Prompt Chain: BD Research → Outreach → Qualification → Submittal

What This Builds

A 5-step prompt chain that takes a target company as input and produces: market research summary → personalized BD email → intake call question set → candidate submittal template → client pipeline update email. Each step uses the output of the previous one, so you build context progressively rather than starting from scratch at each stage.

Prerequisites

• Claude Pro account ($20/month) — the chain works best with a Project configured for your desk
• A Claude Project set up for your agency (see Level 4 guide: "Claude Project: Build a Persistent Full-Desk Recruiting Assistant")
• A target company or active client to test on

The Concept

A prompt chain is like an assembly line where each step processes what the previous step produced. In recruiting, this means: instead of writing a BD email with no context → writing an intake framework with no context → writing a submittal with no context (three isolated prompts), you build one flowing context document — each prompt reads what came before it and adds to it.

The result: your intake questions are based on the BD research. Your submittal template is based on the intake structure. Your pipeline update is based on all of the above. Everything connects, and you don't repeat yourself.

Build It Step by Step

Part 1: The Research Step

This is the foundation. Open your Claude Project (or a new Claude chat) and run the research prompt:

Prompt 1 — Company Research:

I'm an agency recruiter targeting [Company Name], a [describe: regional bank / mid-size manufacturer / healthcare system] in [City/Market]. They are currently hiring a [Role they're posting, or "multiple roles in [function]" if you've observed general hiring activity].

Summarize what I should know before making a BD call:
1. What type of company this is (size estimate, industry position, culture signals if any)
2. What their likely hiring pain points are for this role type
3. What my agency's strongest selling points are for this type of company and role
4. What questions I should lead with to qualify whether this is a good fit for us

Keep it under 200 words — I need a quick brief, not a report.

What you get: A 200-word company brief that gives you the context to make an informed, non-generic outreach.

Part 2: The BD Email Step

Using the research output, build the email:

Prompt 2 — BD Email:

Based on the company brief above, write a 4-sentence cold email from me to the [likely title of hiring manager: CFO, VP of Operations, HR Director] at [Company Name].

Reference their current search for [Role] specifically. Explain why our agency is a better fit for this role than a generalist agency (based on our specialization in [your niche]). End with a soft ask for a 10-minute call. Under 100 words total.

What you get: A referenced, specific BD email ready to send — built on the research you just ran.

Part 3: The Intake Framework Step

After the BD email gets a response and you book an intake call, build your intake framework:

Prompt 3 — Intake Call Questions:

We've landed an intake call with [Company Name] for a [Role] search. Based on the company brief and what we know about this type of role, generate 15 intake call questions I should ask.

Organize them in this order:
1. First 5: Qualification questions (must-haves vs. nice-to-haves, timeline, internal candidates)
2. Next 5: Process questions (decision-making, feedback speed, interview format)
3. Final 5: Relationship questions (previous search experience, what went wrong before, who else they're talking to)

Flag any questions that might be sensitive or that I should ask toward the end of the call when rapport is established.

What you get: A structured intake framework that uncovers the information most recruiters miss on the first call.

Part 4: The Submittal Template Step

Once you have your intake notes and begin screening candidates, build a custom submittal template for this specific search:

Prompt 4 — Custom Submittal Template:

Based on the intake notes from the [Company Name] call (summarized below), create a candidate submittal template for this specific search. The template should:
- Lead with the 2 qualification factors the client said matter most: [paste key requirements from intake]
- Include a section on [specific concern they raised, e.g., "the candidate's ability to manage through a system conversion"]
- Format: 3 paragraphs (qualification match → specific fit factors → logistics/availability)

[Paste your intake summary here]

Make the template fillable — use [brackets] where I'll insert candidate-specific information.

What you get: A search-specific submittal template that's tailored to what this client actually cares about — not a generic format.

Part 5: The Pipeline Update Step

After submitting candidates, build your weekly update:

Prompt 5 — Client Pipeline Update:

Write a weekly pipeline update email to [Contact Name] at [Company Name] for the [Role] search.

Status:
- [Paste your current pipeline status: who was submitted, interview status, pending feedback, any changes]

Tone: confident and proactive. Lead with whatever progress is most positive. Be direct about any bottlenecks. Close with a specific ask. Under 200 words.

What you get: A professional pipeline update built from the context accumulated across all 5 steps — the client name, role, and their priorities are all already established.

Real Example: Healthcare System CFO Search

Starting point: A 220-bed regional hospital system is posting a CFO search on LinkedIn. You specialize in healthcare executive search.

Chain execution:

Step 1 (Research): Claude produces a brief on the health system — 220-bed rural system, likely CHRO or CEO is the decision-maker, common pain points at this size include limited internal finance bench and board pressure on margin, your firm's value is specific healthcare CFO network.

Step 2 (BD email): Claude drafts: "Hi [Name] — I noticed [Health System] is searching for a CFO. Our firm placed CFO-level finance executives at 4 regional health systems in the past 18 months, two at systems your size. Would 10 minutes to discuss your search be worthwhile?" — 38 words, specific, positioned.

Step 3 (Intake questions): Claude generates 15 questions including: "What led to the opening?" "What did previous finance leadership do well vs. where did they fall short?" "How involved is the board in the final hiring decision?" — questions that surface deal-breakers most recruiters miss.

Step 4 (Submittal template): Claude creates a CFO-specific template that leads with P&L scope, includes a health system transformation paragraph, and ends with relocation flexibility language — because the intake revealed the client is open to national search.

Step 5 (Pipeline update): 5 weeks in, Claude drafts an update email that references the two candidates still under consideration, acknowledges the delay in feedback with a confident explanation, and closes by requesting specific availability for final-round interviews.

Time saved: Each prompt takes 60–90 seconds. The chain builds a complete search file — research, outreach, intake prep, submittal template, and client communication — in about 10 minutes of Claude interaction. Manual equivalent: 3–5 hours across the lifecycle.

What to Do When It Breaks

• Chain loses context between steps → If you're running steps in separate Claude conversations, paste the prior output at the start of each new prompt. Or run the entire chain in one continuous conversation within your Claude Project.
• Submittal template is too generic → Your intake notes weren't specific enough. Go back to Step 4 and paste in more specifics from the intake: exact language the client used about the role, specific examples they gave, any deal-breakers they mentioned.
• BD email doesn't reference anything specific → Add more detail to the company research in Step 1. The email is only as specific as the research that precedes it.
• Pipeline updates feel robotic → Add a sentence to your Step 5 prompt: "Write in a warm, professional tone — this is a relationship communication, not a report."

Variations

• Simpler version: Run Steps 1 and 2 only (research → BD email). Start with the 2-step chain and add steps as you get comfortable.
• Extended version: Add a Step 0 before research: "Find me 5 companies in [market] that are actively hiring [role type] based on current job posting activity." Claude (with web access or Claude.ai's research features) can help build your prospecting list before you begin the chain.

What to Do Next

• This week: Run the full chain on one active BD target. Compare the quality and specificity of your outreach and intake prep vs. your normal process.
• This month: Build the chain into your weekly workflow for all new client prospects. Save the output from each step in a client folder for reference.
• Advanced: Combine this chain with your Claude Project (Level 4) — the project's context about your firm and clients makes every step in the chain more specific without additional prompting.

Advanced guide for agency recruiter professionals. These techniques use more sophisticated AI features that may require paid subscriptions.