If you’re tired of staring at spreadsheets full of leads that go nowhere, you’re not alone. Dirty, incomplete B2B data kills outreach and wastes your time. This guide is for anyone who wants to turn a half-baked CSV into a resource that actually helps sales or marketing teams. We’ll walk step-by-step through how to get real value from your data—using Fullenrich as the main tool—and call out what’s worth fussing over (and what isn’t).
Why Enrich Lead Data?
Let’s get this out of the way: Enriching lead data isn’t about having the fanciest CRM fields. The goal is simple—find out enough about your prospects to contact the right people, at the right companies, in a way that feels personal (not spammy). Good data means:
- Fewer bounced emails
- Less wasted time calling the wrong folks
- Shorter sales cycles
It’s not magic though. If your leads are garbage to begin with, no tool will turn them into gold. But if you’ve got a decent list, enrichment can make a real difference.
Step 1: Get Your Lead Data in Shape
Before you even touch an enrichment tool, do yourself a favor and clean up your list. Don’t feed junk in and expect diamonds out.
What to do: - Deduplicate: Remove obvious repeats. - Standardize fields: Make sure columns like “company name” or “email” are consistent. - Check for bare minimums: At least a company name and one way to contact someone (email, phone, or LinkedIn).
What not to obsess over: - Fancy formatting. As long as it’s a CSV or XLSX, you’re fine. - “Perfect” names. The tool can help fill in gaps, but if every row is missing a contact, you’ll get nowhere.
Pro tip: If you have a lot of “info@” or “sales@” emails, don’t expect miracles. No enrichment tool can turn generic inboxes into real decision-makers.
Step 2: Set Up Your Fullenrich Account
Now’s the time to actually use Fullenrich. Most enrichment tools are similar, but we’ll stick to Fullenrich’s process.
Getting started: - Sign up for a Fullenrich account. Use your work email—it helps with verification. - Verify your email and set up your profile. This is quick, but don’t skip the email verification or you’ll hit a wall later. - Decide how you want to use Fullenrich: web dashboard, API, or integrations (like Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.). For most people, the dashboard is the easiest place to start.
What to ignore: - Don’t get bogged down by all the integrations right away. Unless you have a complex workflow, stick to uploading a file first.
Step 3: Upload Your Leads
Most people just upload a spreadsheet. Here’s how to do it without headaches:
Steps: 1. Click “Import Leads” or whatever the upload button says. 2. Choose your CSV, XLS, or XLSX file. 3. Map your columns to Fullenrich’s fields. This takes a minute—double-check that “email” isn’t ending up in the “phone” field. 4. Review the sample data preview before hitting “Enrich.”
Watch out for: - Encoding issues (weird characters, especially if you export from old CRMs). - Missing required fields—Fullenrich usually flags these.
Pro tip: Don’t upload your entire database on day one. Start with a sample (a few hundred rows) to see what you actually get back.
Step 4: Choose the Enrichment Options That Matter
Fullenrich will offer you a buffet of enrichment options. Here’s where people get lost in the weeds.
What’s usually worth it: - Company firmographics: Industry, size, revenue. Helps with segmentation. - Contact info: Direct emails, phone numbers, LinkedIn profiles. - Technographic data: What tools the company uses (if your product depends on this).
What’s not worth it (for most): - Every possible social profile. Twitter handles don’t help B2B much. - Data you’ll never use (like obscure company IDs).
Pro tip: More data isn’t always better. Focus on fields your team actually uses in outreach or qualification. Don’t pay for fluff.
Step 5: Run Enrichment—Here’s What to Expect
Once you hit “Enrich,” Fullenrich will process your data. Depending on the list size, it could take minutes or hours.
What happens: - Fullenrich matches your leads to its own databases and third-party sources. - You’ll get a progress bar or email notification when it’s done. - Download your enriched file, or push it to your CRM if you’ve set up an integration.
Reality check: - You won’t get 100% match rates. 60-80% is pretty normal, especially for SMBs or unusual industries. - Some fields will be blank, outdated, or just plain wrong. That’s the nature of enrichment—no database is perfect.
Pro tip: Check a handful of enriched records manually before blasting out emails or syncing to your CRM. Nothing kills credibility faster than calling someone by the wrong name or pitching a product to the wrong company.
Step 6: Use Your Enriched Data—The Right Way
Here’s where the rubber meets the road. Enrichment is only useful if you actually use the data.
What works: - Personalized outreach: “I see you use Salesforce—here’s how we help teams like yours.” - Segmentation: Prioritize companies by size, industry, or tech stack. - Lead scoring: Score leads higher if they match your ideal customer profile.
What doesn’t: - Dumping all the new data into your CRM and forgetting about it. - Over-automating. If every email sounds the same, all this effort is wasted.
Pro tip: Share the enriched list with your team and get feedback. Sometimes sales will spot obvious gaps or mistakes you missed.
Step 7: Keep Your Data Fresh (But Don’t Go Overboard)
Enriched data goes stale—fast. People change jobs, companies pivot, emails die.
Best practices: - Schedule regular enrichment (quarterly is plenty for most). - Update only your active leads and accounts. Don’t waste money refreshing dead leads. - Don’t obsess over perfection. A 90% complete, mostly-up-to-date list is way better than a “perfect” list that’s six months old.
What About Fullenrich’s API and Integrations?
If you’re technical or have a big team, Fullenrich’s API and integrations are worth a look. You can automate enrichment right inside your CRM, marketing automation tool, or even custom workflows.
When to use the API: - You’re enriching new leads as they come in (not just batch uploads). - You want to build enrichment into your product or website.
When to skip it: - If you’re just running periodic batches, the dashboard is simpler.
Caution: APIs can burn through credits quickly. Monitor usage or you’ll get a nasty billing surprise.
Honest Take: What to Skip, What to Watch For
- Don’t buy into hype about 100% accurate data. No tool (including Fullenrich) has a magic database.
- Don’t enrich massive lists you’ll never use. Focus on leads who are actually in play.
- Don’t expect enrichment to fix bad targeting. If your ICP (ideal customer profile) is wrong, more data won’t help.
- Watch your costs. Enrichment isn’t cheap. Know what you’re paying for and why.
Summary: Keep It Simple, Iterate as You Go
Enriching B2B lead data isn’t rocket science, but it’s easy to overcomplicate. Start with a clean list, enrich only what matters, sanity-check the results, and actually use the data. Don’t chase perfection. Try it with a small batch, see what helps, and build from there. The simpler your process, the more likely you are to stick with it—and actually close more deals.