If you’re in B2B sales and tired of wasting hours chasing dead-end leads, this guide is for you. There’s no shortage of tools or “growth hacks,” but most of them are either overhyped or made for marketers, not sellers who need reliable info on real companies. Crunchbase is one of the few databases that actually delivers—if you know how to use it right. Whether you’re a solo founder, a sales rep, or running a team, here’s how to skip the noise and use Crunchbase to zero in on high-value prospects who are actually worth your time.
1. Get Clear on What “High Value” Means for You
Before you even log in, be brutally honest about what a great prospect is for your business. Crunchbase is only as useful as your filters.
Ask yourself: - Are you targeting a certain industry, company size, or location? - Does funding stage or recent investment matter? - Do you want to find companies using certain technologies, or with specific leadership roles?
Pro tip: Don’t just copy your competitor’s criteria. If you sell to mid-market SaaS companies in the US, don’t waste time with global enterprise giants.
What to skip: Vague filters like “innovative companies” or “fast-growing startups.” Be specific with numbers, industries, and deal-breakers.
2. Use Advanced Search—Don’t Settle for the Basics
The search bar is fine for quick lookups, but if you want to build a real prospect list, head straight to the Advanced Search.
How to do it: - Click on “Advanced Search” and select “Companies.” - Stack filters: industry, headquarters location, funding stage, employee count, and more. - Combine filters. Example: “FinTech companies in New York, Series B or later, 50-200 employees.”
Why it works: The more specific your filters, the less junk you get back. Crunchbase’s data is only as good as the questions you ask.
What doesn’t work: Relying on keyword search alone. It’ll surface a lot of noise—think stealth startups and zombie companies.
3. Prioritize Funding and Growth Signals
Companies flush with fresh funding or on a hiring spree are usually worth your attention. Crunchbase tracks both.
Key signals to look for: - Recent funding rounds: Filter by date and size. A $10M Series A last week? That’s a warm lead. - Employee growth: Use the growth filters or check the “Employee Range” changes over time. - News mentions: Some plans let you see press hits—handy, but don’t obsess over PR fluff.
What works: Prioritizing companies with recent, significant activity.
What to ignore: Companies that raised money years ago and haven’t done anything since. If there’s no signal of momentum, move on.
4. Build Lists and Set Up Alerts—But Don’t Overdo It
It’s tempting to build massive lists, but you want focused, actionable prospects, not a spreadsheet graveyard.
How to do it: - Save your filtered searches as lists. - Set up alerts for new matches (e.g., “alert me when a FinTech company in my region raises $5M+”). - Export your lists if you need to work in your CRM.
Pro tip: Spend more time researching each company than building giant lists. Quality beats quantity every time.
What doesn’t work: Dumping thousands of companies into your CRM and hoping for the best. That’s not prospecting, that’s spam.
5. Dig Into Decision Makers, Not Just Company Names
Crunchbase gives you more than just logos and funding news. Look up the leadership and key decision makers.
How to do it: - Check the “People” tab on each company page. - Look for roles that actually buy what you’re selling (e.g., CTO, VP of Sales, Head of Operations). - Cross-reference with LinkedIn to make sure the data isn’t stale.
What works: Finding the right person to contact, not just sending a generic email to “info@company.com.”
What to ignore: Bulk scraping every name you see. Personalization wins. If you can’t tell why this person might care, you’re wasting both your time.
6. Cross-Check and Enrich Data—Crunchbase Isn’t Perfect
Crunchbase is better than most databases, but it isn’t gospel. Company info can be outdated or missing, especially for smaller firms.
How to do it: - Double-check funding and team size on the company’s website or LinkedIn. - Use tools like Hunter or Apollo to find up-to-date contact info. - If info is missing or looks fishy, move on. Don’t get stuck in research paralysis.
Honest take: No database is 100% accurate. Crunchbase is great for signals and shortlisting, but always verify before reaching out.
7. Use Crunchbase in Tandem With Other Tools
Crunchbase is a solid starting point, but it’s not the only source you’ll need.
Pair it with: - LinkedIn: For real-time job changes and background on decision makers. - Your CRM: Import qualified prospects, not every company you see. - Email finding tools: For direct contact details.
What works: Using Crunchbase for discovery, LinkedIn for validation, and your CRM for tracking.
What doesn’t work: Trying to do everything in Crunchbase. It’s not built for outreach or deal tracking.
8. Watch Out for Common Pitfalls
A few mistakes I see all the time:
- Chasing big logos: Just because a company is famous doesn’t mean they’re a good fit or a realistic target.
- Overvaluing funding: Some companies raise a lot, then fizzle. Funding is a clue, not a guarantee.
- Ignoring timing: If a company raised money a year ago, they’ve probably already bought what they needed.
- Analysis paralysis: Don’t get stuck perfecting your list. The goal is action, not research for research’s sake.
9. Keep It Simple and Iterate
The best prospectors don’t try to build the perfect list—they get started, learn, and adjust. Don’t get hung up on the bells and whistles in Crunchbase. Focus on: - Clear criteria - Tight filters - Validating before outreach - Tracking what works and ditching what doesn’t
You’ll get better results with a focused, refreshed list you actually work, rather than an endless database that just sits there.
Bottom line: Crunchbase is a powerful tool if you use it with a clear head and a skeptical eye. Get specific, trust but verify, and don’t fall for shiny metrics. The best prospects are the ones you actually connect with, not just the ones that look good in a spreadsheet. Keep it simple, start small, and iterate as you go.