If your B2B sales team is tired of messy spreadsheets and wasted time chasing the wrong leads, you’re not alone. Getting your leads into Referin the right way (and keeping them organized) is half the battle. This guide is for sales managers, SDRs, and anyone who actually has to use the CRM day-to-day. I’m skipping the fluff—here’s how to import and segment leads in Referin without drowning in chaos.
1. Why Your Import and Segmentation Process Matters
Let’s be real: garbage in, garbage out. If you start with a messy lead list and a lazy import, you’ll end up with duplicate contacts, missing info, and a CRM nobody trusts. Segmenting is what keeps you from spamming everyone with the same pitch (and getting ignored). Do this part well, and you’ll spend more time talking to the right people.
Pro tip: If you’re inheriting a CRM full of junk, it’s worth cleaning house before you import anything new.
2. Prep Your Lead Data Before Importing
Don’t just grab a CSV and hope for the best. Take 20 minutes to clean up your data before you touch Referin. Here’s how:
- Standardize columns: Make sure your CSV columns match what Referin expects—things like “First Name,” “Last Name,” “Email,” “Company,” “Phone,” etc. If you’re not sure, check Referin’s import template or help docs.
- Remove duplicates: Filter for duplicate emails or company names. Even if Referin can spot some dups, you’ll want to fix obvious ones ahead of time.
- Fill in the gaps: Blank “Company” or “Email” fields? Fix what you can. If you’re missing critical info, decide if those leads are even worth importing.
- Format consistently: Phone numbers, job titles, and anything else that could be written 10 different ways—pick one format and stick to it.
- Tag or categorize in advance: If you already know how you want to segment (e.g., industry, region, deal size), add a column for it now. It’ll save you hassle later.
What to ignore: Don’t waste time filling out every possible field. Focus on what you’ll actually use for outreach or reporting.
3. Importing Leads into Referin: Step-by-Step
Importing into Referin isn’t rocket science, but there are a few things to watch for:
Step 1: Choose the Right Import Method
- CSV Upload: Most teams use this. It’s straightforward and fast.
- Integration: If you’re pulling from LinkedIn, a previous CRM, or something fancy, Referin might offer native integrations or third-party connectors. Use these if you want to automate future imports.
- Manual Entry: Only use this for the occasional one-off lead. Otherwise, you’ll waste hours typing.
Step 2: Map Your Fields Carefully
Referin will try to match your CSV columns to its lead fields. Double-check that everything lines up:
- Make sure “Email” is mapped to “Email,” not “Notes” or “Description.”
- If you created custom fields in your CSV (like “Lead Source” or “Vertical”), map them to custom fields in Referin.
- Ignore fields you don’t need. More fields = more places for data to go stale.
Pro tip: If Referin asks if you want to create new tags or segments on import, say yes if you know you’ll use them. But don’t create a new segment for every tiny difference—keep it simple.
Step 3: Review and Confirm
- Preview: Most CRMs (Referin included) let you review what will be imported. Scan for glaring errors—missing names, weird formatting, or dozens of “Unknown” companies.
- Test with a small batch: Don’t import all 10,000 leads at once. Start with 20-50, check how they look, then do the rest.
- Check for duplicates: If Referin flags potential dups, resolve them now. Otherwise, you’ll be cleaning up for weeks.
What to ignore: Don’t overthink the import process itself. If your data is clean, the actual import is mostly about not clicking “OK” too fast.
4. Segmenting Leads for Better Outreach
Segmentation isn’t just for marketing lists. For sales, it’s how you avoid treating all leads the same—and how you spot the best opportunities.
What Makes a Good Segment?
- Actionable: You can actually use it to tailor your approach (e.g., “SaaS companies with >50 employees,” not “People I met at that one conference”).
- Relevant to your sales process: Segments should help you prioritize, personalize, or decide who gets which campaigns.
- Stable, but not static: You don’t need to change segments every month, but don’t be afraid to tweak them if they stop being useful.
Common Segmentation Strategies
- Industry or vertical: Easiest way to split up a big list.
- Company size: SMB vs. mid-market vs. enterprise customers.
- Region or territory: For sales teams working different geographies.
- Lead source: Where did this lead come from—webinar, referral, inbound demo, cold outbound?
- Deal stage or fit score: Use Referin’s fields or your own scoring logic.
What to skip: Don’t create segments so granular you can’t remember what they mean. “West Coast FinTech Startups with 11-20 Employees and Purple Logos” is overkill.
5. Tagging vs. Segmenting: Don’t Overcomplicate It
Referin usually lets you use both tags and segments (or lists). Here’s how to keep it sane:
- Segments are for core groups you want to work with differently (“APAC SaaS,” “Enterprise Prospects”).
- Tags are for details that might matter now and then (“2024 Summit Attendee,” “Needs Follow-Up”).
- Don’t tag every lead with everything. If you have more tags than leads, you’re doing it wrong.
Pro tip: Agree as a team on a short list of tags and what they mean. Nothing kills productivity like arguing over whether “Webinar-2024” or “2024-Webinar” is the “official” tag.
6. Keeping Your Data Clean After Import
Even if your first import is spotless, things will get messy fast unless you set some ground rules.
- Deduplicate regularly: Block off time each month to merge duplicates or delete junk.
- Update segments: Leads change jobs, companies get acquired, new verticals emerge. Refresh your segments at least quarterly.
- Train your team: Make sure everyone knows how to add leads, update info, and use tags/segments the same way. Consistency beats fancy features.
- Spot-check reports: If you see weird spikes or empty segments, dig in. Better to catch errors early.
What to ignore: Don’t get sucked into “data hygiene” rabbit holes. If a field isn’t helping you close deals or prioritize work, it can wait.
7. Common Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
- Importing without cleaning first: You’ll spend twice as long fixing it later.
- Over-segmenting: If you need a spreadsheet to track your segments, they’re too complicated.
- Ignoring duplicates: One “Acme Corp” in New York and another in San Francisco? Merge them unless they’re actually different clients.
- Letting the CRM become a dumping ground: Only import leads you’re actually going to work. Old lists from 2018 aren’t doing you any favors.
8. Pro Tips for B2B Teams Using Referin
- Automate what you can: If you’re regularly importing from certain sources, set up integrations or use Zapier (if Referin supports it).
- Track what matters: Don’t get distracted by vanity fields (“Favorite Snack”). Stick to info that helps close deals.
- Iterate: Your first segmentation scheme won’t be perfect. Adjust as you go, and don’t be afraid to delete segments or tags that aren’t helping.
Keep It Simple—And Keep Moving
The best import and segmentation setup is one your team actually uses. Don’t get bogged down in overthinking every detail. Start with the basics, clean your data, and use segments that make sense for your sales process. As your team grows (or your priorities change), adjust your approach—but always keep it simple and practical. The goal isn’t a “perfect” CRM; it’s a system that helps you find, work, and close the right leads, faster.