If wrangling spreadsheets and chasing cold leads is eating up your time, you’re not alone. Whether you’re in sales, recruiting, or growth, you know the real pain isn’t finding leads—it’s actually keeping them organized and getting them out of your tools without losing your mind. If you’re using Hunter to build lists, this guide is for you.
Here’s how to keep your lead lists in order, avoid the usual headaches, and export them like a pro (without making a mess).
1. Get Your Lead Lists Set Up Right From the Start
Before you worry about exporting anything, you’ve got to get your lists in order. Hunter has some list features, but it’s not a full-blown CRM. The point isn’t to turn it into one—just to keep things tidy enough that exporting isn’t a nightmare later.
Decide on Your List Structure
- By campaign or outreach type: One list for each campaign (e.g., “Spring 2024 SaaS Outreach”).
- By persona or segment: Lists for different industries, job titles, or company sizes.
- By stage: Some folks keep “To Contact,” “Contacted,” and “Replied” lists, but honestly, this gets messy fast unless you’re disciplined.
Pro tip: Don’t overthink it. The simpler your structure, the less time you’ll spend shuffling leads around.
Naming Conventions Matter
Give your lists names that actually mean something. “List 1” and “Test” are only funny until you need to find that batch of fintech CTOs from last quarter.
- Use dates and descriptors:
Fintech CTOs - May 2024 - Avoid cryptic codes or inside jokes (future-you will not remember what “RocketList” means)
Importing Leads? Clean Your Data First
If you’re bringing in leads from a CSV or elsewhere, check for:
- Duplicate emails
- Bad formatting (weird characters, broken columns)
- Missing names or company fields
Hunter will catch some issues, but it’s faster to clean in Excel or Google Sheets before importing than to fix a mess after.
2. Tag, Filter, and Note—But Don’t Go Overboard
Hunter lets you tag leads and add notes. This is handy, but it’s easy to get carried away.
How to Use Tags
- Do: Use tags for broad categories (e.g., “VIP”, “Follow-up June”)
- Don’t: Tag every tiny detail (“likes coffee”, “uses Slack”). That’s CRM territory.
Tags help when you want to filter later, but too many tags just create clutter. Stick to tags that you’ll actually use to sort or filter down the road.
Notes: Quick Context, Not a Diary
- Add one-liners: “Met at SaaStr 2024,” “Asked for pricing info.”
- Skip the essay-length updates. If you need heavy notes, export to your CRM and use it there.
3. Keep Duplicates and Outdated Leads Under Control
Nothing ruins an export faster than stacks of duplicates or old, irrelevant leads.
Spot & Merge Duplicates
Hunter will try to warn you if you’re adding the same email twice, but it’s not foolproof.
- Run deduplication in your spreadsheet after export (Excel: Remove Duplicates, Google Sheets: Data > Cleanup).
- Or, do a quick search in Hunter before exporting—sort by email to spot obvious doubles.
Archive or Delete Old Lists
- If a list is stale, archive or delete it. Outdated lists make exports confusing.
- You can always re-import if you need something from the past.
4. Exporting Your Lists—Step by Step
Now for the part you actually care about: getting your leads out of Hunter in a usable format.
Step 1: Choose the List You Need
- In Hunter, go to the “Leads” section.
- Pick the list you want to export. Double-check—exporting the wrong list is a classic rookie move.
Step 2: Filter or Select Specific Leads (If Needed)
- Use the filters (tags, status, etc.) to narrow down your list.
- You can bulk-select or pick individuals if you don’t want the whole list.
Step 3: Click Export
- Hit the “Export” button (usually top-right).
- Choose your format: CSV or XLSX. CSV is safest—works everywhere.
Heads up: If you have notes or custom fields, make sure your export includes them. Check the sample export if you’re not sure.
Step 4: Download and Double-Check
- Open the exported file before you do anything else. Look for:
- Weird characters (especially if you have international names)
- Broken columns or missing data
- Empty rows at the bottom
Step 5: Clean Up in Excel or Google Sheets
- Remove any blank rows, weird formatting, or leftover test data.
- If you’re importing into another tool (like a CRM), check that the columns line up. Rename headers if you need to.
5. What Works (And What Doesn’t)
What Works
- Simple, clear list names = easier exports and less confusion.
- Tagging by real criteria (like “VIP” or “Needs Follow-Up”) actually helps sort and filter.
- Exporting regularly keeps your data fresh and makes it easier to spot problems early.
- Spot-checking your exports before uploading to another tool saves a ton of headaches.
What Doesn’t
- Over-complicating your lists (tracking too many segments or campaign types) just means more work.
- Relying on Hunter as a CRM. It’s not built for tracking complex interactions or multi-stage deals.
- Ignoring duplicates—they’ll come back to haunt you in your CRM or email sequences.
6. Advanced: Automate Your Exports (If You Must)
If you’re doing high-volume outreach, manual exports get old fast. Hunter has some integrations (like with Zapier) that let you push leads directly into Google Sheets, Salesforce, or HubSpot.
But here’s the honest take: Automations break. Fields change, data gets mangled, and you’ll still need to check your exports regularly. Use automations to save time, but don’t trust them blindly.
- Test on a small batch first.
- Keep a manual backup.
- Review mappings—Hunter’s “First Name” might be “Given Name” in your CRM.
7. Exporting Email Campaign Results
If you’re using Hunter’s Campaigns tool, you can also export campaign results (opens, clicks, replies).
- Go to “Campaigns,” pick your campaign, and look for export options.
- Useful for reporting, but don’t expect super-detailed analytics—Hunter’s not HubSpot.
8. Common Pitfalls (And How to Dodge Them)
- Exporting the wrong list: Always double-check the list name and number of rows.
- Forgetting to clean data: Blank fields and weird formatting trip up imports into CRMs or email tools.
- Too many tags/notes: Makes sorting harder, not easier.
- Trusting exports blindly: Always spot-check your files—Hunter’s exports are decent but not flawless.
Keep It Simple, and Iterate
The best way to keep your lead lists organized in Hunter is to keep things as simple as possible. Use clear list names, don’t go wild with tags or notes, and check your exports before moving them anywhere else. If you find yourself fighting with the same problems every week, tweak your system. There’s no perfect setup—just one that works for you and lets you get back to actual selling, hiring, or whatever you’d rather be doing.
Happy exporting—don’t let your leads run the show.