If you’ve ever opened your CRM and found six versions of the same contact—different spellings, missing info, slightly tweaked job titles—you’re not alone. Duplicate contacts waste time, confuse sales, and make reporting a joke. Whether you’re in sales ops, marketing, or just the person who got stuck cleaning the database, this guide is for you.
There are lots of tools that promise to “magically” fix duplicates. Most aren’t magic, and some just make a mess. But Dropcontact actually does a solid job if you know what you’re doing. Here’s how to keep it simple, make the most of Dropcontact, and avoid the common traps.
Why Duplicate Contacts Are a Bigger Problem Than You Think
Before we get into the steps, a reality check:
- Duplicates kill productivity. Salespeople waste time figuring out which record is right.
- Automation breaks down. Email sequences, lead scoring, and reporting all go sideways when your data’s a mess.
- You look sloppy. Sending the same email twice to one person never helped a deal.
Ignoring duplicates isn’t just annoying—it undercuts your whole CRM investment.
Step 1: Get Clear on What Counts as a Duplicate
Not all duplicates are obvious. Sometimes it’s literally the same name and email. Other times, it’s “John Smith” at “Acme Inc” and “Jonathan Smith” at “Acme.” Decide upfront what you mean by a duplicate:
- Exact matches: Same email, same name—easy.
- Fuzzy matches: Nicknames, typos, same company with different spellings.
- Partial data: One record has a phone number, another has a job title.
Pro tip: Write down your “rules” for what counts as a duplicate. You’ll need this for Dropcontact settings and for explaining to your team why some contacts got merged.
Step 2: Back Up Your CRM (Seriously, Don’t Skip This)
Before you touch anything, export your contacts. Every CRM has export features—use them. Store that file somewhere safe.
- Why back up? If Dropcontact merges the wrong records or deletes something you need, you’re not stuck.
- What to export? All contact fields, not just emails and names. Custom fields matter too.
Don’t trust any tool (including Dropcontact) to be perfect. Backups are your insurance policy.
Step 3: Clean Up the Worst Junk First
Dropcontact works best when you give it a fighting chance. If your CRM is a landfill of test contacts, totally blank records, or obvious spam, get rid of those before running any deduplication.
- Filter by contacts missing emails or names—delete them.
- Remove test records (“Mickey Mouse” isn’t helping anyone).
- Archive contacts you know are outdated or bounced.
You’ll save processing time and avoid Dropcontact wasting merges on garbage.
Step 4: Connect Dropcontact to Your CRM
Dropcontact integrates with major CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive. The setup process is usually straightforward—just follow their connection guide.
A few things to double-check: - Make sure you have admin or proper permissions, or Dropcontact won’t be able to update records. - Check which fields Dropcontact can access, especially if you use lots of custom fields. - Set up in a test environment or sandbox if you can. If not, be extra careful with your backup.
What doesn’t work: Don’t expect Dropcontact to clean up custom objects or weird data structures outside standard contacts and companies.
Step 5: Configure Dropcontact’s Deduplication Settings
Here’s where your definition of a duplicate matters. Dropcontact lets you set matching rules:
- Strict matching: Use for emails—these should be unique.
- Fuzzy matching: Enable for names and companies to catch typos, “Inc.” vs “LLC,” etc.
- Field mapping: Make sure Dropcontact understands where your data lives (especially if you’ve renamed fields).
Stuff to ignore: Don’t get too clever with advanced settings unless you really know your data. Overly aggressive rules can merge contacts that shouldn’t be merged. Start conservative.
Step 6: Run a Test Deduplication
Always start with a small batch. Pick a tiny segment of your database—one sales team, or just a few hundred contacts.
- Run Dropcontact’s dedupe on this test group.
- Review the merge suggestions before approving anything.
- Look for false positives (contacts that shouldn’t be merged) and false negatives (duplicates that Dropcontact missed).
If things look off: Adjust your rules and try again. This is where most people get frustrated, but it’s worth spending time here.
Step 7: Roll Out Deduplication Across the Whole Database
Once you’re happy with test results, go bigger. Don’t try to do your entire CRM at once if you’ve got tens of thousands of contacts—break it into chunks.
- Run Dropcontact in batches and review each batch.
- Have someone double-check merges for high-value contacts (big accounts, C-levels).
- If Dropcontact flags a “possible” duplicate but you’re not sure, it’s better to skip merging than to risk losing key info.
Step 8: Review and Fix Merge Collisions
Even the best tools miss stuff or get it wrong. After you merge:
- Spot-check merged records. Look for lost info, weird field combinations, or notes that got mashed together.
- Restore anything you need from your backup.
- Update your deduplication rules if you spot patterns (like “CEO” vs “Chief Executive Officer” not matching).
What doesn’t work: Don’t trust the tool to be perfect. No software “just knows”—human review is part of the deal, especially for contacts that matter.
Step 9: Fill in the Gaps
Dropcontact isn’t just for deduping—it can also enrich data (think missing job titles, emails, LinkedIn profiles). After cleaning, run Dropcontact’s enrichment to fill out incomplete records.
- Set enrichment to update only empty fields, so you don’t overwrite good data.
- Prioritize filling gaps on your most valuable contacts first.
But: Don’t obsess over having every last field complete. Focus on what you’ll actually use.
Step 10: Set Up Ongoing Deduplication (Without Losing Your Mind)
Cleaning once isn’t enough. New duplicates pop up every week as your team adds contacts.
- Schedule regular deduplication runs (monthly or quarterly).
- Train your team on data entry basics—don’t rely only on Dropcontact.
- Keep your deduplication rules updated as your CRM evolves.
What doesn’t work: One-and-done cleaning. If you wait a year between cleanups, you’re back to square one.
A Few Honest Limitations of Dropcontact
Dropcontact is solid, but not magic. Here’s what you need to know:
- No tool is perfect. Some duplicates slip through, and some merges will need manual review.
- Custom fields and weird data structures: If your CRM is heavily customized, expect some hiccups.
- International data: Names and companies in non-English languages can throw off fuzzy matching.
- Pricing: Dropcontact charges per processed contact, so huge databases can get expensive.
Use it as one part of your toolkit, not your only line of defense.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
The real trick to cleaning up CRM duplicates isn’t fancy settings or expensive tools—it’s doing the basics well and doing them regularly. Start small, review your results, and keep improving your process. Don’t get paralyzed by the idea of “perfect” data. Good enough, maintained consistently, beats “perfect” once a year.
Keep your rules straightforward, back up before you change things, and remember: clean data means less hassle for you and your team. That’s the real goal.