If you’re in B2B sales, you already know: a good prospect list is half the battle. But most lists are a mess—random names, outdated info, and zero context. If you want to actually connect with the right people, you need to build your lists carefully. This guide is for anyone who wants to cut through the noise and get real results using Persana, a tool built for sales teams and founders who care more about quality than hype.
Below, I’ll walk you through, step by step, how to build a targeted prospect list in Persana that’s actually worth your time. I’ll call out what works, what to skip, and how to avoid falling into the usual traps.
Step 1: Get Clear On Who You Actually Want
Before you even log into Persana, stop and think: Who are you trying to reach, really? Not “decision makers” or “everyone in SaaS.” Be specific:
- Industry: Are you after fintech startups? Manufacturing companies? Be picky.
- Company Size: Five-person teams or global enterprises? There’s a world of difference.
- Roles & Titles: CEOs? Heads of HR? Mid-level managers?
- Location: U.S. only? EMEA? Don’t waste time on leads you can’t sell to.
Pro tip: Write this down. “SaaS companies in the U.S. with 50–200 employees; targeting CTOs and VPs of Engineering.” This will make the next steps a lot faster and less painful.
Step 2: Set Up Your Search in Persana
Log in to Persana. The tool lets you slice and dice B2B data pretty efficiently, but don’t just throw in a bunch of keywords and hope for the best. Here’s how to use the filters that actually matter:
a. Company Filters
- Industry & Sub-Industry: Go granular. “Software” is too broad; “Healthcare SaaS” is tighter.
- Headcount: Use actual ranges (e.g., 11–50, 51–200). Don’t pick “Any.”
- Location: Target by country, state, or even city if it matters.
b. Contact Filters
- Seniority Level: “VP+” or “Director+” usually works, but if you’re after hands-on folks, go lower.
- Job Titles: Use title keywords, but keep spelling variations in mind (“CTO,” “Chief Technology Officer,” etc.).
- Department: Engineering, Marketing, HR—Persana lets you filter by function, which helps cut out irrelevant roles.
c. Exclusion Filters
- Avoid competitors: Filter out companies you don’t want to see.
- Remove outdated or bounced emails: Persana flags these; always exclude them.
Don’t get greedy: The tighter your filters, the more relevant your list. Casting a “wide net” usually just means more manual work later.
Step 3: Review and Refine Your Results
Now you’ll see a list of matches. Here’s where most people blow it—they export everything and hope for the best. Don’t do that.
- Spot-check companies: Click into a few. Do they actually fit your criteria? If not, tighten your filters.
- Check contacts: Are these the right job titles? If you’re seeing a lot of “Consultants” or “Assistants,” refine your search.
- Look at data freshness: Persana shows last verified dates for emails and company data. Ignore contacts without recent verification—bad data wastes time.
Pro tip: Quality beats quantity. A list of 200 right-fit prospects will outperform 2000 random ones every time.
Step 4: Save & Organize Your List
Once you’ve got something that looks solid:
- Save your search: Persana lets you save views, so you don’t have to start from scratch next time.
- Create a list: Select your contacts and add them to a named list (“US SaaS CTOs Q2 2024” or whatever makes sense).
- Tag your prospects: Use tags or notes for extra context (“warm intro available,” “priority account,” etc.).
Why bother? Keeping things organized now saves you a ton of headaches later. It also helps you track what messaging works with each segment.
Step 5: Export or Sync to Your Outreach Tool
Persana gives you a few options here. This is where things can get messy if you’re not careful.
- Export to CSV: If your workflow is manual or you want to upload to a CRM like HubSpot or Salesforce.
- Direct integration: Persana connects with some outreach tools (check if yours is on the list). This can save time, but double-check the mapping—sometimes fields get weird.
- Bulk export limits: Don’t get greedy with huge lists. Most outreach tools (and your email deliverability) work better with smaller, more focused batches.
Heads up: Always check for duplicate contacts before importing. Nothing says “spam” like hitting the same person three times in a week.
Step 6: Add Context—Don’t Just Blast
Here’s where most lists die: You have a shiny CSV, but no context. If you want replies, add a little extra homework.
- Research top accounts: Use Persana’s company profiles to get recent news, funding rounds, tech stack, etc.
- Personalize tags/notes: Add quick notes (“hiring for new VP of Sales,” “just raised Series B”) so you can reference these in your outreach.
- Segment further: Break your list into micro-segments by pain point, company type, or trigger event (e.g., “recently hired CMO”).
Skip: Writing a “custom” opener for every single person. Just add enough context to avoid sounding like a robot.
Step 7: Start Small—Test Your Outreach
You’re not done yet. Don’t send to everyone at once. Here’s why:
- Send to a sample batch: Start with 20–50 prospects. Watch open and reply rates.
- Tweak your messaging: If no one’s biting, something’s off—maybe your list, maybe your pitch.
- Iterate: Refine your filters, update your list, and try again.
Honest take: Most “failures” come from either bad targeting or generic messaging. Fix those first before blaming the tool.
Step 8: Keep Lists Fresh—Don’t Set and Forget
People change jobs. Companies shift focus. Lists go stale fast.
- Schedule regular refreshes: Every month or quarter, rerun your saved searches in Persana and update your lists.
- Remove bounced or unresponsive contacts: Keeping dead leads clogs your CRM and tanks your sender reputation.
- Watch for new trigger events: Funding, hiring, product launches—all good excuses to reach out again.
Ignore: The idea that you can “set and forget” your lists. That’s how you end up with a database full of ghosts.
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Stay Focused
There’s no magic trick to building a great prospect list—it’s about clarity, focus, and a little bit of discipline. Persana makes it easier, but it can’t think for you. Start with a tight definition, use filters ruthlessly, and don’t get distracted by big numbers. Quality wins, always.
You’ll get better with each round. Keep your criteria sharp, your lists organized, and your outreach personal (but not creepy). That’s how you build a prospecting process that actually works.