Looking to run a targeted email campaign, but stuck with all your contacts siloed inside LinkedIn? You’re not alone. LinkedIn likes to keep your network locked up, but there are tools that make it easier to actually use your connections in the real world. Leaddelta is one of the better-known options for exporting LinkedIn contacts, managing your network, and prepping lists for outreach.
Here’s a no-nonsense guide to exporting your LinkedIn contacts from Leaddelta and getting them ready for your next email campaign. This isn’t about scraping thousands of strangers or spamming people you’ve never met. It’s for people who want to work smarter with the network they’ve built—without the headaches or risk.
Before You Start: What You Can (and Can’t) Get from LinkedIn
First, a reality check: LinkedIn doesn’t let anyone export all your connections’ email addresses anymore. Even with tools like Leaddelta, you’ll only get the email addresses if your contacts have made them visible to their connections. That’s a LinkedIn policy, not a tech limitation. Most people don’t realize this until they run their first export and see a lot of blank fields.
So what CAN you get?
- Names
- Job titles and company names
- LinkedIn profile URLs
- Any visible email addresses (sometimes, but not always)
- Notes/tags if you’ve added them in Leaddelta
If you need more than this, you’ll either have to ask your contacts directly, or…well, get used to disappointment.
Step 1: Get Set Up with Leaddelta
If you’re already using Leaddelta, skip ahead. If not, here’s the quick version:
- Sign up: Go to Leaddelta’s website and sign up. There’s no free tier, but they have a trial.
- Connect LinkedIn: You’ll need to connect your LinkedIn account so Leaddelta can import your network.
- Sync your connections: The first sync can take a few minutes, especially if you have a large network. Don’t panic if it’s slow—LinkedIn puts the brakes on heavy API use.
Pro tip: Don’t mess with browser extensions or “scraper” hacks. They break often, get your account flagged, or just plain don’t work. Leaddelta uses LinkedIn’s official API, so it’s less risky.
Step 2: Filter and Organize Your Network
Don’t just export your entire network. That’s a recipe for bloat and irrelevant emails.
Inside Leaddelta:
- Use filters to sort your connections by:
- Industry
- Location
- Company
- Tags you’ve set up (e.g., “Potential leads,” “Past clients”)
-
Custom notes
-
Create lists or segments. This is where Leaddelta is actually useful. Tag people as you go, or batch tag from the main dashboard.
What works: - Tagging people in Leaddelta pays off fast. Even if it feels like busywork, it saves you a ton of time later.
What doesn’t: - Bulk exporting everyone “just in case.” You’ll waste time and probably annoy people with irrelevant emails.
Step 3: Export Your Selected Contacts
Once you’ve got your list whittled down, it’s time to export.
Here’s how:
- Select your filtered list or segment.
- Look for the “Export” or “Download” button—usually at the top right.
- Choose your export format. CSV is the standard and works with most email tools.
- Leaddelta will generate the file. Depending on list size, it might take a bit.
Heads up: - Double-check what fields are being exported. Sometimes custom notes/tags need to be “included” via a checkbox. - Again, don’t expect every row to have an email address. It’s normal to see blanks.
Pro tip: - Keep your exported file somewhere secure. You don’t want to leak your network’s info, even by accident.
Step 4: Clean and Prep the Data
No matter what tool you use, the export will be messy. Plan on spending time cleaning your CSV.
What you’ll probably need to do:
- Remove duplicates.
- Delete rows with missing or sketchy email addresses.
- Standardize name fields (First Name/Last Name).
- Double-check for weird formatting (especially if you use Excel vs. Google Sheets).
Optional, but worth it: - Add “personalization” columns for your campaign (e.g., Company, Recent Conversation, Custom Note). - Remove anyone you shouldn’t email—like current colleagues, close friends, or people who’ve opted out.
What works: - Using a tool like Google Sheets or Airtable for this cleanup. Excel is fine, but watch out for CSV import quirks.
What doesn’t: - Trusting the export is “ready to go.” It never is.
Step 5: Import into Your Email Tool
Now, you’re ready to use that list. Most email marketing tools (Mailchimp, ConvertKit, Lemlist, etc.) will accept a CSV upload.
- Go to your email tool and look for “Import Contacts” or “Upload List.”
- Map the columns (First Name, Email, etc.) as prompted.
- If your tool supports tags or segments, use the same tags you had in Leaddelta for consistency.
Warning:
- Don’t blast out a mass email to hundreds of LinkedIn contacts at once. Most tools will flag this as spam, and your deliverability will tank.
What works:
- Start small. Send a batch to a handful of contacts, make sure everything looks right, and scale up.
Step 6: Write (and Test) Your Campaign
You’ve got your cleaned list. Now what?
- Write a real email, not a form letter. Use the info you exported to personalize.
- Mention how you know each other or why you’re reaching out. LinkedIn contacts expect some context.
- If you’re emailing people in the EU or other strict regions, be crystal clear about why you’re contacting them.
Pro tip:
- Send yourself a test email first. Check for weird formatting, missing names, or obvious mail-merge errors.
What doesn’t work:
- Generic “thought you’d be interested in…” emails. Your network deserves better.
Step 7: Respect Privacy and Stay Out of Trouble
This isn’t legal advice, but you should know:
- Only email people who’d reasonably expect to hear from you.
- Don’t resell or share the exported data.
- Make it easy for people to opt out.
- Don’t mention the export in your email (“I got your email from LinkedIn”)—just act like any normal professional outreach.
If you overdo it:
Spam reports can get your email or even your LinkedIn account limited. Don’t risk it for a quick win.
What to Ignore (and What to Watch)
There are endless Chrome extensions, data enrichment tools, and “growth hacks” that claim to scrape every email from LinkedIn. Most are unreliable, break LinkedIn’s terms of service, or just plain don’t work anymore. Stick with tools like Leaddelta that use the official API, and you’ll sleep better.
Also, don’t get hung up on missing emails. Most people guard their inbox for good reason. Focus on quality over quantity.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple
Exporting your LinkedIn contacts from Leaddelta isn’t rocket science, but it does take some care. Don’t overcomplicate it. Start with a small, targeted list. Clean it up. Personalize your outreach. Iterate based on what works.
Most important: treat your network like people, not just data. That’s the only real “growth hack” that lasts.