So, you’ve found a goldmine of leads in Listkit and now you need to get them into your sales automation platform. Maybe you want to fire off some email sequences, or just keep your CRM tidy without endless copying and pasting. Either way, you want a workflow that just works — not one that eats up your afternoon with manual exports, broken integrations, and mystery duplicates.
This guide is for anyone who’s tired of wrestling with CSV files, wants to avoid the usual “integration hell,” and needs a real-world, step-by-step answer. Let’s get into it.
Step 1: Figure Out Where You’re Sending Your Leads
Before you move a single lead, decide which sales automation platform you’re actually using. Sounds obvious, but this determines everything — field mapping, supported integrations, the whole deal.
Common destinations: - CRMs like HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Zoho - Outreach tools like Mailshake, Lemlist, Apollo, Reply.io - Google Sheets (for the spreadsheet diehards)
Reality check: If your sales tool isn’t one of the big names, expect to jump through more hoops. Most direct integrations focus on the top platforms.
Pro tip: Make a quick list of the must-have lead fields you use in your sales sequences (e.g., name, email, company, LinkedIn URL). This will keep you from losing data in translation.
Step 2: Export Leads from Listkit
Listkit gives you two main ways to get your leads out: direct integrations (if available), or the trusty old CSV export. Here’s what to expect from both.
A. Exporting via Direct Integration
If Listkit has a built-in integration with your sales platform, use it. This is almost always less painful than CSVs.
How to do it: 1. In Listkit, go to the list or campaign with the leads you want to export. 2. Look for an “Export” or “Integrate” button (sometimes hidden under “Actions” or a three-dot menu). 3. Choose your sales automation platform from the list of integrations. 4. Authenticate your account (you’ll probably need to log in and grant permissions). 5. Map Listkit’s fields to your CRM’s fields. Double-check that emails, names, and company names end up in the right spots. 6. Hit “Export” or “Sync.”
What works:
- Fast and clean if your platform is supported.
- Usually supports ongoing syncs (not just one-time exports).
What doesn’t:
- Custom fields or niche platforms may not be supported.
- Sometimes, only basic fields (name, email, company) get mapped — you might lose extra data.
B. Exporting to CSV
If your sales tool isn’t supported — or you just don’t trust integrations — export to CSV.
How to do it: 1. In Listkit, select the leads you want. 2. Click “Export as CSV.” Download the file to your computer. 3. Open the CSV in Excel or Google Sheets and check for weird formatting issues (commas in company names, missing emails, etc.). 4. Clean up the columns. Rename headers if needed to match your CRM’s requirements.
What works:
- Maximum control. You can edit the file before importing.
- Works with almost any platform (eventually).
What doesn’t:
- More manual steps. Easy to mess up field mapping.
- No ongoing sync — you’ll need to export/import every time you update your list.
Step 3: Import Leads into Your Sales Automation Platform
This step varies a ton depending on where you’re sending your leads. Here’s how it usually goes:
A. Using a Direct Integration
If you set up a direct integration, your leads should appear in your sales tool almost instantly. But don’t assume it worked perfectly.
- Check a sample: Go to your CRM or outreach tool, search for a couple of the exported leads, and make sure the data looks right.
- Look for duplicates: Most platforms try to dedupe by email, but it’s not foolproof. Run a duplicate check if possible.
- Check field mapping: Sometimes fields get misaligned (e.g., “First Name” and “Full Name” swapped). Fix your mapping in Listkit and re-sync if needed.
B. Manual CSV Import
If you’re importing a CSV, here’s the basic playbook:
- Go to the import page in your sales platform (usually under “Contacts” or “Leads”).
- Upload your CSV file.
- Go through the field mapping wizard. This is where you tell your platform which CSV column matches which field.
- Import a small batch first (10-20 leads) to catch any errors.
- If all looks good, import the rest.
Heads-up:
- Some platforms choke on CSVs with missing or weirdly formatted data. Clean your files before importing.
- Don’t expect every custom field to map perfectly — sometimes you’ll have to settle for the basics.
Step 4: Set Up Automatic Syncs (If Possible)
If you’re tired of exporting and importing every time you get new leads, set up an automatic sync. Here’s how it usually works:
Built-in Listkit Syncs
Some sales automation tools work directly with Listkit for ongoing lead syncs. If yours does, turn this on and set the frequency (daily, weekly, etc.). Double-check that new leads actually show up each time.
Using Zapier or Similar Tools
If your platform isn’t supported natively, try using Zapier, Make (formerly Integromat), or similar automation platforms.
Zapier workflow example: 1. Trigger: New lead is added in Listkit. 2. Action: Create or update a contact in your CRM or outreach tool.
Pros: - Works with tons of platforms. - Can handle more complex workflows (e.g., only sync leads with certain tags).
Cons: - Zapier costs add up fast if you’re handling lots of leads. - Occasional sync errors — always check your logs.
What to ignore: Don’t waste time trying to force a two-way sync unless you really need it. For most teams, a one-way push from Listkit to your sales tool is all you need.
Step 5: Clean Up and Maintain Your Lead Data
Even with the best sync, your data can get messy. Here’s how to keep things clean:
- Deduplicate regularly: Most CRMs have a dedupe tool. Use it.
- Standardize fields: Make sure things like job titles or company names are consistent. Otherwise, your automation rules might break.
- Spot check for errors: Once a month, sample a few leads to make sure data is coming through cleanly. Fix mapping issues early.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
What works: - Direct integrations (when available) save time and reduce errors. - Small, regular imports are safer than huge, infrequent dumps. - Automation via Zapier or similar tools — but keep it simple.
What doesn’t: - Relying on custom fields to sync perfectly. They rarely do. - Ignoring data hygiene — duplicates and bad emails will bite you later. - Overcomplicating your workflow with too many tools or steps.
What to ignore: - Fancy “AI enrichment” integrations unless you actually know what data you’ll get. - Two-way syncs unless you have a serious reason (like updating lead status everywhere).
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Exporting and syncing leads from Listkit to your sales automation platform doesn’t have to be a mess. Start simple: export a few leads, check your mapping, and get your first sync working before you try to automate everything. Don’t get caught up chasing every new integration or feature — just focus on getting leads where you need them, with the fields you actually use.
Once you’ve got the basics down, you can always layer on more automation. But most teams are better off with a boring, reliable workflow than an over-engineered one that breaks at the worst possible time.
Now, get your leads moving — and don’t be afraid to keep tweaking until it’s smooth.