Confirm you have the right business
Start with the business name, website and location. Similar names and multiple trading brands can make a result look more relevant than it is. Open the website and confirm that it describes the organisation you mean to assess.
Check whether the business is active and whether the public pages still reflect its current offer. A directory entry may be old. Prefer the organisation’s own pages when they are available, while keeping the source and date visible.
Separate fit from opportunity
Fit means the business resembles the customer you can serve. Opportunity is a specific reason your work might help. A company can fit your market and still have no clear need for your service today.
Ask what evidence supports the proposed opening angle. If the angle relies on an assumption about performance, budget or intent, treat it as a question rather than a fact.
Look for disqualifying details
Read enough of the site to see where the match could be wrong. A service may already be provided in-house, a location may fall outside your reach, or the target customer may be different from the one you expected. Disqualifying a weak match saves attention.
Choose a small next step
Your next step might be more research, a note for a colleague, or deciding to leave the business alone. Keep the result, your reasoning and the source evidence together. Handraise prepares research and assets; it does not contact a prospect for you.
Fit is not a promise
An example accounting firm operates in your target region and offers advisory services. That supports a market fit. It does not establish that the firm wants a new website, has approved a budget, or is ready to change providers.
From a website to a considered shortlist
Public evidence
The business offers a service you understand.
A relevant observation
Its project pages could explain the work more clearly.
A question to check
Does improving those pages matter to this business now?
Illustrative process. Review public evidence and your own circumstances.
Illustrative review process. This does not represent a real prospect or customer outcome.
Before you move on
- Confirm identity and current website
- Read the fit explanation
- Check the opening angle against sources
- Record the reason for your next step
Public information can be incomplete or out of date. Check sources and your own circumstances before acting. This guide explains a review process; it does not guarantee a result.