the lead list interface for export options. If available, you can typically export to CSV for use in other tools or recordkeeping. However, the primary workflow is adding leads directly to Eve campaigns.
Q: What if my AI Lead Search returns competitors or inappropriate companies? A: Refine your criteria:
Add exclusions in the description: "Exclude companies in [industry]" or "Not at consulting firms"
Review company types in results and identify patterns of what you don't want
Narrow industry selection to be more specific
Manually review and deselect leads at inappropriate companies before adding to campaigns