Start here when you are stuck

Do one task at a time.

This page is written for a person who does not work in technology every day. Find the task you are trying to do, follow the steps in order, and stop if what you see does not match the instruction.

Choose what you are trying to do

Find new lead dataAdd a new source Add a lead to parsed.csvScore and rank a lead Update outreach / next actionUse AI safely Update the websitePreview and publish Recover when something looks wrongMonthly lead routine
Lead Research

Find new lead data

Purpose: find signs that somebody is planning, buying, permitting, or has already won work that could need 8A Pro.
  2. Start with rows marked High priority or sources that are due to be checked.
  3. Open only 2–4 sources in one research session.
  4. Use the “what_to_check” and “recommended_filters” columns as your search instructions.
  5. Write down specific projects, permits, award winners, developers, contractors, locations, and project descriptions that look relevant.
  6. Do not add everything you find to parsed.csv. First ask: “Can I explain what 8A Pro might actually do on this project?”
Done when: you have one or more specific projects or contractors worth evaluating.
sources.csv

Add a new source

Use this when: you discover a website or database you expect to visit again for future leads.
  1. Open sources.csv in your spreadsheet editor.
  2. Go to the first empty row at the bottom.
  3. Fill in: priority, source_name, category, jurisdiction, what_to_check, lead_signal, suggested_frequency, recommended_filters, URL, notes.
  4. Write names in plain English. Example: Salem Permit Application Center, not a cryptic download filename.
  5. In lead_signal, explain why the source helps. Example: “Shows owner, contractor, address and scope before subcontracting is complete.”
  6. Save the file and reopen it once to confirm the new row is there.
Do not: put a specific contractor or one project into sources.csv. Specific opportunities belong in parsed.csv.
parsed.csv

Add a specific lead

  2. Add the project name, description, location, agency/source, amount if known, and source URL.
  3. Add the prime contractor, developer, property operator, or other organization 8A Pro would contact.
  4. Write the likely_subcontract_need in plain English.
  5. Give the lead a 1–5 score and write a real fit_reason.
  6. Add an outreach_status and a specific next_action.
Good next actions: “Find estimator,” “Call owner,” “Verify vegetation scope,” “Register as subcontractor,” “Follow up Friday.”
Lead Quality

Score and rank a lead

Use this order of importance:

  1. Service fit: does the project clearly need work Juan performs?
  2. Geography: is local availability useful?
  3. Repeat potential: could this contractor send more than one job?
  4. Access: can you find a real person to contact?
  5. Dollar value: useful, but never the first reason to chase a lead.
5/5: direct match and reachable. 4/5: strong but one assumption needs verification. 3/5: possible channel relationship. 1–2/5: normally skip.
Follow-Up

Update outreach and next action

  1. After every email, call, vendor registration, or meaningful research step, open parsed.csv.
  2. Update outreach_status.
  3. Enter last_contact_date.
  4. Replace the old next action with the new one.
  5. Add short notes that will make sense one month later.
A lead without a next action is a dead row. Either give it a next step or mark it rejected / closed.
AI Assistant

Use AI safely

Good prompts are specific and ask AI to explain its work.

Examples:
“Read services.md and this permit. Tell me whether it matches Juan’s confirmed services. Do not assume new capabilities.”

“Review these new rows and rank the best five. Explain each score.”

“Before editing index.html, tell me exactly what you plan to change and what files you will touch.”
Never assume AI is the source of truth. Juan confirms services and capacity. Vianey confirms contact/status information. Public source links confirm the project.
Website

Update the website

  1. Identify the file you want to change: index.html, assets/, services.md, or KB.html.
  2. Tell AI what section you want changed and what should stay untouched.
  3. Ask AI to use the existing design/theme instead of rebuilding the whole page.
  4. Preview the result locally or in your normal preview process.
  5. Read the changed text and click the important buttons before publishing.
Deployment

Preview and publish

  1. Make one small change at a time.
  2. Preview it.
  3. Check the homepage on desktop and phone width.
  4. Confirm phone, email, sources.csv, parsed.csv and KB links still work.
  5. Publish using the deployment process taught in Lesson 3.
  6. Open the live website in a fresh browser tab and verify the change.
If the live result looks wrong: stop. Do not make five more edits. Return to the last known-good version or ask AI/instructor to compare the changed file with the previous version.
Recovery

When something looks wrong

  1. Ask: “Is the problem with the data file, the webpage, or the live deployment?”
  2. Confirm the original file still exists in Google Drive.
  3. Do not rename or delete multiple files while troubleshooting.
  4. Write down the last thing you changed.
  5. If using AI, say: “Compare the current file to the previous working version. Do not change anything yet. Tell me what is different.”
Most important: preserving the Drive data matters more than making the webpage perfect today.
Routine

A simple monthly lead routine

  1. 15 minutes: open sources.csv and pick 3 sources.
  2. 15 minutes: collect specific projects / contractors.
  3. 15 minutes: qualify and add only the best leads to parsed.csv.
  4. 15 minutes: work the top five existing leads and update next actions.
Success is not “we searched a lot.” Success is a small ranked list with clear next actions and real outreach.

Return to Training HomeOpen sources.csvOpen parsed.csv