If you’re in B2B sales, you already know: most “target account lists” are just a mess of random companies with little chance of becoming customers. You spend hours filtering data, hoping you’ll stumble onto gold, and end up with a list that’s either way too broad or weirdly narrow. And then your outreach flops.
This guide is for sales pros and SDRs who want to actually build useful, focused account lists using Flashintel—without wasting time or getting lost in the weeds. No fluff, no hype, just a real-world approach to finding the right companies (and cutting out the noise).
Why Account Lists Matter (and Why Most Suck)
Before we get tactical, let’s clear something up: the point of an account list isn’t to have the biggest list—it’s to have the right list.
A good account list: - Has companies (and people) you can actually help - Matches your ICP (ideal customer profile) pretty tightly - Isn’t so long that you can’t realistically work it - Feels like “these folks might actually talk to us”
Most people try to impress their boss with a list of 10,000 companies. Don’t do that. You want relevance over volume. Flashintel can help, but only if you’re clear on what you want.
Step 1: Get Clear on Your ICP (Don’t Skip This)
Flashintel has a mountain of filters and data, but it’s useless if you aren’t clear on your ICP. If your ICP is “any company with a website,” you’re doomed before you start.
Nail down: - Industry: What verticals actually buy from you? - Company size: Revenue, employee count, region? - Tech stack: Are there tools your best customers always use? - Pain points: What problems do your wins have in common?
Pro tip: Write your ICP down in plain language before you ever log into Flashintel. If you can’t explain it to a new hire in one sentence, you’re not ready to build a list.
Step 2: Set Up Your Flashintel Filters the Smart Way
Now open up Flashintel’s company search. Here’s where most people get stuck—they throw on every filter, get a tiny list, and blame the tool. Resist the urge.
Start broad, then layer on:
- Industry: Use primary industry filters, but be careful—industry codes can be messy. Check a few results to make sure they actually fit.
- Company Size: Filter by employee count or revenue. Don’t get cute—if you sell to mid-market, set a range (say, 200-2000 employees).
- Geography: Only if it matters. Don’t add this just to “see what comes up.”
- Tech Stack: If you integrate with, say, Salesforce or HubSpot, use tech install filters. But these aren’t always perfect—expect some false positives or misses.
- Firmographics: Funding round, growth signals, hiring patterns—these are nice to have, not “musts.” Add them if you really need to.
What to ignore: - Vanity filters like “has a blog” or “recently updated LinkedIn”—these rarely predict buying intent. - Over-filtering. If you get 12 companies, you’ve gone too far.
Pro tip: After each filter, spot-check the first page of results. If you see weird companies, back off a filter.
Step 3: Score and Prioritize Accounts (Don’t Treat Every Logo the Same)
Not all companies on your list are equal. Flashintel lets you see company insights—use them.
Here’s how to triage: - Tier 1: Dream accounts. Perfect ICP, right size, clear need. - Tier 2: Good fit, but maybe missing a trigger (like recent funding). - Tier 3: Long shots, but not total junk.
Flag or tag these in Flashintel as you go. Don’t just dump everything into Outreach/Salesloft and hope for the best. It’s better to send 20 smart emails than 200 spammy ones.
Step 4: Find the Right Contacts (Skip the Org Chart Deep Dive)
You’ve got your companies, now get the people. Flashintel’s contact finder can surface emails and phone numbers, but here’s the thing: don’t waste time chasing the CEO if you sell HR tech.
What works: - Filter for titles that actually own the problem you solve (e.g., “VP of Marketing” for a marketing tool). - Use seniority filters (Manager/Director/VP), but don’t always default to C-level—they’re often gatekeepers, not buyers. - Grab 1-3 contacts per account max to start. More than that, and you’re just spamming.
What doesn’t: - Downloading every contact at every company. You’ll just annoy people and look desperate. - Relying on “contact accuracy” percentages. No tool is perfect—expect some bounces.
Pro tip: Check LinkedIn to confirm titles and responsibilities. Flashintel’s data is decent, but not magic.
Step 5: Export and Sync—But Don’t Dump Everything into Your CRM
You’ve built your list. Now what? Flashintel lets you export or sync directly to tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, or outreach platforms.
Advice from the trenches: - Export only your prioritized lists. Don’t flood your CRM with Tier 3 accounts. - Tag or label accounts by campaign, tier, or persona so you can track results. - Keep a backup CSV—sometimes syncs break or APIs change.
What to skip: - Blindly pushing every contact into your sequences. Start with small batches, test messaging, and refine before scaling.
Pro tip: Review your exported list for duplicates or obvious junk before you hand it off to the SDR team.
Step 6: Iterate, Test, and Ruthlessly Cut Dead Weight
No matter how good your list looks, you won’t hit gold on the first try. The best sales teams treat account lists as living documents.
How to improve: - Track which accounts respond or move forward—double down on those patterns. - Regularly remove companies that never engage (or are obviously a bad fit). - Update filters as you learn. Maybe your best accounts are actually in a different vertical or smaller than you thought.
Warning: Don’t let your list go stale. Data changes fast—rebuild or refresh every few months.
What Flashintel Does Well (and Where You’ll Need to Hustle)
The good: - Tons of filters and up-to-date company data - Easy to export and sync with other tools - Fast way to start with a focused account list
The limits: - Data isn’t perfect. Expect some old info or missing companies. - Contact details are hit or miss—always verify before sending. - No tool can define your ICP for you. That’s on you.
Skip the hype: Flashintel is a solid tool, but it won’t magically fill your pipeline. The quality of your list depends on your inputs and your willingness to adjust.
Keep It Simple. Iterate Often.
Building a targeted account list in Flashintel isn’t rocket science, but it does take some thought. Start with a clear ICP, use filters carefully, and don’t try to boil the ocean. Prioritize, test, and cut fast. The simpler you keep your process, the more likely you’ll actually do it—and see results.
Most importantly, don’t treat your list as a “set it and forget it” project. Keep tweaking as you learn what works. That’s where the wins are.