# Claude Code + Exa Lead Generation Workflow

> Step-by-step terminal workflow for building scored B2B lead lists

This workflow pairs Claude Code's terminal agent with the Exa search API to automate prospecting from scratch. It reads an ideal customer profile from a local file, runs targeted web searches, scores company fit, finds decision-makers, and outputs clean CSVs ready for cold outreach.

## How it works

The exact Claude Code + Exa workflow used to scrape 100 fit-scored leads in under 3 minutes. The prompts, in order:

1) Read a single claude.md file and define your ICP

2) Pull 100 companies from Exa and fit-score each 1 to 10

3) Find the right decision-maker at every account

4) Enrich verified email addresses

5) Push the final CSV straight into your sequencer as a draft campaign

Setup shown in video: a dedicated project folder (e.g. 'Claude-Code-List Builder') with a claude.md, running Claude Code in the terminal, Exa API key for web search.

Demo output: ColdIQ\_target-companies\_v1.csv with 100 companies + header, saved to CLAUDE\_OUTPUTS/ColdIQ/. Breakdowns: Industry — B2B SaaS 31, FinTech 28, HRTech 16, MarTech 13, DevTools 12. Score — 9 (top fit) 26, 8 (strong fit) 33, 7 (good fit) 41. Geography — US 62, Germany/DACH 19, UK 8, Nordics 5, Other EU 6. Built by running 13 targeted Exa searches across 5 ICP industries, pulling 149 results, filtering out agencies/consultancies/blogs/job boards, deduplicating to 100, supplementing with known matches for UK/Nordics/DACH coverage.

Next step demoed: generating ColdIQ\_target-contacts\_v1.csv — 16 contacts across 10 companies (VP Sales, Head of Growth, CRO, CEO contacts pulled via Exa API). Both CSVs saved to CLAUDE\_OUTPUTS/ColdIQ/ and pushed into the sequencer (Instantly) as a draft campaign.

## What it is for

- Build a fit-scored list of target B2B companies from an ICP definition
- Identify specific decision-maker roles across qualified accounts using web search
- Export enriched lead and company data to CSV for cold email sequencers

## Key points

- Uses a local claude.md file to define ICP criteria and scoring rubrics
- Executes targeted Exa API searches across specific industries and geographies
- Filters out agencies, job boards, and consultancies automatically
- Assigns a 1-to-10 fit score to each prospect before contact discovery
- Generates structured CSV files for both target accounts and specific contacts
- Prepares output files formatted for direct import into sequencers like Instantly

## Pricing

Free

## Details

- Type: Tip
- Category: [Marketing & Sales](https://xiry.app/topics/marketing-sales.md)
- Topic: [Lead Generation](https://xiry.app/topics/marketing-sales/lead-generation.md)
- Open source: no
- Platforms: Command line
- For: Founders, growth marketers, and sales development reps comfortable using terminal tools
- Alternative to: Apollo.io, Clay, ZoomInfo
- Tags: leadgen, claudecode, exa, prospecting, outbound, automation

## Why it was saved

- [@itsalexvacca, 17 April 2026](https://x.com/itsalexvacca/status/2045147697167188272): A replicable GTM automation recipe: empty folder to sendable campaign in one sitting.

## Compare

- [Alternatives to Clay](https://xiry.app/alternatives/clay.md)
- [Alternatives to Apollo.io](https://xiry.app/alternatives/apollo-io.md)
- [Alternatives to ZoomInfo](https://xiry.app/alternatives/zoominfo.md)

## Related

- [Parser.im](https://xiry.app/resources/parser-im): Cloud scraping and monitoring service for Instagram audience and contact data (Web app, Freemium)
- [Seamless.AI](https://xiry.app/resources/seamless-ai): Real-time B2B search engine for verified emails, phone numbers, and leads (Web app, Freemium)
- [AI Accelerator](https://xiry.app/resources/ai-accelerator): Free Skool community sharing AI automation workflows, tutorials, and business systems. (Free)
- [AI Lead Generation Agent](https://xiry.app/resources/ai-lead-generation-agent): Open-source agent workflow finding leads on Quora and exporting to Google Sheets (Web app, Open source)
- [Competitor Review Cold Email Playbook](https://xiry.app/resources/competitor-review-cold-email-playbook): A cold outreach tactic targeting angry competitor reviewers mid-churn. (Tip, Free)
- [Custom LinkedIn ICP Feed](https://xiry.app/resources/custom-linkedin-icp-feed): Bookmark a filtered LinkedIn content search to track specific target accounts (Tip, Free)

Updated 11 October 2026. Page: https://xiry.app/resources/claude-code-exa-lead-generation-workflow

Make your own library: Xiry takes your saved reels, tweets, Reddit bookmarks and Watch Later videos, makes them searchable and pulls the useful stuff out, like this library. It's invite-only for now; join the waitlist at https://xiry.app/#waitlist.