GCs hear from everyone
A preconstruction manager gets vendor pitches every day. A generic note that could go to any contractor gets deleted.
Industries · Construction
Construction cold email software that reaches GCs and developers while their projects are still out for bid.
FirstSales finds general contractors, developers and facility teams with work that fits your trade, spots something real like a new project or a won bid, and writes each one a short email about it. It follows up until they reply, then stops, so the conversation lands with your estimator.
$1 for 3 days · Cancel anytime · No contract
- 01
Written only from the trades, past projects and service area you add to the knowledge base
- 02
Separate campaigns for each trade, region or project type
- 03
Unlimited mailboxes, with a 21-day warm-up
- 04
Start for $1 for 3 days, then from $29/mo
The problem
Most construction firms win work by word of mouth, and the pipeline stops when the phone goes quiet.
Subcontractors and suppliers are busy running jobs. Finding the next one happens late at night or not at all. The firms that grow keep writing to the right GCs and developers every week, with a real reason, while today's job is still running.
The window closes fast
Bid lists are set early. Reach out after buyout and the scope is already gone to someone else.
Crews come first
Owners and estimators are on site, pricing jobs and solving problems. Research, writing and follow-up are the first things to slip.
How it works
From your trade to a bid invite, in three steps.
Set it up once, review as much as you like, and let FirstSales research, write and follow up.
- 01
Connect a separate domain
Add mailboxes on a cold email domain, not the one GCs already use for bids, RFIs and invoices. SPF, DKIM and DMARC are checked and warm-up starts.
- 02
Teach it your work
Add your trades, past project types, service area and the licenses you hold. Describe the companies you want and FirstSales builds the list.
- 03
Send, follow up and book
Each email names something real about the company. Follow-ups stop on a reply, and interested contacts get your meeting link.
Timing is the job
Every project has a window for new partners, so write while it is still open.
A general contractor picks most subcontractors and suppliers long before the first crew shows up. Write too late and the package is bought out. These are the stages where an email still has room to land, and what to say at each one.
Planning and permits
Get on the radar early
A project shows up in plans, permits or local news before bids go out. Introduce your trade and ask how they build their bid list.
Preconstruction
Help with budgets and scope
Estimators are pricing the job and checking what is possible. Offer a budget number or a quick scope review for your trade.
Bid window
Ask for the invite
Packages are out and the due date is set. Ask to be added to the bid list for your scope and share your prequal details.
Award and buyout
Fill the gaps
The job is won and buyout is under way. Some scopes are still open or need a second price. Offer to quote what is left.
Closeout
Line up the next job
The project is wrapping up. Ask what is coming next and how to get on their list for it.
What you get
Outreach that sounds like an estimator who already looked at their projects.
Everything a construction firm needs for steady outreach to GCs and developers, in every plan.
Only your real work
The AI writes only from your knowledge base, so it never claims a trade, a license or a project you do not have.
A real reason to write
Each email starts with something true about the company, like a new project, a won bid or a new office.
One campaign per trade or region
Run outreach by trade, region or project type, each with its own list, offer and tone.
Clean lists
Every contact is checked before each send, and Dirty contacts are left out to protect your domain.
Follow-ups that stop on reply
Spaced follow-ups that end the moment someone replies or opts out, so no GC is chased after a no.
A workspace per division or office
Run each division, office or estimator in its own workspace. Unlimited workspaces and team members.
Set up outreach to GCs and developersthat keeps going while your crews are on site.
Four parts of the app do the work a business developer and a research assistant would do by hand.
- Connect
Send from a separate, trusted domain
Add Gmail, Outlook or SMTP mailboxes on a cold email domain, so bids, RFIs and invoices stay safe. Mailboxes are unlimited, so spread volume across as many as you need with sending rotation.
- SPF, DKIM and DMARC check. Per domain, with the exact fix if a record is missing.
- 21-day warm-up. Three phases before full volume.
- Health grade. Each mailbox gets a grade and hourly monitoring.
- Teach
Teach it your trades and past work
Add your trades, the project types you have built, your service area and the licenses you hold. The AI writes only from what you add, so every detail matches what your crews can really do.
- Knowledge base. Trades, past work and service area in one place.
- Offerings. One offering per trade or service, each with its own buyer and message.
- Lead list from a description. Every contact checked before each send.
- Write
Emails about their project, not your brochure
Each email opens with something true about the company, like a new project or a won bid, and asks one simple question. No blasts, no hype.
