Steps to build your own biz dev agent workflow

By the end of this checklist, you’ll have five custom GPTs that handle prospecting, outreach, scheduling, follow-ups, and tracking for your business development workflow. This is based on the system that Amanda Pressner Kreuser built at Masthead, a content marketing agency. She estimates the setup saves her 4–5 hours each week.

Before you start

Set up a ChatGPT Plus account: custom GPTs require a paid plan
Identify your ideal customer profile (ICP): define your target titles, industries, and company size thresholds
Gather your email templates: collect 5–15 of your most-used outreach and follow-up emails
Set up LinkedIn Sales Navigator: needed for the prospecting phase
Create accounts on PhantomBuster and Hublead: for data extraction and CRM sync

The workflow

Phase 1: Create your meta-prompt process

After this phase, you’ll have: a repeatable method for generating custom GPT instructions without writing prompts from scratch

Open ChatGPT and describe what you need: (copy and edit the Starter prompt below)
Answer ChatGPT’s clarifying questions: provide details about your tone, templates, requirements, and typical outputs
Copy the generated prompt into the custom GPT “Create” interface: this becomes the foundation for your specialized tool

Starter prompt

I want to set up a custom GPT to do [TASK], and I want you to help me create a prompt for this custom GPT so I never have to write these same instructions again.

“I used to be so perfectionistic about my first drafts. Now I’ve been able to become more relaxed, just saying what’s in my brain, saying it imperfectly, and getting AI to provide a draft that organizes my thoughts.”
Amanda Pressner Kreuser, Masthead

Phase 2: Build prospecting and outreach agents

After this phase, you’ll have: a Referral Scout GPT that filters LinkedIn contacts against your ICP, and an email library GPT that drafts personalized outreach

Run a LinkedIn Sales Navigator search: pull up profiles from a contact who offered introductions
Extract contact data with PhantomBuster: export names, job titles, and company information from your Sales Navigator results
Create a “Referral Scout” custom GPT: upload your ICP criteria so the GPT can scan exported lists and recommend who to connect with
Sync LinkedIn contacts to your CRM with Hublead: this tool guesses email addresses for your curated prospect list
Compile your email template library: gather 10–15 templates covering re-engagement, referrals, follow-ups, and new outreach
Create an “Email & Follow-Up Library” custom GPT: upload your template library so the GPT generates drafts that match your brand voice
Test with a real outreach scenario: give the GPT details on audience and goals, review the draft, and edit in a separate doc

Phase 3: Build scheduling and follow-up agents

After this phase, you’ll have: a scheduling assistant that suggests meeting windows and a follow-up GPT that drafts personalized emails from call recordings

Export your calendar as a JSON file: use Google Apps Script, n8n, or a manual export
Create a “Scheduling Assistant” custom GPT: upload the JSON and use the Scheduling prompt below
Create a “Follow-Up” custom GPT: upload your email templates and configure it with your voice, signature, and sales stage definitions
Test the follow-up GPT with a real call recording: feed a transcript and specify the sales stage to get a personalized draft

Scheduling prompt

You are my scheduling assistant. I’ve uploaded a JSON file containing my calendar events for this week. Identify 3–5 open time slots that are:

30 or 60 minutes long
Between [START_TIME] and [END_TIME] [TIMEZONE], Monday to Friday
Not adjacent to another meeting unless there’s at least a 15-minute buffer
Excluding events labeled as [BLOCKED_EVENT_TYPES]

Present the results in a table with: Date, Time Range, Duration, and Why it’s a good time.

Phase 4: Build your tracking system

After this phase, you’ll have: an automated spreadsheet that logs outreach activities without manual data entry

Ask ChatGPT to generate a Google Apps Script using the prompt below: describe what you want to track (email opens, responses, follow-up sequences, engagement levels)
Create the Google Sheet for tracking: set up columns for the metrics ChatGPT recommended
Install the script in Google Apps Script: follow ChatGPT’s instructions for where to paste and authorize the code
Verify the script runs correctly: send a test email and confirm it appears in your tracking sheet

Google Apps Script prompt

I need a Google Apps Script that connects to my Gmail inbox and logs outreach activities to a Google Sheet. Track: [LIST_OF_METRICS]. Organize by [CONTACT_NAME/DATE/STAGE]. Tell me exactly where to input this script.

Quick reference

Total time: 4–6 hours for initial setup across all five agents
Tools needed: ChatGPT Plus, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, PhantomBuster, Hublead, Google Apps Script, Google Sheets
Key output: Five custom GPTs that handle prospecting, outreach drafting, scheduling, follow-ups, and activity tracking

Ready for the full story?

Read The AI outreach stack that handles prospecting, follow-up, and scheduling, featuring Amanda Pressner Kreuser of Masthead, published on the AI Lab by ActiveCampaign.

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