If your sales or marketing team is stuck with incomplete, outdated CRM records, you’re not alone. Most CRMs are only as good as the data you put in, and nobody enjoys manual data entry. This guide is for folks who want to automatically pull in richer contact and company info—without hiring a team of data monkeys or paying for yet another overpriced enrichment tool.
We'll walk through how to use Apollo, a popular B2B database and sales tool, to fill in the blanks on your CRM records. I’ll show you what actually works, where the gotchas are, and how to skip the fluff and get results.
Why bother enriching CRM data?
Let’s keep it real: Bad data means wasted time and missed opportunities. Here’s what you actually get from data enrichment:
- Better targeting: Know who’s who, what they do, and what company they work for—so you can stop guessing.
- More automation: Trigger emails or tasks based on up-to-date info (like job changes or company size).
- Cleaner reporting: Garbage in, garbage out. Good data means your dashboards actually tell you something.
But not all enrichment is worth chasing. If you’re just adding vanity fields you never use, you’re making things harder for yourself. Focus on fields that drive action: job titles, company size, LinkedIn URLs, industry, and direct emails.
Step 1: Get clear on what you want to enrich
Before you start wiring up integrations, take 10 minutes to get specific:
- Which records? Just leads and contacts? Or also accounts/companies?
- Which fields matter? Title, phone, LinkedIn, company size, HQ location? Be ruthless—more fields isn’t always better.
- How fresh does the data need to be? Are you okay with info that’s a few months old, or do you need the latest?
Pro tip: Don’t try to enrich every single record. Start with your most valuable segments—like active prospects or high-value customers.
Step 2: Set up your Apollo account and get API access
If you don’t already have an Apollo account, you’ll need one. Their free plan is okay for testing, but for bulk enrichment and automation, you’ll probably need a paid plan.
- Check your plan: Only some Apollo plans offer API access or bulk enrichment. Don’t assume—double-check what’s included before you bank on it.
- Get your API key: In Apollo, go to Settings > API > Generate API Key. Copy this somewhere safe.
What’s Apollo’s data like? It’s generally good for North America and tech, okay for other regions, and can be hit-or-miss with smaller companies. If you work in a super-niche industry, set your expectations accordingly.
Step 3: Map your CRM fields to Apollo’s data fields
Here’s where a lot of folks mess up: They try to import everything Apollo provides. That’s a recipe for a messy CRM. Instead:
- List your target fields: E.g., “LinkedIn URL” in Apollo maps to “Social Profile” in CRM.
- Check field formats: Some CRMs are picky about things like phone numbers or picklist values.
- Decide what overwrites what: Do you want Apollo to update data you already have, or just fill in blanks?
A simple mapping doc (Google Sheet, Notion, whatever) will save you headaches later.
Step 4: Choose your integration method
There are a few main ways to get Apollo data into your CRM automatically. Each has upsides and gotchas.
Option A: Use Apollo’s built-in CRM integrations
Apollo offers direct integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, and a few others.
- What works: Easy to set up, handles most field mappings, schedules automatic syncs.
- What doesn’t: Limited to certain fields and objects, sometimes slow to sync, not always customizable.
- Ignore if: You use a less common CRM, or need more control.
Setup basics: 1. In Apollo, go to Settings > Integrations. 2. Authorize your CRM. 3. Map fields (double-check the defaults!). 4. Set sync frequency—hourly, daily, etc.
Option B: Use Zapier or Make (formerly Integromat)
If your CRM isn’t supported, or you want more flexibility, Zapier and Make can stitch things together.
- What works: Connect almost any CRM (Pipedrive, Zoho, Copper, etc). Can trigger enrichment on new records only, or on updates.
- What doesn’t: May hit API rate limits if you go wild. Zapier can get expensive at scale. Debugging is a pain if something breaks.
Setup basics: 1. Create a Zap (or scenario) triggered by a new or updated CRM record. 2. Add a step to call Apollo’s API to pull enrichment data. 3. Update the CRM record with Apollo’s response.
Pro tip: Start small. Run the workflow on a few records first to spot formatting issues before rolling out.
Option C: Build your own integration using Apollo’s API
If you have a developer handy (or are one), direct API integration gives you the most control.
- What works: Totally customizable. Can handle any data logic you want. No recurring SaaS fees.
- What doesn’t: Takes time to build and maintain. Apollo’s API docs are okay, but not always crystal clear. You’ll have to watch for API changes.
Setup basics:
1. Use Apollo’s /people/lookup or /companies/lookup endpoints.
2. Pass in whatever identifiers you have (email, domain, etc).
3. Parse the response and update your CRM via its API.
Advice: Only go this route if you really need it. For most teams, built-in integrations or Zapier are faster.
Step 5: Test with a small batch (and expect some weirdness)
Don’t blast your entire CRM right away. Pull a list of 10-50 records and run them through your setup.
- Check for:
- Field mismatches: Are titles showing up in the right field? Any weird formatting?
- Bad overwrites: Did Apollo erase good data you already had?
- Duplicates: Some CRMs create new records if the unique ID isn’t handled right.
- API errors: Rate limits, timeouts, or “no data found” issues.
Pro tip: Build in logging or notifications so you spot problems before users do.
Step 6: Roll out to more records and automate ongoing enrichment
Once your test batch looks good:
- Automate enrichment for new records: This is where you get ongoing value—every new lead or contact gets filled in automatically.
- Batch update stale records: You can schedule a backfill for old records, but pace yourself to avoid API throttling.
- Review periodically: Data changes. Set a reminder to re-enrich key segments every 6-12 months.
What’s not worth it: Don’t obsess over 100% coverage. Some records just won’t have matching Apollo data, and that’s fine. Focus on high-value contacts.
What to do when Apollo data is missing or wrong
No database is perfect. Sometimes Apollo comes up empty, or the info is outdated (especially with fast-growing startups).
- Don’t auto-overwrite everything: If Apollo’s data is blank or looks fishy, keep your existing data.
- Flag for manual review: For key accounts, set up a process to check or research manually.
- Combine sources if needed: For mission-critical records, you might supplement with LinkedIn, Clearbit, or manual research.
Reality check: Enrichment is never “set it and forget it.” There’s always some clean-up.
Security and privacy: Don’t ignore this
Pulling in outside data means you’re handling more personal info. A few quick reminders:
- Check your CRM’s permission settings: Limit who can see enriched data, especially sensitive stuff like direct dials.
- Review Apollo’s data use policies: Make sure you’re comfortable with where the data comes from (and what you can legally store).
- Don’t store more than you need: More data = more risk. Only keep fields you actually use.
Summary: Keep it simple, start small, and keep iterating
Automatic enrichment with Apollo can save you hours and make your CRM a lot more useful. But don’t fall into the trap of over-engineering. Start with just a few key fields, test on a small batch, and automate only what you’re sure you need. Skip the vanity data, expect a few hiccups, and refine as you go. Your future self (and your sales team) will thank you.