Finding good B2B leads is hard enough. Sorting through a pile of random contacts? Even harder. If you’re tired of wasting time on “maybe” leads and chasing dead ends, this guide’s for you. I’ll show you how to use advanced filters in Leadsotters to zero in on the contacts that actually matter—without getting lost in pointless details or salesy fluff.
Let’s cut through the noise and get your lead segmentation working for you, not against you.
Why Segment B2B Leads in the First Place?
Most sales teams dump all their leads into one big bucket. It’s a mess. You end up treating a CEO at a 500-person company the same as a junior marketer at a 5-person startup. That’s a fast way to burn time and get ignored.
Smart segmentation means: - Better targeting: Speak to the right people with the right message. - Less busywork: Ditch the manual sorting and focus on leads with real potential. - Shorter sales cycles: Talk to folks who are ready to buy—or at least listen.
But here’s the thing: Not every filter matters, and overcomplicating it just bogs you down. Let’s keep it practical.
Step 1: Get Your House in Order
Before you start clicking around, take five minutes to sketch out who you actually want to talk to. Don’t overthink it. Ask yourself: - What type of company is a good fit? - Which job titles usually make decisions? - Is there a certain location, size, or industry that matters? - Are there red flags you want to avoid? (e.g., agencies, tiny teams, or certain sectors)
Write this down or keep it in your head—just don’t skip it. You’ll be tempted to use every filter available “just because.” Don’t fall for it.
Pro Tip: If you’re not sure who your best customers are, look at your last 10 closed deals. That’s usually enough to spot a pattern.
Step 2: Fire Up Leadsotters and Find the Filters
Log in to Leadsotters and head to the lead database or search page. The advanced filters aren’t hidden, but they’re easy to miss if you’re used to basic search bars.
Here’s what you’ll likely see: - Company size - Industry/vertical - Job title or function - Location (country, city, region) - Revenue range - Technology used (like “uses Salesforce” or “on Shopify”) - Funding rounds or company age
Ignore anything that feels like a vanity metric (“number of social followers” doesn’t close deals). Stick to filters that actually change how you’ll approach the lead.
Step 3: Build Your First Filter Set (and Don’t Overdo It)
Start broad. You can always narrow it down later. Here’s a simple process:
- Company Size: Pick a range that matches your target. If you’re selling to mid-market, filter out tiny startups and huge enterprises.
- Industry: Select only the industries you know you can help. Don’t get greedy—irrelevant leads just waste everyone’s time.
- Job Title: Use keywords (“Head of Marketing,” “VP Sales,” etc.) or select functions (“Operations,” “IT”). Don’t get hung up on title variations—most advanced filters use fuzzy matching.
- Location: If your offer is geo-specific, set this now. Otherwise, leave it open.
- Revenue or Funding: Use this to weed out companies that can’t afford you or aren’t far enough along.
What to skip:
- Super-niche demographic info (unless it’s 100% critical)
- “Has a nice website” or anything you can eyeball faster than you can filter
Click “Apply” or “Search.” Check out the first page of results. If you’re getting a ton of junk, tighten your filters. If you’re seeing almost nothing, loosen up.
Step 4: Use Layered and Negative Filters
Here’s where Leadsotters’ advanced filtering actually pulls its weight.
Layered Filters
You can combine multiple filters. For example: - Companies with 50–200 employees AND in SaaS AND using HubSpot
This gets you a focused list, fast. But be careful: if you stack too many filters, you’ll end up with no results. If that happens, back off on one or two filters and try again.
Negative (Exclusion) Filters
Sometimes, it’s easier to say who you don’t want. - Exclude agencies if you only sell to product companies. - Exclude companies in “stealth mode” if you need public info. - Exclude certain regions if you don’t serve them.
Negative filters are underrated. Use them to keep out the riffraff.
Pro Tip:
If you’re not getting the results you want, look at your exclusions first. Overzealous negative filters are a common culprit.
Step 5: Save Segments and Test Them
Once you’ve dialed in a filter set that produces a list you like, save it as a segment. Leadsotters lets you do this with a click.
Why bother? Because you don’t want to reinvent the wheel every time. Plus, you can: - Re-run the same filters later as your database grows. - Tweak and compare segments over time (e.g., “mid-market SaaS” vs “enterprise fintech”). - Hand off good segments to teammates without a long explanation.
Don’t:
- Save a segment for every minor tweak. That’s just digital clutter.
- Ignore segments that underperform. If a segment isn’t producing leads that convert, kill it and try something else.
Step 6: Export, Enrich, and Sanity-Check
No matter how good your filters are, some duds always slip through. Before you start blasting emails or adding folks to your CRM, do a quick sanity check.
- Export your segment—CSV, Excel, or straight into your CRM.
- Enrich if you need more info (Leadsotters can sometimes pull more data—use it if you need it, but don’t get addicted).
- Scan for weirdness: Any obvious mismatches? Weird titles? Companies that look fake? Nuke them now.
This isn’t busywork. It’s the difference between a focused campaign and a spray-and-pray disaster.
Step 7: Rinse, Repeat, and Actually Use the Data
Lead segmentation isn’t a one-and-done job. What works today might flop next quarter. Here’s how to keep it simple: - Set a calendar reminder to review your saved segments every month or so. - Ask your sales team (or yourself) which segments are actually converting. - Kill or tweak segments that don’t work. Don’t get sentimental.
Honestly, most people ignore this part and keep emailing the same bad lists over and over. Don’t be most people.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
What Works
- Simple, logical filters: Company size, industry, job title. Don’t make it complicated.
- Exclusions: Negative filters save more time than you think.
- Saved segments: Huge time saver.
What Doesn’t
- Over-filtering: Too many layers and you end up with no leads.
- Chasing vanity fields: “Recently in the news” sounds cool but rarely matters.
- Stale segments: If you set and forget, your segments will get out of date fast.
Ignore This Stuff
- Filters that don’t directly affect your sales process.
- Obsessing over perfect data. Get close, then act.
Keep It Simple—and Iterate
The best lead segmentation isn’t about fancy tech or endless options. It’s about knowing what matters to your business and cutting the rest. Start with broad filters, see what works, and don’t be afraid to tweak (or toss) segments that don’t deliver. Leadsotters gives you the tools—you just have to keep it simple and keep moving.
Now, go build a segment that actually helps you close deals. The rest is just noise.