If you’re in B2B sales and tired of chasing your tail with bad lead lists, this is for you. Maybe you've tried scraping LinkedIn, bought those "verified" lists, or exported a mess of contacts—only to realize most aren’t even close to your target. The good news: Apollo is actually decent at helping you build focused, useful lead lists, but only if you know how to work it (and ignore the hype). Here’s how to cut through the noise and actually get a list worth calling.
Step 1: Get Clear on Who You Actually Want
Before you even open Apollo, nail down who you’re looking for. Not just “SaaS companies in the US”—get specific:
- Industry: Don’t just say “tech.” Is it cybersecurity? MarTech?
- Company size: 10-50? 500+? Be honest about who you can actually sell to.
- Seniority: C-level? VP? Practitioners?
- Titles: Not every “Manager” is your buyer. Write down the exact job titles.
- Tech stack: Do they use Salesforce? HubSpot? This can matter.
- Location: Are you selling only in North America, or is EMEA fair game?
Pro tip: If you don’t know, check your last 10 closed/won deals. Patterns will pop up.
Step 2: Set Up Apollo’s Search the Right Way
Apollo’s search is powerful, but only if you avoid the rookie mistakes. Here’s what matters:
2.1 Use Filters—But Don’t Go Overboard
Start broad, then add more filters as you go. Here’s what’s actually useful:
- Company filters: Industry, size (employees), location, funding rounds, tech used.
- People filters: Seniority, department, job title, years in current role.
Skip the fluff filters like “last email opened” unless you know why you need them.
What works:
- Boolean search in job titles (AND, OR, NOT)—for example, ("VP" OR "Head") AND "Marketing"
- Excluding generic titles (“Intern,” “Assistant”) if you only want decision makers
What doesn’t:
- Relying on Apollo’s “Recommended” filters—they’re too broad or random
- Assuming Apollo’s “verified” emails are always perfect (they’re not)
2.2 Double-Check the Tech Stack Data
Apollo claims to tell you what tools a company uses, but this data is mixed quality—especially for smaller companies.
- Use it for broad categories (e.g., “uses Salesforce”), but don’t get too granular (“uses Outreach and Asana”).
- Always spot-check a few companies before you build your whole list around this filter.
Step 3: Build and Refine Your Lead List
Once you’ve got your filters set, start building your list, but don’t just add everyone at once.
3.1 Start Small—Quality Over Quantity
- Add 50-100 leads to a “test” list.
- Review them manually. Are these actually your ideal prospects?
- Check for weird outliers—random students, unrelated industries, or people with no LinkedIn profile.
3.2 Clean Up and Tag
- Remove anyone who’s obviously a bad fit.
- Use tags or custom fields in Apollo to mark leads by campaign, industry, or persona.
- Make notes on edge cases (e.g., “Title looks right, but company is too small”).
Pro tip: Don’t throw 5000 leads into a sequence and pray. You’ll burn your domain and waste time.
Step 4: Verify Contact Info (Don’t Trust, Verify)
Apollo’s email “verification” is better than most, but not perfect. Here’s how to stay out of spam folders:
- Use Apollo’s built-in verification, but spot-check 10-20 emails in a tool like NeverBounce or ZeroBounce.
- If Apollo marks an email as “risky” or “unverified,” skip it—or use LinkedIn InMail instead.
- Double-check that the company website links match what you expect (sometimes Apollo gets lazy).
What works:
- Small batch testing before big campaigns
- Combining Apollo’s data with tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator (yes, it’s extra work, but it’s worth it for high-value deals)
What doesn’t:
- Blindly trusting 100% of Apollo’s emails or phone numbers
Step 5: Export or Sequence (But Don’t Get Sloppy)
You’ve got a clean, targeted list. Now what?
5.1 Exporting
- Export only what you need—name, title, company, email, LinkedIn URL.
- Don’t bother with fields you won’t use (mailing address, random metadata).
- Clean your CSV before importing elsewhere—watch for formatting issues or duplicates.
5.2 Sequencing in Apollo
- Use highly personalized messaging. Don’t send generic “We help companies like yours…” emails.
- Segment your list—separate by job title, industry, or persona for better results.
- Test your first batch before blasting everyone.
Pro tip: If you get high bounce rates or low replies, pause and clean up. Quantity doesn’t beat quality.
Step 6: Keep Lists Fresh and Iterate
Lead lists go stale faster than you think. People change jobs, companies pivot, data gets old.
- Rebuild or update your lists every 1-2 months.
- Track which lists convert and which flop—double down on what actually works.
- Don’t be afraid to delete or archive lists that don’t perform.
What works:
- Regularly refreshing your criteria and filters based on campaign results
- Keeping lists tight—don’t try to boil the ocean
What doesn’t:
- Building a “master list” and using it for the next 12 months
A Few Things to Ignore
Apollo’s got plenty of bells and whistles. Here’s what you can skip (at least for now):
- Intent data: Overhyped, rarely accurate for most B2B teams. Don’t chase these leads unless you see real-world results.
- Automated list recommendations: Usually too generic—your custom filters will beat them.
- Enrichment for the sake of it: More data isn’t better. Only enrich fields you’ll actually use.
Wrap-Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Fall for Shortcuts
Building a great B2B lead list in Apollo isn’t rocket science, but it does take some thought. Be picky about your criteria, check your results, and don’t get distracted by shiny features. Start small, see what works, and tweak as you go. The best lists are the ones you actually use—and that get you replies.