If you're running B2B outreach on Twitter, you know that blasting generic messages won't get you far. The trick is targeting—right people, right message, right time. This guide walks you through importing and segmenting contact lists in Tweetdm, so your messaging actually hits home (and doesn't get you blocked).
Whether you're a founder, marketer, or just tired of manual DM chaos, this one's for you.
Step 1: Prep Your Contact List (Don’t Skip This)
Before you even touch Tweetdm, make sure your contact data is in good shape. There's no magic button that fixes bad data after the fact.
What you’ll need: - A CSV or Excel file with your B2B contacts. - At minimum: Twitter handles, but names and company info help a lot for segmentation.
Pro tips: - Double-check that Twitter handles are current. Out-of-date handles = wasted effort. - Toss out any rows with missing or obviously fake data. - Don’t bother importing generic company accounts—stick to real people.
Here’s a simple CSV format that works:
| twitter_handle | name | company | title | industry | notes | |----------------|--------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------|----------------------| | @jane_smith | Jane Smith | Acme Widgets | Head of Sales | SaaS | Met at SaaS Summit | | @john.doe | John Doe | BetaTech | CTO | Fintech | Likes automation |
Keep it clean. If you cut corners here, you’ll regret it later.
Step 2: Import Contacts into Tweetdm
Now it’s time to get your contacts into Tweetdm. The process is straightforward—if your file is clean.
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Log in to Tweetdm
Use your Twitter account. If you’re managing multiple brands or clients, pick the right one up front. -
Find the Import Tool
It’s usually under “Contacts” or a similar section—look for “Import,” “Add Contacts,” or a cloud/upload icon. -
Upload Your File
- Click “Upload CSV/Excel.”
- Select your cleaned-up file.
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Map your columns. Tweetdm may try to guess, but double-check:
- Twitter handle → Handle/User
- Name → Name
- Company → Company
- Title/Industry/Notes → Custom fields if available
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Review and Confirm
- Most tools show a preview. Scan for any weirdness (misaligned columns, missing data).
- Confirm the import.
What can go wrong? - Bad formatting: If your file isn’t UTF-8 or has funky characters, you’ll get errors. - Duplicates: Tweetdm tries to weed these out, but check for double entries. - Nonexistent handles: Some tools validate handles; some don’t. You may get error messages or silent fails.
What to ignore:
- Fancy formatting, colors, or formulas in your file—they won’t carry over. Plain text is best.
Step 3: Segment Your List for Targeted Messaging
This is where things get interesting—and where most people get lazy. Don’t just upload and blast; segmentation is what makes or breaks your campaign.
Segmentation basics: - By industry: Reach out to SaaS folks differently than e-commerce. - By job title: Founders, marketers, engineers—they all care about different things. - By relationship: Warm (past chats, events) vs. cold (no prior contact). - By pain point or interest: If you have notes, use them.
How to segment in Tweetdm:
- Tagging or Lists:
- After import, select contacts in bulk.
- Assign tags like “Fintech,” “CTO,” “Met at Event,” etc.
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If Tweetdm supports lists, group people there too.
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Filters/Search:
- Use Tweetdm’s filter tools to sort by company, title, or your custom fields.
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Save filtered segments for quick access later.
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Manual tweaks:
- Some contacts won’t fit neatly into one bucket. Move them around as needed.
- Delete or merge duplicates that slipped through.
Pro tips: - Don’t overdo it. 3–5 solid segments beat 20 micro-buckets you never use. - If you’re not sure how to segment, start broad. You can always refine later. - Make your tags simple and obvious—if you need to remember what a tag means, it’s too complicated.
What doesn’t work:
- Segmenting purely by company name (unless you’re doing ABM).
- Overly clever tags you’ll forget in a week.
- Ignoring segmentation entirely—generic outreach gets ignored.
Step 4: Craft Targeted Messages (and Avoid Spam Traps)
Now that your lists are segmented, write messages for each group. Don’t use the same template for everyone.
Best practices:
- Personalize, but don’t overthink it.
Use {name} and {company}, but avoid fake familiarity (“Hey bestie!”).
- Keep it short.
Twitter DMs have a character limit, but honestly, nobody reads walls of text.
- Focus on relevance.
Why should this person care? Mention their industry, pain point, or something specific from your notes.
- One clear ask.
Don’t pile on links or requests. One call to action is enough.
Example:
"Hey Jane, saw Acme Widgets is expanding into SaaS. I help sales teams automate Twitter outreach—happy to share a few tips if you’re interested!"
What to skip:
- Generic “let’s connect!” messages. They’re boring and obvious.
- Copy-paste spam. You’ll get blocked or muted fast.
- Trying to be overly clever or salesy. Respect people’s time.
Step 5: Send in Batches and Track Results
Don’t send hundreds of DMs at once. Twitter rate limits are real, and nobody likes being spammed.
- Batch your sends:
- Send to 10–20 people at a time, spaced out over hours or days.
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Mix up your templates slightly to avoid detection.
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Track responses:
- Use Tweetdm’s tracking tools to see open rates, replies, and link clicks (if supported).
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Tag or move responsive contacts to a new segment (“Warm Leads,” etc.).
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Adjust as you go:
- Double down on messages and segments that get replies.
- Don’t be afraid to tweak or drop approaches that flop.
Warning:
If you push too hard and get flagged for spam, Twitter can restrict your account. Play it safe.
Step 6: Clean Up and Iterate
Your first import and campaign won’t be perfect. That’s normal.
- Remove bounced contacts or those who never reply.
- Update or merge contacts as you learn more about them.
- Refine your segments based on real results, not just your guesses.
Don’t let your list go stale:
- Re-import periodically with new leads.
- Archive or delete old contacts who aren’t relevant anymore.
The Bottom Line
Importing and segmenting B2B contact lists in Tweetdm isn’t rocket science, but it does take a bit of front-loaded effort. Focus on clean data and simple segments. Don’t overcomplicate things. Start with the basics, see what actually gets replies, and keep tweaking as you go.
Most of all: real targeting beats spray-and-pray every time. Keep it simple, stay human, and you’ll do fine.