Finding a dropshipping partner isn’t easy—especially when you're starting with no products. But Amy, owner of South Table Sheds showed how to go from zero to launch with grit, smart tools, and a clean system.
This post breaks down the real process—from early outreach to landing her partners—using search engine Google, and tools like Apollo, Instantly, and a simple Google spreadsheet to keep things moving.
Starting With Nothing on the Product Side
Amy’s website went live on September 29, 2024, featuring custom-built sheds. But when she started her M.P. New Member Onboarding course, she didn’t have any products available for purchase on her Shopify store.
Instead of using an app already loaded with dropshippers, we decided to search for an existing brand already building and shipping sheds.
Outreach Kickoff: December 2024
We launched our outreach strategy in December 2024. Over the course of four months, here’s what happened:
- A few promising yeses
- A lot of “Check out our affiliate program” replies (not the goal)
- A few hard no’s
- And one brand that shifted from no → maybe → yes
SUPPLIER NO
SUPPLIER MAYBE
SUPPLIER YES
The Exact System We Used
Step 1: Researching Greenhouse Brands on Google
Before we talk about Apollo, we started with something simple but powerful: Google Search.
Amy searched phrases like “buy greenhouse”, and when you do the same, you’ll notice a filter on the left side of the results page (or top, depending on your device). This filter lets you explore different content types—like Web, Shopping, Maps, and more.
We used this to our advantage.
By reviewing brands that showed up under filters like Shopping and Web, we got a shortlist of companies that were already getting visibility. These brands were clearly investing in their online presence—and that's a great sign when you're looking for potential dropshipping partners.
From there, Amy prioritized outreach based on:
- Years in business (looking for stability)
- Product offering (customization, styles, materials, quality)
- Website quality (did they look legit and active?)
- Pricing and reputation (basic Google and review checks)
Only once she had her shortlist did she move on to finding contact details.
Step 2: Use Apollo to Find Contacts
Using the Apollo Chrome Extension, Amy pulled up verified emails and decision-maker names for each brand on her list. Apollo also helped verify:
- Years in operation
- Company size
- Publicly listed contact data
This saved tons of time and made it easy to start building personalized email outreach.
Step 3: Log Everything in a Google Spreadsheet
To stay organized, Amy kept everything tracked in a simple Google spreadsheet with these columns:
- Brand Name
- First Name (or “Brand Name Team” if can't find the name)
- Years in Business
- Email Address
- Product Category / Specialization
If she couldn’t find a first name, she used "Brand Name Team" in the field. That way, each email started with:
“Good morning [Brand Name Team!],”
The sheet was the backbone of the process—keeping outreach structured, trackable, and efficient.
Step 4: Send Sequences Using Instantly
Once the list was ready, we built and launched three personalized email sequences using Instantly.
Each one included:
- A friendly intro
- Quick value pitch
- Call to action to discuss dropshipping
- Light, respectful follow-ups
Everything was designed to sound human—not salesy—and it worked.
From Outreach to Partnership in 120 Days
Amy stayed consistent—juggling a full-time job, parenting, and everything else behind the scenes. In just 120 days, she locked in her first dropshipping partner. Now, with Greenhouse products from two suppliers being added to her site, she’ll be officially up and running in no time!
What This Means for You
This wasn’t luck. It was structured, simple, and persistent.
If you're building an online business and don’t have inventory, this approach works:
- Use Google to research brands actively selling
- Use Apollo to find decision-makers
- Track everything in a Google spreadsheet
- Upload spreadsheet to send cold emails via Instantly
- Personalize just enough to get replies
- Follow up. Follow up. Follow up via Instantly
It’s not glamorous. But it’s effective.
Major shoutout to Amy and South Table Sheds. You stayed committed—and you earned every bit of this win.
Let’s go.
Tools Used for Outreach
Yes, Amy used free tools like Google and Apollo’s Chrome extension, and she also has access to the paid version of Instantly through her Mastering P.o.P membership.
In case you didn’t know, members receive weekly keyword ranking reports—we track your keywords and send updates straight to your inbox to make sure your visibility is improving. Plus, all members get exclusive app discounts (e.g. PushOwl, DropInBlog, In Cart Upsell, etc) through our partnerships, along with other benefits.
How We Work
In Mastering P.o.P’s membership, each member has a customized SEO strategy that they are actively executing. For any online business owner with a website, having a clear SEO strategy is important—it helps attract the right audience, rank well in search results, and drive traffic to the site. As part of this strategy, we track 100 keywords for each member. These keywords are carefully selected based on competitors performing well with them, alignment with our product offerings, and the expected traffic they can generate.
Members regularly receive tips like these within the community and during weekly Zoom calls, which are recorded, timestamped, and organized with agendas to make the guidance clear and actionable. Learn How We Work!
