If you’re in B2B sales, you know the grind: endless prospecting, manual data entry, chasing down info that should’ve been in one place. Everyone promises “automation,” but most tools either overcomplicate things or break the moment a website changes layout. If you’re tired of the hype and just want a working system, this guide’s for you.
Below, I’ll walk you through how to set up automated lead generation workflows using Zenrows. I’ll flag what’s actually useful, what’s not worth your time, and how to avoid the classic pitfalls. No fluff—just a clear path to more leads with less busywork.
Why bother automating lead generation?
Manual lead gen isn’t just tedious—it’s error-prone and eats up hours you’ll never get back. If you’re still copying data from websites or LinkedIn by hand, you’re losing to competitors who let software do the heavy lifting.
Automating lead generation means: - Consistent results (no more missed leads from getting distracted or tired) - Scalability (pull 10 or 10,000 leads with the same workflow) - More time for actual selling (instead of data entry)
Still, automation isn’t magic. It takes some upfront work, and you’ll need to tweak things as targets move. But set up right, it’s a game-changer.
What is Zenrows and why use it?
Zenrows is a web scraping platform that lets you extract data from websites without wrestling with proxies, CAPTCHAs, or brittle code. Unlike DIY scraping tools, Zenrows is built to handle the ugly stuff—blocking, anti-bot protections, constant site changes—so you can focus on what matters: getting clean data.
Good fits for Zenrows: - Pulling company or contact info from directories, listings, or competitors’ client pages - Automating repetitive research (think conference attendee lists, startup databases, etc.) - Integrating scraped data with your CRM or workflow tools
Not so great: - Real-time, high-frequency scraping (you’ll run into limits or get blocked) - Sites with really aggressive anti-bot measures (think LinkedIn or Facebook at scale—these are a pain for everyone)
Step 1: Map out your ideal leads
Before you touch any tools, get specific about what you want to collect. “More leads” isn’t a plan; “VPs of Marketing at SaaS companies with 50-200 employees in the US” is.
Questions to answer: - What websites or sources have the info you need? - What specific data fields matter? (Name, title, email, company size, etc.) - How often does the data change?
Pro tip: Start with a smaller, representative sample. Don’t aim to scrape the entire internet on day one. It’s easier to scale up than to fix a broken, bloated workflow.
Step 2: Identify your data sources
Zenrows works best with sites that: - List contacts, companies, or leads in a structured way (think tables, lists, or profiles) - Aren’t locked behind logins or paywalls (unless you have access and Zenrows supports authenticated scraping)
Where to look: - Industry directories - Event or conference attendee lists - Startup or funding databases - Niche forums or association member lists
What to avoid: - Social media sites with aggressive anti-scraping (LinkedIn, Facebook—unless you really know what you’re doing) - Sites that change their layout daily (you’ll spend more time fixing your workflow than collecting leads)
Step 3: Set up your Zenrows workflow
Now for the meat: actually using Zenrows to pull your leads.
3.1. Create a Zenrows account
Obvious, but you’ll need an account. Zenrows has a free trial if you want to kick the tires before committing. Make sure your plan fits your expected data volume.
3.2. Explore the site you want to scrape
- Open up the site in your browser.
- Right-click and choose “Inspect” to open DevTools. Look for the HTML structure: are names, emails, or company data consistently marked up?
- Make note of URLs, pagination patterns, and any quirks (like JavaScript-loaded content).
If the site uses infinite scroll or loads data dynamically, Zenrows can usually handle it—but check their docs for specifics.
3.3. Use the Zenrows API or Workflows UI
You’ve got two main options: - Zenrows Workflows UI: Great for non-coders. You can point, click, and define what data to grab from each page. - Zenrows API: If you’re comfortable with Python or JavaScript, the API gives you more control and is easier to integrate with other tools.
Example: Pulling company names and emails from a directory
- Set up a new workflow in the Zenrows UI.
- Enter the URL(s) you want to scrape.
- Use the point-and-click selector to identify the fields you want: name, email, company, etc. Test with a single page first.
- Set up pagination if needed (tell Zenrows how to find the “next page” button or link).
- Run the workflow on a handful of pages to check the output.
Pro tip: Don’t go straight to 10,000 pages. Start small and spot-check for errors or missing fields.
Step 4: Clean and validate your data
No matter how good the tool, scraped data is rarely perfect. Expect: - Missing fields or inconsistent info - Duplicate entries - Weird formatting (think “John Smith, CEO” in one field, “Smith, John” in another)
What to do: - Use spreadsheet tools (Excel, Google Sheets) or scripts to clean up names, emails, and companies. - Deduplicate based on email or URL. - Run emails through a validation service if you plan to contact people (nothing burns your domain reputation faster than bouncing a bunch of cold emails).
Ignore: Obsessing over perfection. You’ll always have a few junk records—don’t let it slow you down.
Step 5: Integrate with your sales workflow
Getting leads is pointless if they just sit in a spreadsheet.
Options: - Manual upload: Download CSV from Zenrows, import into your CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, etc.). Quick and easy. - Automated integration: Use Zapier, Make (formerly Integromat), or a custom script to push leads directly from Zenrows to your CRM or outreach tool. - Custom scripts: If you’ve got dev chops, the Zenrows API can send data wherever you want.
Be careful: Don’t blast cold emails at scraped leads without research or warming up your domain. B2B buyers are savvy—they know a mass email when they see one.
Step 6: Monitor, adjust, and don’t get greedy
Websites change. Anti-bot measures improve. Assume your workflow will break at some point.
How to stay ahead: - Set a calendar reminder to check your workflow monthly. - Keep sample outputs from each run to spot changes quickly. - Be ready to tweak selectors or settings if data starts missing or errors pop up.
What not to do: - Don’t hammer a site with thousands of requests per minute. You’ll get blocked, and Zenrows (or your own IP) might get blacklisted. - Don’t try to automate every single part—sometimes a quick manual review saves hours of debugging.
What works, what doesn’t, and what to skip
Works well: - Structured directories and listings - Conference, event, or association lists - Tech startup or funding databases
Struggles: - Social media scraping at scale (especially LinkedIn) - Sites with daily layout changes or hidden content
Ignore the hype: - “One-click” lead gen promises—there’s always some setup and maintenance. - Claims of 100% accuracy—scraped data needs review.
Keeping it simple: Start small, iterate, and focus on quality
You don’t need to automate everything overnight. Start with a single, reliable source. Build a small workflow in Zenrows, clean up the output, and see how it fits into your sales process. Once it’s working, scale up or add more sources.
Remember: The best automation is the kind you don’t have to think about. Keep it simple, check your results, and tweak as you go. The less time you spend wrangling tools, the more time you’ve got for what matters—actually closing deals.