How to import and organize B2B contact lists in Regie efficiently

If you're stuck wrangling spreadsheets, fighting with outdated CRMs, or just tired of messy contact lists, this guide is for you. We’ll walk through how to get your B2B contacts into Regie without the usual headaches—and keep things organized so you actually want to use them. No fluff, just practical steps that’ll save you time (and maybe your sanity).

1. Know What You're Working With

Before you touch Regie, take a hard look at your contact list. Most lists are riddled with junk—duplicates, missing info, and contacts you’ll never actually reach out to. Don’t dump a mess into a new system. Here’s what to check:

  • Duplicates: Do you have the same person three times under slightly different names?
  • Outdated records: Anyone who’s changed jobs, left the company, or bounced your last three emails? Lose ‘em.
  • Incomplete info: Missing key fields like email, job title, or company? Decide if it’s worth tracking them down.
  • Formatting: Make sure your data is in a clean CSV or Excel format. Regie won’t magically fix broken files.

Pro tip: Spend 10 minutes cleaning up before you import. It’ll save you hours later.

2. Prep Your Data for Regie

Regie expects a certain structure. Ignore this, and you’ll wind up with a pile of errors or, worse, contacts you can’t use.

Core Fields to Include

At minimum, make sure you’ve got:

  • First name
  • Last name
  • Email address (absolutely required)
  • Company name
  • Job title
  • Phone number (optional, but nice to have)
  • LinkedIn URL (if you have it)

Use clear column headers—don’t get fancy. “First Name” not “Fname,” and so on.

File Format

  • CSV is your safest bet. Excel files (.xlsx) usually work, but CSV avoids weird formatting issues.
  • Save as UTF-8 if you can. Special characters (think: André, Zoë) will import cleanly.

Watch Out For...

  • Weird line breaks: Clean up any odd spacing or carriage returns.
  • Merged cells: Splitting these before you import will save you from headaches.
  • Extra tabs or spaces: These confuse Regie’s mapping and can cause silent failures.

3. Importing Contacts into Regie

Let’s get your clean list into Regie. The process is straightforward, but you’ll want to pay attention to a couple of details.

Step-by-Step

  1. Log into Regie. (Yeah, obvious, but worth saying.)
  2. Navigate to the Contacts section. Usually labeled “Contacts” or “Import Contacts.”
  3. Find the Import button. This is often a plus (+) sign or labeled “Import.”
  4. Upload your CSV file.
  5. Map your columns. Regie will try to match your headers to its fields. Double-check—automation can be dumb.
    • If a column doesn’t match, map it manually or skip it.
  6. Choose your list or segment. (If you’re importing into a specific campaign, make sure you select the right one.)
  7. Start the import. Regie will process the file. For big lists, this might take a few minutes.
  8. Check the import results. Regie should tell you how many records succeeded or failed. Download the error log if there are issues.

Real talk: If you get a lot of errors, don’t panic. Most are caused by bad emails, missing required fields, or formatting issues. Fix the file and re-upload.

4. Organize Contacts Immediately (Don’t Wait)

Once your contacts are in, it’s tempting to move on. Don’t. Take five minutes to organize things now—you’ll thank yourself later.

Use Tags or Segments

Regie lets you bucket contacts by tags, lists, or segments. Set these up before you start blasting emails.

  • Segment by persona: “VP Marketing,” “IT Decision Maker,” etc.
  • Segment by account: Useful if you do account-based outreach.
  • Segment by priority: “Hot lead,” “Cold,” “Nurture.”

Custom Fields

If your business tracks something unique (e.g., renewal date, product interest), set up custom fields. Don’t try to cram everything into the “Notes” section—you’ll never find it again.

Archive or Delete Junk

  • Archive contacts you won’t use, but don’t want to delete.
  • Delete obvious junk (bounces, spam traps, former employees).

Pro tip: Keep your segments tight—too many, and you’ll never remember what’s what.

5. Keep Data Clean Over Time

The first import is only half the battle. Contacts go stale fast, especially in B2B.

Set a Routine

  • Quarterly reviews: Every few months, export your list, check for bounces, and clean up.
  • De-duplicate regularly: Most CRMs (Regie included) won’t spot every duplicate. Run a check every so often.
  • Update fields: Track changes in job titles, companies, or status.

Automate Where Possible

  • Sync with other tools: If Regie integrates with your CRM or LinkedIn, set up automatic syncing. Manual import is a chore.
  • Use enrichment tools: Some platforms can auto-update job titles or company info. Just don’t overpay for data you don’t use.

What to Ignore

  • Don’t obsess over every field. If you don’t use “Fax Number,” don’t import it.
  • Don’t try to track every possible segmentation. Stick to what actually helps you sell or market.

6. Avoid Common Pitfalls

Even with the best intentions, things can go sideways. Here’s what to watch out for:

  • Overly broad lists: Importing everyone “just in case” leads to confusion and poor targeting.
  • Ignoring errors: Those red flags during import? Fix them now, or you’ll chase ghosts later.
  • No backup: Always keep an original copy of your CSV somewhere. Stuff happens.
  • Not testing: Send a test campaign to a small segment before blasting your entire list.

Pro tip: Less is more. A smaller, cleaner list beats a big, messy one every time.

7. FAQs and Honest Takes

Does Regie deduplicate contacts automatically?
Sort of. It’ll flag some duplicates during import, but don’t trust it to catch everything—especially if names or emails are slightly different.

Can I undo an import?
Not really. You can bulk delete imported contacts, but there’s no single “undo” button. Double-check before importing large lists.

Is it worth paying for data enrichment?
Depends. If your sales process relies on up-to-date titles or company info, maybe. But most enrichment tools are overkill for small teams.

Should I import every field I have?
Nope. Only import fields you’ll actually use. More fields = more clutter.

Keep It Simple and Iterate

The temptation is to overcomplicate contact management. Don’t. Import a clean list, organize it with a few sensible segments, and keep it updated once in a while. That’s it. You’ll spend less time fighting your database and more time actually reaching out to people. When in doubt, aim for simple, not perfect—and just start.