If you’ve got a list of contacts sitting in a spreadsheet and you want to actually do something useful with it—like send the right message to the right people—this article’s for you. Maybe you’re using Getlia for the first time, or maybe you’re tired of bad data messing up your targeting. Either way, here’s how to import your contacts, clean things up, and enrich the list so you’re not just blasting emails into the void.
1. Prep Your Contact List Before Import (Don’t Skip This)
Let’s be honest: most contact lists are a mess. Before you even touch Getlia, get your spreadsheet in order. This will save you hours later.
Here’s what you should do:
- Stick to one row per contact. No merged cells, no weird formatting.
- Standard columns. At a minimum: First Name, Last Name, Email. Extras like Company, Title, Phone help a lot.
- Consistent formatting. Don’t mix “First Last” and “Last, First” in the same column.
- Remove obvious junk. Duplicates, role-based emails (like info@), or contacts you know are dead.
- Check for missing emails. No email = no way to reach them = pointless.
Pro tip: If you’ve got a huge, ugly file, run a quick de-duplication in Excel or Google Sheets. There are plenty of tutorials out there—don’t skip this.
2. Import Your List into Getlia
Once your list’s cleaned up, it’s time to get it into Getlia. The process is straightforward, but there are a few places you can trip up.
Step-by-step:
- Log in to Getlia.
- Go to the Contacts section. Usually there’s a big “Import” button—use that.
- Upload your file. Getlia takes CSV and XLSX. Stick with CSV if you’re unsure.
- Map your columns. Getlia tries to guess what’s what, but double-check. If your “Mobile” column is actually “Phone,” fix it here.
- Set import options.
- Update existing contacts? If you’re re-importing, tell Getlia whether to overwrite or skip matches.
- Assign to a list/segment. Name your import so you can actually find these people later.
- Preview and confirm. Look for errors—missing columns, weird formatting, etc.
- Import. Hit the button and let it run.
What to watch out for:
- Encoding issues. If you see strange characters, save your file as UTF-8 CSV.
- Failed rows. Getlia tells you which contacts didn’t make it in. Download that error file and fix the issues.
- Field limits. If your file has columns Getlia doesn’t recognize, you may need to create custom fields before importing.
3. Clean Up Your Imported Data
Don’t assume your data is perfect just because it loaded. Now’s the time to fix anything that slipped through.
- Spot-check random contacts. Look for swapped first/last names, missing data, or junk entries.
- Bulk edit obvious mistakes. Getlia usually lets you filter and bulk-update, which is way faster than editing one-by-one.
- Tag or segment. If you didn’t do it at import, tag these contacts now so you can target them later.
What’s not worth it: Obsessively fixing every minor typo. Focus on stuff that actually impacts your ability to target—like wrong email addresses or missing company names.
4. Enrich Your Contacts (The Real Power Move)
Here’s where things get interesting. Importing’s just step one—enrichment is what makes targeting work. Getlia can help fill in gaps and pull in extra info, but it’s not magic. Here’s how to get the most out of it.
a) Use Getlia’s Built-In Enrichment
Most modern CRMs, including Getlia, offer enrichment features—think social profiles, company data, or job titles pulled in automatically.
- Batch enrichment: Usually a one-click process post-import. Getlia will try to match emails to public data.
- Manual enrichment: For high-value contacts, you can look up info one-by-one or add it yourself.
What works: Filling in missing firmographic data (company size, industry), pulling LinkedIn profiles, and updating job titles.
What doesn’t: Expecting perfect coverage. If your contacts use personal emails, or their info isn’t public, enrichment will come up short.
b) Import Additional Data
If you’ve got another source—maybe LinkedIn exports, trade show lists, or another CRM—repeat the import process above, but take care to avoid duplicates. Use unique IDs (usually email) to match and merge.
c) Third-Party Enrichment Tools
If you’re serious about clean data, consider using a dedicated enrichment tool (like Clearbit, ZoomInfo, or Apollo) before bringing contacts into Getlia. These often do a better job of filling gaps, but come at a cost.
- Pros: More accurate, more fields, works even if your CRM’s built-in enrichment is weak.
- Cons: Can get pricey, and you’ll need to manually import the new data.
5. Segment Your Contacts for Targeting
Now that you’ve got cleaner, richer data, put it to use. Good segmentation is what separates targeted outreach from spam.
Ways to segment in Getlia:
- By job title or function (e.g., “Marketing Managers”)
- By company size or industry
- By lifecycle stage (e.g., new leads, customers, event attendees)
- By engagement (opened last email, clicked a link, etc.)
Don’t overthink it: Start with a few segments you actually plan to use. You can always get fancier later.
6. Keep Your List Fresh (and Avoid the Common Pitfalls)
Imported and enriched your list? Great. Now don’t let it rot. Here’s how to keep your targeting sharp:
- Remove bounces and unsubscribes regularly. Getlia should help automate this, but check that it’s happening.
- Update enrichment every few months. People change jobs; data goes stale fast.
- Don’t buy lists. Seriously. It’s tempting, but you’ll end up with junk data, spam complaints, and wasted outreach.
- Monitor engagement. If a segment never responds, stop targeting them and clean them out.
Pro tip: Set a calendar reminder for quarterly list reviews. It’s boring, but it works.
What to Ignore
There’s a lot of hype around “AI-powered” enrichment and “one-click perfect data.” Reality: no system is flawless. You’ll always have some bad emails, missing fields, or oddball entries. Don’t stress about perfection—focus on what actually helps your targeting.
Summary: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Importing and enriching contacts in Getlia isn’t rocket science, but it does take a little discipline. Clean your list before you import, use enrichment to fill in the useful gaps, and segment only as much as you actually need. Don’t get distracted by promises of “automagical” data. Start simple, see what works, and adjust as you go. That’s how you get real targeting results—without drowning in busywork.