If your sales team is tired of chasing the wrong leads, you’re not alone. Most B2B companies waste time and money because they’re guessing who their best customers are—or they’re stuck sifting through endless lists that go nowhere. This guide is for anyone who wants to use data (not hunches) to find companies and buyers that actually convert, using Uplead demographic filters. Whether you’re a founder, SDR, or marketer, you’ll walk away knowing what to do, what to skip, and how to avoid common traps.
Why Ideal Customer Profiles Matter (And Why Most People Get Them Wrong)
An ideal customer profile (ICP) sounds fancy, but it’s just a clear picture of the companies and people who are most likely to buy from you, stick around, and not make your life miserable. Get this wrong and you’ll burn through your budget—and your team’s patience—chasing leads that never close.
Here’s where most folks go off the rails: - They define their ICP too broadly (“any tech company with 10+ employees!”). - They copy generic lists from “industry thought leaders.” - They ignore the hard data and rely on gut feelings.
Let’s fix that.
Step 1: Get Clear on What Makes a Great Customer—for You
Before you touch Uplead or any tool, start by looking at your own data: - Who are your best customers right now? Look for patterns in industry, size, geography, revenue, tech stack, buying triggers, etc. - Who churns fast, or is a pain to support? Just as important. - What problems do you solve best—and for whom?
Pro tip: Don’t just ask sales. Ask customer success or support—they see where things break down.
Write these down. This is your rough draft ICP. You’ll refine it with Uplead’s filters, but don’t skip this step, or you’ll waste hours “filtering” the wrong way.
Step 2: Log In to Uplead and Explore Demographic Filters
Head into your Uplead dashboard. You’ll see a bunch of filters—some useful, some not.
The main demographic filters you should care about: - Industry (using NAICS/SIC codes or Uplead’s categories) - Company size (employee count) - Revenue (annual, if available) - Location (country, region, even city) - Job title & department (for finding the right contacts within a company)
Ignore the bells and whistles for now. Just stick to basics. Overcomplicating this rarely helps.
Step 3: Slice and Dice—But Don’t Go Overboard
Start plugging your ICP traits into the filters:
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Industry: Pick the specific industries where you actually win deals. If you’re not sure, run a few searches with different codes and see who pops up.
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Company Size: Be honest here. If your product only works for companies with 50+ employees, don’t waste time with tiny shops. Use the employee count filter to cut the noise.
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Revenue: Not every company lists revenue, but it’s worth filtering if you know your sweet spot. Just know that this data is often spotty.
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Location: Only sell in North America? Filter out the rest. This is where most teams get lazy and end up with junk leads.
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Job Titles/Departments: If you sell to heads of IT, filter for “IT Director,” “VP of Technology,” etc. Don’t just grab “Manager” or “CEO”—get specific.
What to Ignore (At Least for Now)
- Tech stack filters: Tempting, but these can be unreliable unless you really need a specific software in place.
- Funding rounds: Fun for VC-backed SaaS, but rarely useful unless it’s core to your ICP.
- Social media presence: Some tools hype this up, but it’s not a buying signal.
Step 4: Preview Your List—And Reality Check It
Once you’ve set your filters, preview the list. Don’t just export a thousand leads and call it a day.
Sanity-check your results: - Are these companies real prospects, or randoms that slipped through bad data? - Do the job titles match your buyers, or are you getting assistants and interns? - Is the geographic spread what you wanted?
If the list looks off, tweak your filters and try again. Sometimes you need to combine filters (e.g., company size AND industry) to get real matches.
Pro tip: Use the “exclude” options. For example, filter out consultants or agencies if you only want end customers.
Step 5: Download, Tag, and Start Small
Once you’re happy, download a small batch—maybe 50 to 100 leads. Import them into your CRM or outbound tool, but tag them clearly as “Uplead ICP test” or something obvious.
Why? Because you want to see how these leads actually perform before you go all-in. If your response rates are garbage, there’s no shame in going back and adjusting your filters. That’s how you learn.
Step 6: Track What Works (and What Doesn’t)
Don’t just blast emails and hope for the best. Track: - Which industries reply or book meetings? - Are certain company sizes more willing to talk? - Do some job titles bounce more than others (or never answer)?
Tweak your filters in Uplead based on what you learn. This isn’t a “set and forget” thing—it’s a loop. The best teams keep refining their ICP as they get real-world feedback.
Honest Take: What Uplead Filters Get Right (and What They Don’t)
Uplead’s filters are solid for basics: industry, size, and job titles. The data quality is generally above average—better than free tools, not perfect. Don’t expect miracle-level accuracy. Some company info will be outdated, and revenue numbers are often estimates.
Where things get shaky: - Contact info may be wrong or stale. Always verify before you start outreach. - Specialty filters (like tech used or funding) are hit-or-miss. Use them as a bonus, not a foundation. - International data can be patchy, especially for company size and revenue.
Bottom line: Uplead helps you find a decent starting pool, but you still need to vet leads and keep your expectations realistic.
Quick Checklist: Don’t Overthink It
- Start with your actual best customers, not imaginary ones
- Use just a few key filters—industry, size, geography, and job title
- Ignore “fancy” filters unless they’re truly core to your ICP
- Preview and sanity-check your list before exporting
- Start small, tag your leads, and track real results
- Keep adjusting as you learn—your ICP isn’t set in stone
Keep It Simple—Iterate As You Go
You don’t need to be a data scientist to use Uplead filters well. The real trick is staying focused on what’s worked for you (not what someone on LinkedIn claims is “hot”), and being willing to adjust when things don’t pan out. Stick to the basics, learn as you go, and don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. The best ICPs are built over time—not in a single afternoon.