Cutting through the fluff: if you’re tired of manually updating your prospect or account lists (or worse, chasing stale contacts), this guide is for you. Whether you’re in sales ops, growth, or just the only person in your company who knows what “data hygiene” means, setting up automated list refreshes in LeadGenius can save you real time and headaches. But it’s not always as plug-and-play as the marketing site makes it sound. Here’s how to get it working, what actually matters, and what pitfalls to avoid.
Why Automate List Refreshes?
Before we get lost in the weeds, let’s keep our eyes on the prize. Automated list refreshes mean:
- No more stale data: Catch job changes, company moves, or new leads without manual effort.
- Less grunt work: Focus on outreach, not spreadsheet cleanup.
- Better results: Higher response rates and less wasted effort on bounced emails.
But don’t expect miracles. The tech can miss edge cases, and sometimes it’ll pull in junk. Automation isn’t magic—it’s just another tool.
Step 1: Know Your Source and Destination
Automated refreshes are only as good as your setup. Start here:
- What are you refreshing? Is it sales prospects, accounts, or something else? Get specific.
- Where does the list live? Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, an old spreadsheet? Figure out if LeadGenius can plug in directly.
- Where should updated data go? Same place as above, or a different tool? Decide up front.
Pro tip: If you’re stuck with multiple data sources (say, a CRM plus a Google Sheet), pick one as your “source of truth.” Otherwise, you’ll just be automating confusion.
Step 2: Set Up Your LeadGenius Integration
LeadGenius connects with the usual suspects: Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, Marketo, and more. Here’s how to connect:
- Log into LeadGenius.
- Navigate to the “Integrations” tab (usually in the left nav).
- Pick your platform (e.g., Salesforce).
- Follow the prompts to connect your account—usually involves OAuth or an API key.
- Test the connection. If LeadGenius can’t see your data, nothing else will work.
Heads up: If you’re on a basic plan, some integrations might be locked behind a paywall. Ask your account manager if you hit a wall—they’re usually quick to upgrade you, but expect a pitch.
Step 3: Define Your Refresh Criteria
This is where most people get it wrong. Don’t just “refresh everything weekly”—you’ll drown in data (and possibly run up your bill).
- What do you actually care about? New contacts? Role changes? Companies passing a certain revenue threshold?
- How often does your data go stale? For high-churn industries, weekly is smart. For others, monthly is fine.
How to Set Criteria in LeadGenius
- Go to the “List Management” or “Automations” section.
- Select the list you want to refresh.
- Click “Set Up Automation” (wording may vary).
- Define your filters:
- Contact role/title
- Geography
- Company size/industry
- Custom fields (if you’ve got ‘em)
Real talk: Resist the urge to boil the ocean. Start with your most important segment and get that humming before automating everything.
Step 4: Choose Your Refresh Schedule
Now, pick how often LeadGenius should run your refresh:
- Daily: Only for very high-volume, fast-changing lists. Otherwise, you’ll get lots of noise.
- Weekly: The sweet spot for most teams. Enough to catch changes, not so much you’re overwhelmed.
- Monthly: Good for slower-moving industries or if you’re just starting out.
Set your schedule in the automation setup screen. There’s usually a calendar picker or dropdown.
Watch out: Each refresh can eat into your LeadGenius credits or budget. If you notice you’re getting a lot of unchanged data, dial it back.
Step 5: Set Up Data Review (Don’t Skip This)
Automation isn’t “set and forget.” Plan to review new or changed records before they hit your CRM.
Most teams do one of two things:
- Manual review: Someone checks the list before import. Good if you’re worried about junk.
- Auto-approve: Refreshes push straight to CRM. Riskier, but saves time.
My advice: Start with manual review until you trust the data quality. You can usually set this up in LeadGenius’s workflow builder.
Step 6: Map and Sync Fields Properly
Don’t let mismatched fields scramble your CRM. In LeadGenius:
- Open your list’s sync settings.
- Map LeadGenius fields (e.g., “Job Title”) to your CRM’s fields.
- Double-check custom fields—these often get missed.
- Set rules for overwriting existing data (always, never, or only if blank).
Gotchas to avoid: - Mapping “Company Name” to the wrong field (easy to do, causes duplicates) - Forgetting to sync IDs or unique identifiers - Not setting rules for what happens if a contact already exists
Step 7: Test Your Automation (Seriously, Test It)
Run a dry run before flipping the switch for your whole team.
- Set up a small test list (25–50 records)
- Run a refresh and see what comes back
- Check for obvious errors: mismatched fields, junk data, duplicates, etc.
- If possible, push to a test environment in your CRM
Pro tip: If the data looks off, don’t assume it will “fix itself next time.” Dig into your criteria and mapping.
Step 8: Monitor and Iterate
Set a calendar reminder to review your automated refresh every month (or quarter).
- Are you getting value from the new leads?
- Is the data cleaner, or just different?
- Are you burning through credits for little gain?
If you’re not seeing real improvement, tweak your criteria or refresh schedule. Or—if you’re barely using the new data—consider pausing automation. No shame in dialing things back.
What Works, What’s Overhyped, and What to Ignore
Works well: - Automating list refreshes for fast-moving industries or outbound teams - Using tight filters to avoid garbage data - Manual review for the first couple cycles
Doesn’t work as well: - “Set it and forget it” automation—always needs monitoring - Refreshing huge lists with super-broad criteria (you’ll get junk) - Blindly syncing to CRM without field mapping
Ignore: - “AI-powered” claims—LeadGenius is solid, but it’s not reading your mind - Overly complicated automation chains (start simple, then build up)
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Automated list refreshes in LeadGenius can be a lifesaver, but only if you set them up with a clear head. Start with your most valuable list, keep your criteria tight, and review regularly. Don’t try to automate every edge case out of the gate. Just get one flow working well, then expand.
The best setups are the ones you barely notice—because they just work. Stay skeptical, keep it simple, and tweak as you go. That’s how you actually save time (and your sanity).