How to import and clean b2b contact lists using Inboxautomate for higher deliverability

If you’re in B2B sales or marketing, you know how easy it is to get burned by a bad contact list. One upload, a few spam complaints, and suddenly your emails are vanishing into the void. This guide is for anyone who wants to import and clean B2B contact lists in Inboxautomate the right way—without getting your domain blacklisted or annoying potential customers.

Let’s skip the sales pitch and get straight to what works.

Why Deliverability Matters (And Why Most Lists Are Garbage)

It’s tempting to think more contacts equals more leads. Reality check: most B2B lists are jammed with dead emails, spam traps, and ancient data. If you just import and blast, you’re asking for trouble—think low open rates, bounces, or worse, getting blocked.

Deliverability isn’t magic. It’s about sending to real people who actually want to hear from you. Inboxautomate (inboxautomate.html) can help, but only if you start with a list that's worth emailing.

Step 1: Prep Your List Before Importing Anything

Don’t dump raw data straight into Inboxautomate. Garbage in, garbage out. Here’s what you want to check first:

  • Format it right: Use CSV (comma-separated values). Make sure every row is a person, not a company or blank line.
  • Columns that matter: At minimum, you need Email. Add First Name, Last Name, and Company if you have them.
  • No weird characters: Clean up stray semicolons, tabs, or emoji. They break imports more often than you’d think.
  • De-dupe: Remove exact duplicates. Inboxautomate will flag some, but why upload junk twice?

Pro tip: If you’re scraping lists or buying them (not recommended), expect a higher trash-to-treasure ratio. Always assume you’ll need to clean up.

Step 2: Importing Your List Into Inboxautomate

Once your CSV is cleaned up, here’s what to do:

  1. Log in to Inboxautomate.
  2. Find the “Contacts” or “Import” section. (Label might change, but look for “Upload CSV” or similar.)
  3. Upload your file. Drag and drop, or use the browser dialog.
  4. Map your fields: Inboxautomate will ask which column in your file matches which data field (e.g., match “Email” to “Email Address”). Double-check these or you’ll end up with a mess.
  5. Start the import and wait. For big lists, processing can take a few minutes.

What can go wrong? - Non-CSV files: Excel formats (.xlsx) often cause errors. - Bad headers: If the top row isn’t clear, Inboxautomate will guess—and usually guess wrong. - Weird characters: As above, these can break the import or misplace data.

Step 3: Use Inboxautomate’s Built-in List Cleaning (But Don’t Rely on It Alone)

Inboxautomate will try to weed out obvious issues:

  • Syntax errors: Missing “@” signs, impossible domains.
  • Duplicates: It’ll flag or merge them.
  • Role-based emails: Addresses like info@, sales@, etc., are often less valuable and more likely to bounce.

But here’s the truth: no tool is perfect. Inboxautomate can’t spot a spam trap or a fake email that looks real. That’s why you should:

  • Run your list through a dedicated email verifier first. Tools like Zerobounce, NeverBounce, or Bouncer catch more problems. Upload the cleaned file to Inboxautomate after verification.
  • Don’t ignore low-quality data. If you see a lot of “catch-all” or “unknown” results from a verifier, consider removing them. Risk isn’t worth it.

Pro tip: A smaller, cleaner list will always outperform a big, dirty one. If you’re nervous about losing leads, remember: dead emails never buy anything.

Step 4: Segment and Tag Contacts (Skip This and You’ll Regret It)

Even if your list is small, segmenting pays off. Why?

  • You can send tailored messages (better open rates).
  • You can test different approaches without blasting everyone.
  • If you get complaints, you can spot which segment is the problem.

How to segment in Inboxautomate:

  • Use tags or custom fields for things like industry, job title, or source (e.g., “webinar2024”, “scraped”, “customers”).
  • If you don’t have this data, even basic tags like “new-import” help.

What not to do: Don’t try to “personalize” using blank fields. “Hi ,” is worse than “Hi there,” and it makes you look careless.

Step 5: Warm Up and Test, Don’t Just Hit Send

If you just uploaded 10,000 fresh contacts and blast them on day one, you’re begging for trouble.

  • Start with small batches. Send to 20-50 addresses first, ideally to a segment you trust.
  • Watch deliverability metrics: Look for high bounce or complaint rates. If you see them, pause and investigate.
  • Gradually increase volume. Add 50-100 more per day if things look good.

Why bother? Even with a clean list, sudden spikes in sending volume or mistakes in the import can tank your sender reputation.

Step 6: Regularly Re-Clean and Prune Your List

Lists rot. People change jobs, companies shut down, emails go stale.

  • Set a schedule: Every month or two, run your active list through a verifier.
  • Remove bounces and “unengaged” contacts: If someone hasn’t opened in six months, stop emailing them.
  • Don’t obsess over list size. It’s a vanity metric. Focus on quality and engagement.

What to Ignore (Or, How to Avoid Wasting Time)

  • “List enrichment” tools that promise to turn your old emails into golden leads. Most of these just append generic data or make wild guesses.
  • Buying lists from random brokers. These are usually scraped, out-of-date, and can include spam traps.
  • Over-personalizing: No one expects you to know their dog’s name. Stick to basics.

Common Pitfalls (And How to Dodge Them)

  • Uploading the wrong file: Double-check you’re importing the right, cleaned CSV.
  • Forgetting to map fields: This leads to emails like “Hi , your company is awesome.”
  • Ignoring warnings: If Inboxautomate flags a ton of issues, don’t just click “ignore.”
  • Skipping verification: Relying only on Inboxautomate’s built-in cleaning is risky if your list is old or sketchy.

Keep It Simple: The Bottom Line

You don’t need fancy tricks to get your emails delivered. Clean your list before you import, use Inboxautomate to manage and segment, and be ruthless about pruning bad contacts. Start small, test, and ramp up only when you know your list is solid.

Remember, a small, clean list will beat a big, dirty one every time. Iterate, keep things simple, and don’t fall for hype—just send to real people who actually want to hear from you.