If you’re managing B2B contacts, you already know: messy data is a headache. Importing contacts into a system like Clutch can feel like herding cats—especially if you’ve inherited spreadsheets from a dozen sales reps, all with their own “systems.” And segmentation? It’s the difference between a targeted campaign and just blasting everyone with the same pitch.
This guide is for real B2B teams who want a clean, useful contact database in Clutch—without wasting hours on busywork or falling for “AI magic” claims. We’ll cut through the noise and show what actually works, what to skip, and how to keep things simple.
1. Get Your Source Data in Order First
Don’t import junk. If you dump a messy spreadsheet into Clutch, you’ll have an even bigger mess on your hands—now in two places.
What works: - Start with one source file. Centralize your contacts into a single spreadsheet. Don’t try to merge in Clutch—do it in Excel or Google Sheets first. - Standardize your columns. Make sure every row has the same columns: First Name, Last Name, Email, Company, Phone, etc. - Deduplicate by email. Email is usually the unique identifier. Use your spreadsheet’s “Remove duplicates” tool. If you have multiple emails per contact, pick the best one. - Fill in missing data, if you can. Don’t stress about perfection, but if you’re missing company names or job titles for half your list, it’s worth a quick round of cleanup.
What doesn’t matter: - Fancy color-coding or custom spreadsheet formatting. Clutch only cares about the raw data.
Pro tip:
If you have contacts in multiple tools (like LinkedIn, HubSpot, or your inbox), export all of them first. Merge, dedupe, and clean before you ever touch Clutch.
2. Map Your Fields to Clutch’s Data Structure
Clutch isn’t going to magically guess that “Work Phone” means “Phone Number.” You need to match your spreadsheet columns to Clutch’s fields.
Best practices: - Download Clutch’s sample import template. It’ll show you exactly what fields the system expects. - Rename your columns to match. This saves time during import and reduces mapping mistakes. - Decide on custom fields now. If you want to track something unique (like “Lead Source” or “Contract Renewal Date”), set up those custom fields in Clutch before importing.
What to ignore: - Don’t bother importing columns you’ll never use. If nobody cares about “Fax Number,” leave it out.
Watch out for: - Date formats. Clutch might expect YYYY-MM-DD, but your sheet may have MM/DD/YYYY. Standardize before uploading. - Multi-select fields. If you want to tag contacts with multiple industries or products, check how Clutch handles that—sometimes you need to separate values with commas or semicolons.
3. Run a Test Import (Seriously, Do This)
Don’t skip this. Importing 5,000 contacts and then realizing you swapped “First Name” and “Last Name” is a pain to fix.
How to run a test: - Import a sample file with 10-20 rows. - Check how the data looks in Clutch—are all the fields in the right place? Did anything get mangled? - Look for weird formatting (like phone numbers with extra characters) or missing info.
If something’s off: - Delete the test batch in Clutch, fix your spreadsheet, and try again. It’s a lot easier to clean up 20 records than 5,000.
4. Import in Manageable Batches
Unless you absolutely trust your data, don’t try to import everything at once.
Why batches work: - Easier to spot errors early. - You can segment by source (e.g., “Trade Show List,” “Website Leads”) from the get-go. - If something goes wrong, you’re not stuck cleaning up a giant mess.
How to batch: - Break your master sheet into logical chunks—by acquisition source, segment, or even alphabetically. - Import each batch and tag it accordingly. Use Clutch’s tagging or custom field features to note the batch/source.
Pro tip:
Use a “Source” field for every contact. You’ll thank yourself when you want to see which lists are actually generating revenue.
5. Segment Intentionally—Not Just for the Sake of It
Segmentation is only useful if it helps you work smarter. Don’t overthink it, but don’t skip it, either.
What works: - Start simple: Company size, industry, and deal stage are usually enough for B2B teams. - Use tags for flexible grouping: Tag contacts by event (“2024 Summit”), product interest, or key account lists. Tags are easy to add and search. - Build segments that match your workflows: If your sales process is regional, segment by geography. If you focus on renewals, segment by contract end date.
What doesn’t work: - Over-segmenting. If nobody ever filters by “Favorite Snack,” don’t bother tracking it. - Rigid lists. Clutch’s filtering and tagging are flexible—take advantage of that instead of hard-coding everything in custom fields.
Pro tip:
Ask the team how they actually want to slice the data. Build around real use cases, not what looks good in a dashboard.
6. Set Up Ongoing Data Hygiene
One-time imports are easy. Keeping data clean is the hard part.
What to do: - Decide who owns data quality. Someone needs to be in charge of fixing bad records, merging duplicates, and deleting junk. - Schedule regular cleanups. Once a quarter (or even monthly), review new contacts for typos, missing info, or outdated emails. - Train the team. Make sure everyone adding contacts to Clutch knows the required fields and naming conventions.
Skip this: - Relying on “AI deduplication” or automatic data cleaning. These tools miss things, and sometimes make things worse. Use them as helpers, not as your only line of defense.
7. Don’t Fall for the “Import Everything” Trap
It’s tempting to bring in every contact you’ve ever collected. Resist. Old, dead leads just clog up your system and make reporting messy.
Ask yourself: - Will anyone ever call or email this contact again? - Is this company still in business? - Does this record have any useful info, or is it just an email scraped from a webinar four years ago?
If the answer is “no,” leave it out. You can always add more later, but it’s much harder to clean up a bloated, useless database.
8. Use Clutch’s Native Tools—But Don’t Overcomplicate
Clutch has bells and whistles for tagging, custom fields, and views. Use them—but only if they make your life easier.
Recommended: - Tags for ad hoc groupings. - Saved views for common filters (like “Key Accounts” or “Open Opportunities”). - Custom fields for things your team actually tracks.
Skip (unless you really need it): - Building complex automations before you’re comfortable with the basics. - Overly nested custom field structures that nobody understands.
Pro tip:
Start simple. You can always add complexity later, but unwinding a tangled setup wastes time.
9. Keep Documentation Simple (and Accessible)
A one-page “how we do contacts in Clutch” doc goes a long way. Make sure everyone knows: - Which fields are required - Naming conventions (e.g., “Acme Corp.” vs “Acme Corporation”) - How to tag and segment contacts - Who to ask if something goes sideways
Skip the 40-page SOP. Nobody reads those anyway.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Clean, Keep It Simple
Importing and segmenting contacts in Clutch shouldn’t be a multi-week project or an exercise in frustration. Start with clean, usable data. Map your fields carefully. Run a test import. Use segmentation that matches real workflows, not what a consultant thinks is “best practice.” And don’t try to automate everything from day one—get the basics right, and build from there.
The best systems are the ones people actually use. Keep it simple. Iterate as you go. And remember: a little maintenance beats a giant overhaul every time.