- Writing profile. Keeps your tone short and direct.
- Approval queue. Approve, edit or reject drafts before they send.
- A/B tests. Test two openings and keep the one GCs reply to.
- Reply
Turn replies into bid invites
Replies land in Unibox. Interested contacts get your meeting link, and the sequence stops on any reply or opt-out, so the conversation lands with your estimator.
- Unibox. Every reply from every mailbox in one inbox.
- Stop on reply or opt-out. No follow-up after a no.
- Meeting link. Interested replies get your booking link.
Who you write to
On a construction job, a few people pick the partners, and each one wants something different.
Whether you are a subcontractor, a supplier or a service firm, the yes rarely comes from one person. These are the people you will meet, what they care about and the angle that gets a reply.
- 01
Preconstruction manager or estimator
- What they care about
- Enough good bids on every package, in on time and easy to compare.
- The angle that gets a reply
- Name the project and your scope, and ask to be added to the bid list.
- 02
Project manager
- What they care about
- A schedule that holds and partners who show up when they say they will.
- The angle that gets a reply
- Talk about how you staff a job and keep the schedule on similar projects.
- 03
Superintendent
- What they care about
- Crews who work safely, keep the site clean and do not need chasing.
- The angle that gets a reply
- Keep it practical: crew size, how you plan the work and who they call on site.
- 04
Purchasing or buyout lead
- What they care about
- Clear prices, clear terms and a full scope with no gaps.
- The angle that gets a reply
- Offer a price on an open scope and say exactly what it includes.
- 05
Developer or owner's rep
- What they care about
- A project on budget and on time, with no surprises at the end.
- The angle that gets a reply
- Share past work like theirs and ask which GCs they plan to work with.
- 06
Facilities manager
- What they care about
- Repairs and upgrades done well, with little disruption to the people in the building.
- The angle that gets a reply
- Offer a site visit or a small first job, not a big contract.
Plain guide
How to cold email general contractors and developers.
What works when you write to busy people who run jobs and pick partners for every scope.
- 01
Lead with their project
Name a project they won, are planning or just started. One true detail beats a long list of jobs you have done.
- 02
Name your scope clearly
Say exactly which trade or package you cover. Estimators sort bids by scope, so make yours easy to place.
- 03
Ask for the bid list, not a meeting
The easiest yes is an invite to bid on one package. A small step beats asking for an hour of their time.
- 04
Show work like theirs
Mention one or two jobs of the same type and size, so they can picture you on their site.
- 05
Write before the bid goes out
Bid lists form early. Reach out during planning and preconstruction, not after buyout.
- 06
Use a separate domain
Keep cold outreach off the domain you use for bids, RFIs and invoices, so that mail stays safe.
“If you are looking to fix your sales pipeline, you should definitely try [it]. My open rate has increased drastically. The UI and UX are easy to understand, even for a beginner like me.”
Pooja Dhole@ThisIsPoojaD · XReal objections
What GCs say to a construction cold email and what to say back.
Most general contractors already have a list of subs and suppliers they trust. These are the objections you will hear most, with a calm reply for each.
What they say
What you say back
“We already have our subs for that.”
Agree, and offer to be a second price on the next package, so they have a backup when their usual sub is busy.
“Just get on our bid list.”
Thank them and ask exactly how. Then fill in the form or send the details they ask for.
“Send your prequal first.”
Send it the same day. Make sure your licenses, insurance and past projects in the packet are up to date.
“It all comes down to price.”
Agree that price matters. Offer a number on one scope and say clearly what it includes, so they can compare.
“We are too busy. Try after this job.”
Ask when the job wraps up and what is next. Write again then, with that project in mind.
“How did you get my email?”
Say plainly that you found their company through public sources, and offer to take them off your list.
Why construction firms switch
Construction outreach: FirstSales vs a typical tool
Many tools send one template to a list. FirstSales writes each email from your trades and something real about the project.
| What you get | Typical tool | FirstSales |
|---|---|---|
| Emails written only from your trades | Varies | AI writes only from your knowledge base |
| Opens with a real detail about the project | Varies | Included |
| Separate campaigns by trade or region | Varies | Unlimited workspaces |
| SPF, DKIM and DMARC check | Varies | Included, per domain |
| Mailboxes | Varies | Unlimited on every plan |
| 21-day warm-up | Varies | Included |
| Contact check before each send | Varies | On every send, no add-on |
| Starting price | Varies | $29/mo |
| Start your $1 trial | ||
Send with care
Cold email rules differ from place to place, so keep every email honest and easy to leave.
