If you’ve got a pile of contacts—maybe from spreadsheets, old CRMs, or a random stack of business cards—it’s tempting to just dump them into your system and hope for the best. But if you’re using Pitchmonster to manage your outreach, trust me: a little prep work will save you a lot of headaches later. This guide is for anyone staring down a messy contact list and wondering how to get it into Pitchmonster without making a huge mess.
No fluff here—just honest advice on what matters, what doesn’t, and how to make your contact data actually useful.
Step 1: Take Inventory of Your Contacts
Before you even think about importing, figure out what you’re working with. Not all contact lists are created equal, and you want to avoid dragging in junk.
What to look for:
- Duplicates: If you’ve exported from multiple sources, you almost definitely have duplicates.
- Incomplete data: Missing emails, names, companies, or other basics? Flag those.
- Outdated info: Old job titles, dead emails, or people who left the industry? Decide if you still want them.
- Weird formatting: Sometimes emails are buried in “notes” fields or names are in all caps.
Pro tip: If your data is scattered across platforms (Outlook, Google Contacts, HubSpot, spreadsheets), export everything to CSV or Excel. It’s much easier to wrangle one big file than bounce between tools.
Step 2: Clean Your Data Before Importing
Pitchmonster has some built-in tools to help with duplicates and formatting, but it’s way less painful to clean things up before you import. Garbage in, garbage out.
What’s worth fixing:
- Standardize your columns: Make sure every row has columns like
First Name,Last Name,Email,Company, etc. Don’t overthink it—just pick the columns you actually use. - Fix capitalization: “JANE DOE” looks sloppy. Change it to “Jane Doe.”
- Remove obvious junk: Blank rows, random characters, or contacts with no email? Delete them.
- Check for duplicates: Search for duplicate emails (the fastest way). If you want to get fancy, Excel’s “Remove Duplicates” tool works well.
- Normalize values: If you have a “Job Title” column with “CEO,” “C.E.O,” and “Chief Executive Officer,” choose one format.
- Validate emails: If you can, use a free bulk email validator (there are tons online). No point importing 500 undeliverable addresses.
What to ignore:
Don’t waste time on obscure fields you’ll never use (like “Pager Number” or “Fax”). If you don’t use it in your workflow, don’t bother.
Pro tip:
Keep a backup of your raw export. If you mess something up, you’ll thank yourself later.
Step 3: Prepare Your File for Pitchmonster
Pitchmonster imports CSV files. Excel is fine for cleaning, but export to CSV before you upload.
How to prep:
- Save as CSV: In Excel or Google Sheets, go to “File > Save As” and pick “Comma Separated Values (.csv).”
- Check your headers: Make sure column names are clear and consistent. No crazy formatting.
- Remove extra sheets: Pitchmonster only reads the first sheet in a file—delete any others.
- Trim down your data: Only import what you need. More columns = more chances for errors.
Pro tip:
If you’re nervous, start with a small batch (maybe 10–20 contacts). It’s easier to fix problems on a tiny import than with thousands of rows.
Step 4: Importing Contacts Into Pitchmonster
Here’s where you actually get your data into Pitchmonster. The process is straightforward, but you’ll want to pay attention to the mapping step.
How to import:
- Log in to Pitchmonster.
- Go to the Contacts section.
- Click “Import” or the upload icon.
- Upload your CSV file.
- Map your columns: Pitchmonster will ask you to match your CSV columns to its fields. Double-check these, especially email and name.
- Handle duplicates: Pitchmonster can merge or skip duplicates based on email address. Decide which you prefer.
- Review before confirming: You’ll get a chance to preview your import. Look for anything weird—empty columns, missing data, or jumbled names.
- Confirm import.
What works:
Pitchmonster’s mapping tool is solid. If your columns are labeled clearly (like “Email” and “First Name”), it usually guesses right. But always check—automation is good, but not perfect.
What doesn’t:
If your CSV is messy (weird headers, merged cells, or extra tabs), expect trouble. Pitchmonster can’t fix a truly bad file.
Step 5: Post-Import Cleanup in Pitchmonster
You’re not done yet. Even a “clean” import can sneak in some problems.
What to check:
- Scan for duplicates: Sometimes, slight differences (like “bob@email.com” vs. “bob@email.co”) slip through.
- Check for missing data: Filter by blank fields—did some contacts import without names or companies?
- Tag or segment your contacts: Use Pitchmonster’s tagging or list features to group contacts (by industry, status, etc.). This makes outreach easier later.
- Delete junk: If you spot any obviously bad data, delete it now before it clutters things up.
Pro tip:
If you imported a test batch earlier, delete those test contacts before importing your full list. Otherwise, you’ll have duplicates.
Step 6: Set Up a Simple Maintenance Routine
Even the best import won’t keep your database clean forever. If you want your contact list to stay useful, make cleanup a habit—not a once-a-year nightmare.
Here’s what actually helps:
- Regularly export and scan for bounces or unsubscribes.
- Merge duplicates whenever you spot them.
- Don’t let random team members import willy-nilly—set some ground rules.
- Once a quarter, audit your tags and segments.
What to ignore:
Don’t stress about perfection. A little mess is inevitable. Just avoid letting it pile up until it’s unmanageable.
Honest Q&A: What People Actually Ask
Do I need fancy data cleaning software?
No. Excel or Google Sheets is good enough for most people. If you’re importing 100,000+ contacts, maybe look into dedicated tools—but for most, basic spreadsheet skills are all you need.
Is there a way to undo an import in Pitchmonster?
Not really. Once contacts are in, you have to delete them manually or by batch. That’s why test imports are smart.
Are there limits on import size?
Pitchmonster handles big files, but massive CSVs (think 50,000+ rows) can slow down or timeout. If you run into issues, break your file into smaller chunks.
Should I enrich my data (social media, phone, etc.) before importing?
Only if you actually use that info. Otherwise, it’s just more clutter.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Importing and cleaning your contact database in Pitchmonster isn’t rocket science, but it does take an hour or two up front. The real trick? Don’t overcomplicate it. Start with what’s useful, keep your columns simple, and build good habits as you go. You’ll save yourself—and your team—a lot of headaches down the line.
Now, go make your contact list something you’re not embarrassed to show your boss.