So, you want to build sales lists that actually work—not bloated spreadsheets full of duds and wishful thinking. This guide is for salespeople, SDRs, and team leads who are tired of wasting time on “leads” that just aren’t a fit. We’ll walk through how to use Vainu to build laser-focused lists that give you real conversations, not dead ends.
No, you don’t need to be a data scientist. But you do need to know what matters, what’s just noise, and how to avoid the shiny-object syndrome.
1. Get Clear on Who You Actually Want
Before you touch Vainu, figure out who you’re really after. Don’t skip this. Most bad lists start with fuzzy thinking here.
- Who’s your ideal customer? (Be honest. “Anyone with a wallet” isn’t a strategy.)
- What industries, sizes, or regions do you actually close?
- What’s a real buying signal for you? (Recent funding? Hiring? New location?)
Pro tip: Talk to your best reps and actually look at your last 10 closed deals. What did they have in common? Write it down. You’ll use this as your “filter cheat sheet” later.
2. Set Up Your Vainu Workspace for Focus
If you’re new to Vainu, don’t let all the features distract you. The basics are where you’ll get 90% of the value.
- Start with a clean slate. Don’t use the default search—set up a new one.
- Organize your saved searches. Name them clearly. “Midwest SaaS 50-200 employees” beats “Q2 push.”
- Ignore integrations for now. Plugging into your CRM is great, but get your lists right first.
What doesn’t matter: Fancy dashboards, “AI suggestions,” or whatever the latest widget is. Stay focused on finding the right companies.
3. Build Your Filters (This Is Where Most People Mess Up)
This is the meat of the process. Vainu is all about filters—use them. But start simple, then layer up.
a. Firmographics: The Boring Stuff That Actually Works
- Industry: Pick the 1-3 specific industries you actually serve. Don’t go broad unless you have a good reason.
- Company size: Employee count and revenue are your friends. Don’t fudge it—if you only close companies with 50+ people, filter out the rest.
- Location: Be realistic. If you can’t sell in France, don’t include France.
b. Technographics & Buying Signals: Where You Get Smart
- Tech stack: Filter for companies using products you integrate with (or that compete with you).
- Recent events: Funding, hiring, new offices, leadership changes—these can all be tracked.
- Growth signals: Vainu tracks things like headcount growth or web traffic spikes. These are good, but don’t treat them as gospel.
c. Exclusions: The Secret Sauce
- Block current customers.
- Exclude competitors.
- Filter out dead industries (unless you like rejection).
Reality check: The more filters you stack, the smaller your list. That’s good. “Hyper targeted” means you should be able to reach out to every account on it.
4. Review, Refine, and Reality-Check Your List
Don’t export yet. This is where most lists go sideways.
- Spot-check the top 10 results. Would you actually try to book a meeting with these companies?
- Look for weird outliers. If something looks off (tiny companies, wrong countries), tweak your filters.
- Check for duplicates and obvious junk. Vainu’s data is good, but not perfect.
What to ignore: Don’t get hung up on “perfect” data. There’ll always be a few holes. If 90% of your list looks right, you’re winning.
5. Export and Enrich (But Don’t Overdo It)
Export your list in whatever format you need—CSV, direct to CRM, whatever works for your team. But don’t get greedy.
- Keep lists manageable. 50-200 companies is plenty for targeted outreach.
- Don’t drown your reps. Massive dumps of 1,000+ “leads” just get ignored.
- Enrich only what you’ll use. Vainu can add emails, phone numbers, etc.—but don’t pay for extras you won’t use.
Pro tip: If you’re using sequences or automation, test on a small batch first. Make sure the data imports cleanly and doesn’t create a mess in your CRM.
6. Share, Track, and Iterate
Now that you’ve got a lean, targeted list, make sure it’s actually being used—and getting results.
- Share the list with context. Don’t just send a spreadsheet. Include why these companies made the cut.
- Track what happens. Are you getting replies? Meetings booked? Or just crickets?
- Tweak as you go. If you keep hearing “not a fit,” go back and adjust your filters. Don’t just blame the reps.
What doesn’t work: “Set it and forget it.” Markets change. So should your lists.
What to Watch Out For (and What to Skip)
Let’s be honest: even the best tool can’t fix a bad strategy. Here’s what trips teams up:
- Chasing quantity over quality. Bigger lists aren’t better.
- Ignoring feedback from reps. If they say the list stinks, find out why.
- Getting distracted by shiny features. Stick to basics: filters, signals, clean data.
- Assuming Vainu is magic. It’s a powerful tool, not a mind-reader.
Keep It Simple, Keep It Sharp
Building hyper targeted lists in Vainu isn’t rocket science, but it does take discipline. Know your customer, use strong filters, and keep your lists tight. Don’t let “perfect” get in the way of “really good.” Ship a list, see what works, and tweak as you go.
At the end of the day, your list is only as good as the conversations it starts. Focus on that, and you’ll be ahead of the pack.