Construction is a trust business, and one false claim can cost you a bid list. These general truths keep your outreach accurate and easy to stand behind.
- Say who you areUse your real company name and a real reply address in every email, and do not hide where the email comes from.
- Make leaving easyGive a clear way to opt out and honor it. In FirstSales, follow-ups stop when someone replies or opts out.
- Only claim what you holdMention only the licenses, insurance, bonding and certifications you really have. Keep them current in your knowledge base.
- Name past projects with careOnly name a past project or client if you are allowed to. When in doubt, describe the type of job instead.
- Know the rules where you sendSome places ask for more than others before a first business email. Check the rules for each region on your list.
This is general information, not legal advice. FirstSales gives you tools to send with care; you decide who to contact and are responsible for following the rules that apply to you and your contacts.
Before and after
Construction outreach, before and after FirstSales
What changes when every email reads like it came from someone who knows the project.
The usual way
Word of mouth, cold calls and the same vendor email to every GC.
- The same vendor pitch to every GCEstimators can tell it went to everyone.
- Outreach only between jobsThe pipeline stalls when crews are busy.
- One email, then silenceForgotten before the bid list is set.
- Every company on one listNothing matches their projects.
- Bought lists left uncheckedBounces hurt the domain.
- Replies spread across inboxesBid invites sit unanswered.
With FirstSales
Outreach one project at a time.
- One real detail about their projectA reason to reply.
- Steady outreach every weekRuns while your crews are on site.
- Follow-ups until they replyStopped on any reply or opt-out.
- One trade or region per campaignEach email fits the reader.
- Contacts checked firstDirty contacts out before each send.
- UniboxEvery reply in one inbox.
Before you send
Construction outreach checklist
Run through this before each new campaign. FirstSales handles most of it for you.
- A cold email domain that is not your main company domain
- SPF, DKIM and DMARC set up on each sending domain
- Warm-up running for 21 days
- Trades, past project types and service area in the knowledge base
- Only the licenses, insurance and bonding you really hold
- Past projects named only with permission
- Every contact checked and Dirty contacts left out
- One trade, region or project type per campaign
- Drafts reviewed in the approval queue
- One clear next step, like an invite to bid on one package
What people say
From people who use it
Real words from real users. No paid reviews.
“One of the biggest pains in cold email is making sure that you have your DNS setup correctly. Firstsales has created a system to make sure you have done this correctly.”
Mike O
Trustpilot review
“I have always struggled in cold outreach. However, Firstsales has provided an excellent tool for cold outreach.”
Kaushal S.
Founder, small business
“One of the best email outreach tools I have ever seen in my 9 years of business experience. It has solved the problem of email outreach for my cold emails.”
Santhosh K.
Founder and CEO, small business
Questions,answered plainly.
Can’t find yours? Write to us.
01Does cold email work for subcontractors and suppliers?
Yes, when each email names a real project and asks for one small step, like an invite to bid on one package. FirstSales writes only from the trades and past work you add and follows up until the contact replies.
02Who should a construction firm email?
Usually preconstruction managers, estimators and project managers at general contractors, plus developers, owner's reps and facilities managers. Each role gets its own angle.
03Will it claim licenses or projects we do not have?
Not if the knowledge base is right. The AI writes only from what you add, so keep your trades, licenses, insurance and past project types current.
04Can it submit bids or prequal forms for us?
Bids and prequal forms stay with your team. FirstSales opens the conversation and follows up. When a GC asks for a bid or a packet, the reply lands in Unibox and the sequence stops so your estimator can answer.
05Can we run campaigns by trade or region?
Yes. Run each trade, region or project type as its own campaign or workspace, with its own list and offer. Workspaces and team members are unlimited.
06How do we protect the domain we use for bids?
Send from a separate cold email domain. FirstSales checks SPF, DKIM and DMARC, warms each mailbox for 21 days in three phases and gives it a health grade with hourly monitoring.
07How do I try it?
Start for $1 for 3 days. Connect a mailbox, add your trades and past work, and read the first drafts in manual mode. No contract: cancel anytime from your dashboard.
Outreach that keeps going after you log off.Leads, emails, follow-ups and replies, handled.
Connect unlimited mailboxes and let AI agents find leads, write each email and follow up. Or send your own templates in manual mode. From $29/mo.
$1 for 3 days · Cancel anytime · No contract