If you're working with B2B leads, you know the drill: bad data wastes time, and clunky tools make things even worse. This guide is for sales and marketing folks who want to get leads into Withlantern without headaches—and actually get value out of segmentation, not just busywork. We'll cover what works, what trips teams up, and how to keep your import and segmentation process simple, clean, and easy to maintain.
1. Get Your Lead Data in Shape Before Importing
First things first—don’t just grab a CSV and hope for the best. Most problems with CRMs start with messy data. Here’s what to check before you even touch Withlantern:
- Standardize field names: Make sure "Company Name" isn’t sometimes "company," "Organization," or "Firm." Pick one and stick to it.
- Check for duplicates: Tools like Excel’s “Remove Duplicates” or Google Sheets’ “Unique” can help. Duplicates are the enemy—sort them out now, not later.
- Format email addresses: No weird spaces, no ALL CAPS, and definitely no “test@example.com” if you can help it.
- Fill in the gaps: If you’re missing key info (like a contact’s role or company size), decide if you need that contact at all. Incomplete leads usually just clog things up.
- Consistent values: For dropdown fields—like “Industry” or “Lead Source”—pick a set list and stick with it. Don’t have “SaaS,” “saas,” and “Software” all meaning the same thing.
Pro tip: Don’t overcomplicate it. You only need as much info as you’ll actually use for sorting, filtering, or contacting. Everything else is just clutter.
2. Map Your Fields—Don’t Let Automation Make Dumb Decisions
When you import leads into Withlantern, you’ll need to tell it what each column in your CSV means. Don’t just auto-map and pray. Here’s how to avoid a mess:
- Double-check every mapping: Make sure “Phone” doesn’t accidentally get mapped to “Company Size.”
- Custom fields: If you have info Withlantern doesn’t have built-in fields for (like “Tech Stack” or “Renewal Date”), set up custom fields before importing.
- Ignore useless columns: If you see columns like “Last Updated By” or “Spreadsheet Notes,” skip them—they just add noise.
What to skip: Don’t import every column from your old CRM or lead list. Only bring over what you’ll actually use. You can always add more later, but cleaning up after a bad import is a pain.
3. Set Up Your Segmentation Strategy Early (But Keep It Simple)
Withlantern has pretty flexible segmentation, but that doesn’t mean you should go wild with it. Here’s what actually helps:
- Start with 2–4 core segments: For B2B, this might be by Industry, Company Size, Geography, or Lead Source.
- Avoid micro-segments: “Manufacturing companies in Ohio with 11–13 employees who use Slack” is too specific. You’ll end up with empty lists or single leads—not helpful.
- Tag thoughtfully: Use tags for things that cut across segments—like “2024 Event,” “Newsletter Subscriber,” or “High Priority.” Don’t use them for stuff you could filter on with fields.
- Define your segments up front: Write down what each segment means. “Enterprise” should mean the same thing for everyone, not just whatever a rep thinks it is that day.
A note on “personas”: Some teams get bogged down building dozens of buyer personas. In reality, you’ll use 2–3 at most. More than that, and no one keeps it straight.
4. Import Leads in Batches—Test Before You Go All-In
Here’s where a lot of teams screw up: uploading the entire database in one go, then realizing something’s wrong. Instead, do this:
- Import a small test batch first: Use 10–20 leads that cover all your field types and segment combinations.
- Check the results: Are all fields showing up correctly? Any weird formatting? Did any leads land in the wrong segment?
- Fix issues now: Don’t ignore small problems—they’ll be huge problems at scale.
- Import the full list: Once your test looks right, import the rest. Still, keep an eye out for errors.
Why this matters: Undoing a bad import is a hassle. Withlantern lets you bulk-delete, but it’s still a pain, especially if you’ve already started working those leads.
5. Set Up Automation—But Don’t Assume It’s Magic
Withlantern’s automation is helpful, but it won’t read your mind. Here’s how to avoid headaches:
- Auto-assign leads: Set up rules so leads go to the right rep or team based on your segments. But check that the rules don’t overlap or contradict each other.
- Tagging on import: Some automations will let you auto-tag based on field values (like tagging all leads from “SaaS” companies). This saves time, but double-check that it’s tagging what you actually want.
- Don’t over-automate: If you find yourself building a logic tree that needs a whiteboard to explain, back up. Most teams only need a few simple rules.
Watch out for: Automation gone wrong—like all inbound leads getting tagged as “Outbound” because someone set up the rule backwards. Test on a small batch first.
6. Regularly Clean and Re-Segment Your Leads
No matter how good your initial import is, bad data creeps in. People leave jobs, companies pivot, and mistakes happen. Here’s how to stay on top of it:
- Schedule regular reviews: Once a quarter is usually enough. Export your lead list, spot-check for bad data, and clean up obvious errors.
- Revisit your segments: Are your segments still useful, or are some empty and others overflowing? Adjust as needed—but don’t chase “perfect.”
- Merge duplicates: Withlantern can help with this, but nothing beats a quick manual review now and then.
- Archive or delete dead leads: If a lead bounces, opts out, or turns out to be spam, get rid of it. Don’t let your CRM turn into a graveyard.
Pro tip: Assign someone ownership of data hygiene. If it’s everyone’s job, it’s nobody’s job.
7. What to Ignore (At Least for Now)
Some features sound nice but add complexity for little gain, especially when you’re starting out:
- Multi-layered segmentation: If you need a diagram to explain your segments, it’s too much.
- Scoring systems you never use: If your team isn’t actually using lead scores to prioritize, skip the setup for now.
- Data enrichment tools: They can be handy, but they’re often expensive and only worth it once you’ve nailed the basics.
Keep your process as simple as possible. You can always add more bells and whistles later—once you actually need them.
Wrap-Up: Keep Things Simple, Tune as You Go
Importing and segmenting leads in Withlantern doesn’t have to be a slog. Clean your data first, keep your segments broad and useful, and don’t overthink automation. Most importantly, don’t get paralyzed by trying to set everything up “perfectly” from the start. Get the basics right, see what actually works for your team, and adjust as you go. Simpler is almost always better—and easier to fix.
Now, go get those leads in. Just don’t forget to check your work.