If you’re dealing with contact lists in Revenoid, you already know the pain: messy spreadsheets, duplicates, fields that never line up, and the nagging sense that your segments aren’t as sharp as they should be. This guide is for anyone who wants to actually use their contact data, not just dump it into another system and hope for the best. Whether you’re in sales, marketing, or just got handed the “import the list” job, here’s how to do it right—without wasting a week or losing your mind.
1. Get Your List in Shape Before You Touch Revenoid
I’ll be blunt: no amount of fancy software will fix a garbage contact list. Before you even log into Revenoid, take some time to clean and prep your data. Here’s what matters:
- Consistent column names. Don’t mix “First Name” and “FName.” Pick one and stick with it across all your lists.
- No merged cells. Revenoid (and pretty much every CRM) hates these. Every row should be a single record.
- No empty rows or columns. These trip up imports and lead to weird errors.
- One contact per row. Obvious, but people still paste multiple emails in the same field. Don’t.
- Emails are unique. Duplicates will either get skipped or create headaches later.
Pro tip: If you’re merging lists, run a quick “Remove duplicates” in Excel or Google Sheets on the email column before importing.
2. Map Your Fields—Don’t Just Hope for the Best
Revenoid will try to guess where your data should go, but it’s not a mind reader. When you hit the import screen:
- Double-check every column mapping. Revenoid will match “Email” and “First Name” fine, but custom fields often get missed.
- Decide what’s important. Do you really need “Fax Number” or “Favorite Color”? More fields = more mess. Only import what you’ll actually use.
- Set up custom fields in Revenoid first. If you want to track stuff like “Account Tier” or “Lead Source,” create those fields in Revenoid before you import. Otherwise, you’ll end up with “Unmapped” data that goes nowhere.
What to ignore: Don’t get sucked into importing every scrap of data “just in case.” If you don’t plan to segment or personalize with it, leave it out.
3. Import in Small Batches (Especially the First Time)
Tempted to upload all 20,000 contacts at once? Don’t. Start with a test batch—maybe 10-50 records.
- You’ll spot mapping mistakes faster. It’s a lot easier to fix issues on 10 records than 10,000.
- It’s safer. If something goes wrong, you haven’t just polluted your whole database.
- You can test segment rules. Once a few real contacts are in, you can practice segmenting and see what works.
Once you’re confident, import the rest. If your list is huge, consider breaking it into a few batches anyway. Big uploads can time out or get flagged for spammy data.
4. Deal with Duplicates and Bad Data
Even after a careful import, junk slips through. Revenoid offers basic deduplication and error handling, but don’t expect miracles.
- Run deduplication after importing. Use Revenoid’s built-in tools to check for duplicates based on email or another unique field.
- Fix obvious errors. Blank names, missing emails, or “test@test.com” records? Nuke them.
- Watch out for special characters. Weird symbols or foreign characters can mess up segmenting and personalization. If you see “é” instead of “é,” you’ve got an encoding problem—fix it in your spreadsheet and re-import.
Pro tip: Make it a habit to spot-check your data after every import. If you see patterns (like “First Name: John Doe” and “Last Name: Smith” in the same row), fix your spreadsheet template.
5. Set Up Segments That Are Actually Useful
Now that your contacts are in Revenoid, you can start segmenting. But resist the urge to over-engineer your segments from the start.
Start Simple
Focus on the basics:
- Geography: Country, state, or city if you market regionally.
- Lifecycle stage: Lead, customer, past customer.
- Source: Where did they come from? (Event, website, referral, etc.)
- Engagement: Opened last email, clicked a link, never responded.
Build Segments in Revenoid
- Use filters, not guesswork. Revenoid’s segment builder lets you filter by any field—stick to the fields you trust.
- Combine filters sparingly. The more complex your rules, the more likely you’ll miss people or have empty lists.
- Name segments clearly. “2024 Webinar Attendees – California” is better than “List 5.”
What doesn’t work: Micro-segments with only a handful of people. If a segment has fewer than 20 contacts, you’re probably overdoing it. Focus on segments big enough to matter, but not so broad that they’re meaningless.
Keep Segments Updated
- Set segments to auto-update. Revenoid can keep dynamic segments fresh based on your rules. No need to rebuild every week.
- Audit segments monthly. Check if contacts are falling through the cracks or if your criteria need a tweak.
6. Don’t Ignore Compliance (Seriously)
It’s tempting to just import every email you can find, but that’s a great way to get your emails flagged as spam or run into legal issues.
- Have permission. Only import people who’ve actually opted in, especially if you’re emailing them.
- Honor unsubscribes. Revenoid should keep track of this, but double-check that you’re not re-adding people who’ve opted out.
- Document your sources. If you ever get questioned, you’ll want to know where each contact came from.
Skip the shortcuts: Don’t buy lists. They’re almost always more trouble than they’re worth, full of bad data, and likely to harm your sender reputation.
7. Set Up a Routine for Future Imports
The first import is the hardest, but you’ll need a process for the next time:
- Standardize your spreadsheet template. Save a “master” version with the right headers and fields.
- Keep a changelog. Note when you import, what list it was, and any issues. This helps when troubleshooting later.
- Automate if you can. Revenoid may support integrations or Zapier-style automations to cut out manual uploads. Use them if your data source is consistent and clean.
8. What to Do When Things Go Wrong
Let’s be real—imports break, segments get weird, and sometimes you have to start over.
- Don’t panic. Most mistakes are fixable. Worst case, delete the bad import and start fresh.
- Ask for help. Revenoid’s support is decent, but you’ll get better answers if you can show exactly where things went sideways (screenshots help).
- Document your fixes. If you had to clean up a field or re-map something, write it down for next time.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
You don’t need a PhD in data science or a 50-field spreadsheet to get value from Revenoid. A clean list, a few smart segments, and a habit of spot-checking your data go a long way. Start simple, see what works, and tweak as you go. Most importantly, remember: a smaller, well-segmented list beats a giant, messy one every time.