A new-business list is only useful if you work it the same way every day. The routine below takes about 45 minutes for 10 to 15 records, which is enough to build a commercial pipeline without taking over your day.
The 45-minute morning routine
- Sort (5 minutes). Skip holding companies and anything outside your appetite. Put trades, transportation, food service, and cleaning at the top.
- Research (15 minutes). For each record, spend a minute on the business name, city, and owner. Look for a website, a license, or a Google listing. Note one detail you can mention.
- Call (20 minutes). Call the top records first. Leave a voicemail when you do not reach them.
- Follow up (5 minutes). Send a short email to anyone you reached or left a voicemail for. Log every attempt in your CRM or sheet.
Opening script
"Hi, is this [owner first name]? This is [your name] with [agency] here in [city]. I saw [business name] registered with the state last week, congratulations. I work with a lot of new [trade] companies in [county], mostly getting their liability and workers' comp set up before the first big job. Is now a bad time, or do you have two minutes?"
Why it works: it names the business, gives an honest reason for the call, and asks permission. It does not pretend the owner requested a quote.
If they say they already have insurance
"Great, that's the right move. A lot of new owners set up a basic policy and find out later a GC or landlord needs different limits or additional insured wording. If that ever comes up, would it be okay if I sent you my number?"
If they are not ready yet
"Totally fair, most people call me a few weeks before they sign a lease or hire their first employee. When do you expect that to happen? I'll check back then."
Put the date in your calendar. A follow-up at the moment they sign a lease is worth more than five calls today.
Voicemail
"Hi [name], [your name] with [agency] in [city]. I saw [business name] just registered, congratulations. I help new [trade] businesses in [county] get their liability and workers' comp sorted before their first contract. My number is [number]. I'll also send a quick email. Thanks."
Follow-up email
Subject: [Business name] insurance setup
Hi [name],
I left you a quick voicemail. I saw [business name] registered in [county] and wanted to introduce myself. I help new [trade] businesses get the coverage their licenses, landlords, and customers ask for, usually in a day or two.
If you'd like a quote or just have a question, reply here or call me at [number].
[Signature]
Follow-up cadence
| Day | Touch |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Call, voicemail, and email |
| Day 3 | Second call at a different time of day |
| Day 8 | Final call and a short email with one useful tip |
| Day 30 | Check in if they told you a timeline |
Stop right away if someone asks you to. Keep a do-not-contact list and check it before every session.
Which days have the most new filings
New filings are published every state work day, but volume is not even across the week. Average new filings per day in the state's daily files, August 17 and October 9, 2026:
| Day | Average new filings statewide |
|---|---|
| Monday | 2,259 |
| Tuesday | 2,245 |
| Wednesday | 2,226 |
| Thursday | 2,013 |
| Friday | 1,791 |
Filing and publication are not the same day. A business filed Friday may appear in Monday's file, so work each day's list the morning you receive it.
Working the list in a spreadsheet
If you do not use a CRM, a shared Google Sheet works. Add four columns to the right of the delivered data: Status (new, called, voicemail, talked, quoted, not a fit), Next step, Date, and Notes. Sort by Status each morning so follow-ups come before new records.
FiledToday delivers each list by email with a Google Sheet or CSV, ready for these columns. See the format or get a free county sample.
Common questions
What should I say when cold calling a new business about insurance?
Say who you are, that you saw the business registered with the state, and one specific way you help businesses like theirs. Then ask for a short time to talk. Do not claim they need coverage by law unless you know it applies to them.
When is the best time to call a newly registered business?
Within the first two weeks after the filing, and during business hours. Florida's telemarketing law limits commercial solicitation calls to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time and no more than three calls in 24 hours on the same subject, and those limits apply to insurance agents too.
How many times should I follow up with a new business?
A common cadence is a call and voicemail on day one, an email the same day, a second call two or three days later, and a final call and email about a week after that. Stop immediately if the owner asks you to.
Which days have the most new Florida business filings?
In the state's daily files between August 17 and October 9, 2026, Monday had the most new filings on average and Friday had the fewest.
Updated October 12, 2026 · By Ben Thalmann, founder of FiledToday