If you’re running outreach campaigns, you know the drill: it all comes down to having the right leads in the right format, fast. If you’re using ExportApollo.com, you probably want to skip the fluff and get your vetted leads out to a CSV without jumping through hoops. This guide is for sales ops folks, founders, marketers—anyone who wants to actually use the leads they’ve found, not just stare at them in a dashboard.
Below, I’ll walk you through the essential steps to export qualified leads from ExportApollo to CSV. I’ll call out what matters, what’s just window dressing, and how to avoid the usual export headaches.
1. Know What You’re Exporting (Don’t Just Dump Everything)
Before you click “Export,” make sure you’re actually pulling leads that are worth your time. ExportApollo makes it pretty easy to pull giant lists, but outreach isn’t a numbers game if you’re just emailing random people. Here’s what to double-check:
- Use filters with intent: Don’t just select by industry or job title. Layer in firmographic filters (size, funding, region) and any custom tags you’ve added during your research.
- Qualify before you export: If you haven’t already, mark or tag your best leads inside ExportApollo. This pays off big time when you’re sorting through CSVs later.
- Skip obviously bad data: If you spot generic emails (info@, sales@) or empty fields, deselect them now. It’s easier than cleaning up a messy CSV after.
Pro tip: If you plan to run personalized outreach, consider exporting in smaller, more targeted batches. It’s less overwhelming and makes tracking results a lot simpler.
2. Set Up Your View in ExportApollo
ExportApollo comes with a bunch of bells and whistles, but you want only the data you’ll actually use. Here’s how to trim the fat:
- Customize columns: Hide columns you don’t care about (like LinkedIn profile URLs if you’re not using them), and pull forward what matters—direct email, company, job title, phone number if you need it.
- Sort and filter: Set up your table with only qualified leads. If you’ve tagged or favorited them already, filter by those tags.
- Preview before export: Scroll through your list to spot weird outliers—like leads with missing emails, or companies that don’t fit your criteria.
Most people skip this step and regret it later when they’re cleaning up 1,000-row spreadsheets. Five minutes here saves you hours later.
3. Exporting to CSV: Step-by-Step
Alright, you’ve got your list. Here’s the no-nonsense process:
- Select your leads:
- You can usually “Select All” on the filtered view, but double-check you’re not grabbing stuff you don’t want.
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If ExportApollo limits batch size (some plans do), you’ll need to do this in chunks. Don’t get greedy—exports time out if you try to pull too much at once.
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Find the Export button:
- It’s usually at the top or in a drop-down menu labeled “Export” or “Download.”
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If you’re not seeing it, make sure you’re not on a free plan—most tools lock exports behind a paywall.
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Choose CSV as your format:
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Avoid Excel or PDF—CSV plays nicest with outreach tools like Mailshake, Reply, or even just Google Sheets.
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Confirm fields:
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Some platforms let you pick which data columns get exported. If ExportApollo prompts you, uncheck junk fields (like last login date, unless you genuinely need it).
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Download and open your CSV:
- Give it a clear name (e.g.,
Q2-2024-Qualified-Leads.csv). You’ll thank yourself later. - Open it right away and scan the first few rows for weird formatting—sometimes you get garbled characters or empty columns.
4. Clean Up Your CSV (Don’t Skip This)
Even the best export tools spit out messy data sometimes. Here’s how to clean up your file fast:
- Remove duplicates: Outreach tools hate duplicate emails. Use a tool like Excel’s “Remove Duplicates” or Google Sheets’ “Unique” function.
- Check for missing data: Sort by the “Email” column and delete rows without valid emails. Generic emails? Up to you, but I’d remove them unless you have a specific use.
- Validate emails if you care about deliverability: If you’re sending at scale, run your list through a validator (e.g., NeverBounce, ZeroBounce). Most CSVs from tools like ExportApollo aren’t 100% verified.
Pro tip: Add a column for “Notes” or “Personalization” if you plan to add custom info. It’ll make your outreach look less spammy.
5. Import to Your Outreach Tool (or Use as Needed)
Now that you’ve got a clean CSV, you can bring it into whatever outreach system you’re using:
- Upload to your tool: Most platforms (Mailshake, Outreach, Lemlist, etc.) have a CSV import. Follow their prompts—usually just drag and drop.
- Map fields carefully: Double-check that “First Name” matches “First Name,” “Company” matches “Company,” etc. This is where most people mess up their mail merges.
- Do a test run: Send a couple of emails to yourself first. Make sure everything looks right and the personalization fields work.
If you’re still using Google Sheets or Excel as your CRM, that’s fine—just keep your data organized and versioned.
6. What to Ignore (and What to Watch Out For)
ExportApollo (like most lead tools) throws a lot at you. Here’s what you can safely ignore or skip:
- Vanity metrics: Don’t bother exporting “Engagement Score” or “Social Followers” unless it’s directly useful for your campaign.
- Overly broad lists: Resist the urge to export every possible lead. Focus on quality and relevance—your reply rates (and sanity) will thank you.
- "Magic" enrichment features: Some tools promise “real-time verified leads.” Take these claims with a grain of salt. Always assume you’ll need to verify and clean data to some extent.
7. Troubleshooting Common Export Issues
Not everything goes smoothly every time. Here’s what can trip you up:
- Export limits: If you’re hitting a cap, try exporting in smaller batches or check if your plan needs upgrading. Annoying, but common.
- Weird formatting: Sometimes you’ll get CSVs with extra columns, odd character encoding, or merged cells. Open in both Excel and Google Sheets—one usually handles weirdness better.
- Missing data: If you exported and see blank fields, go back and make sure those columns were actually visible in ExportApollo before export.
- File won’t upload: Check for file size, row limits, or required columns in your target outreach tool. Sometimes just re-saving the CSV or trimming a few columns fixes the issue.
8. Keep It Simple and Iterate
Exporting leads isn’t rocket science, but it’s shockingly easy to overcomplicate. Don’t get bogged down with every feature ExportApollo offers. Focus on getting a clean, relevant CSV you can actually use.
Start with smaller lists, check your results, and improve the process as you go. Outreach is about quality, not quantity—and the less time you spend messing with exports, the more you can spend actually closing deals.
If you mess up? No big deal. Just tweak, re-export, and keep moving. That’s how you get better—one CSV at a time.