If your job depends on talking to the right people—not just anyone with a company email—you already know the pain. Generic contact lists, decision-maker “databases” that are mostly junk, and hours wasted chasing ghosts. This guide is for sales pros, founders, and anyone who has to get in front of real buyers, not just titles. I’ll walk you through how to actually use Crunchbase to find the people who matter in your target accounts, what works, what’s a time sink, and a few shortcuts to make your life easier.
Step 1: Get Clear on Who You’re Actually Looking For
Before you even log in, be honest: do you know who your true decision makers are? “Director” or “VP” is too vague. Titles vary wildly. In some companies, a “Manager” holds the purse strings. In others, you need to get to the C-suite.
Here’s what you should have: - Department or function (e.g., Head of Marketing, CTO, Procurement Lead) - Seniority needed (e.g., must control budget or have final sign-off) - Typical title variants (e.g., “Head of Growth,” “Growth Lead,” “VP Growth”) - Company size range (because a “VP” at a 30-person startup isn’t the same as a VP at Salesforce)
Why bother?
If you don’t nail this up front, you’ll end up with lists of people who can’t actually say yes, burning your time and theirs. Take 10 minutes and sketch out your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile), even if it’s rough.
Step 2: Build a Target Account List in Crunchbase
Crunchbase’s main value isn’t that it has every contact under the sun—it’s that it’s pretty good at helping you zero in on the right companies.
How to do it:
1. Use Advanced Search
- Go to Companies > Advanced Search.
- Filter by location, industry, headcount, funding rounds, revenue, etc. Don’t get lost in the weeds—start broad, then narrow.
2. Save Your Searches
- Once you’ve got a list that looks promising, save the search. It’ll update as new companies fit your criteria.
3. Export or Track Accounts
- You can export lists (with a paid plan) or just add companies to a “List” in Crunchbase for easy tracking.
Pro tip:
Crunchbase’s data is generally best for tech, SaaS, and VC-backed companies. If your targets are mom-and-pop shops or public sector, you’ll hit a wall fast.
Step 3: Zero In On Key People
This is where Crunchbase is helpful, but not perfect. They don’t have everyone—especially below the C-level. But you can usually find the people who matter, or at least the ones who can introduce you to them.
What to do:
1. Go to the Company Profile
- Click into a company from your list.
- Head to the “People” tab. This is a snapshot—Crunchbase scrapes public data, so it’s not exhaustive.
2. Look for Decision-Maker Titles
- Focus on roles that match your ICP. Don’t get distracted by big titles if they’re not relevant.
- For small companies: Founders, CEOs, or “Head of X” are often the right people.
- For bigger companies: Look for department heads, VPs, or Directors in your target function.
3. Check Recent Hires and Departures
- Crunchbase sometimes flags recent exec changes. New hires might be more open to change—good timing for outreach.
What doesn’t work:
- Don’t expect direct email addresses or phone numbers. Crunchbase rarely provides these.
- Don’t waste time with generic “team” or “employee” lists. They’re usually incomplete.
Pro tip:
If you find a title that looks right but no contact info, copy the name and plug it into LinkedIn or your favorite contact finder. Crunchbase gets you close, but you’ll need to finish the job.
Step 4: Cross-Reference with LinkedIn (and Reality)
No matter what Crunchbase says, always double-check. People switch jobs, get promoted, or leave in the middle of the night. The “VP Marketing” in Crunchbase might be long gone.
How to do it: - Take the name and title from Crunchbase. - Search them on LinkedIn. Is their profile up to date? Are they still at the company? - Look for mutual connections or shared interests—anything to make your outreach less cold. - If Crunchbase’s data is thin, LinkedIn usually fills the gaps.
What works:
- Use Crunchbase as your launchpad, not your only source.
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator (if you have it) is much better for up-to-date org charts and job changes.
What doesn’t:
- Blindly trusting Crunchbase. Seriously, don’t. It’s a good starting point, but not gospel.
Step 5: Find Contact Details (The Legal Way)
Crunchbase won’t hand you verified emails or direct dials. That’s by design—it’s not a lead scraping tool. But here’s how to move from “I know who” to “I know how to reach them.”
Your options:
- Look for clues: Sometimes Crunchbase will link to personal websites or Twitter profiles.
- Plug the name into contact finders: Tools like Hunter.io, Apollo, or Clearbit can help you guess or verify email addresses.
- Company email patterns: If you know the company uses first.last@company.com, you can usually figure it out.
- Manual check: Company websites sometimes have direct emails buried in press releases or team pages.
What to ignore:
- Don’t buy sketchy “verified” lists. You’ll just get bounced emails or worse, spam traps.
- Don’t spam everyone in the department and hope for the best. It’s a good way to get blacklisted.
Pro tip:
Send a short, targeted email that references something timely (like a recent funding round or exec hire, both of which Crunchbase tracks). You’ll cut through more noise that way.
Step 6: Track, Update, and Repeat
This isn’t a “set it and forget it” process. People move around, companies get acquired, priorities shift. Keep your lists fresh.
How to stay organized: - Use Crunchbase lists: Update them as you get new info, or when people leave companies. - Set Google alerts: For your top targets, so you know when something changes. - Log outreach somewhere: Even a simple spreadsheet beats nothing.
What works:
- Block out time weekly to review and update your targets.
- Automate what you can, but don’t trust any tool to be 100% accurate.
What doesn’t:
- Relying on one data source. Mix Crunchbase with LinkedIn, company news, and your own notes.
What Crunchbase Is Good For—And What It’s Not
Let’s be real: Crunchbase is solid for surfacing fast company intel, tracking funding, and finding exec-level hires at tech companies. It’s much weaker in: - Non-tech verticals (manufacturing, retail, healthcare) - Deep org charts (mid-level managers rarely show up) - Direct contact info (emails, phones)
It’s a good “first pass” tool, not your full prospecting workflow. Treat it as your research assistant, not your golden ticket.
Summary: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
You don’t need to overcomplicate this. Use Crunchbase to find likely decision makers, cross-check with LinkedIn, confirm they’re still relevant, and then figure out the best way to reach out. Skip the hype and fancy features—just focus on getting to the right people. Iterate as you learn, and don’t be afraid to adjust your process as you go. The faster you can get to a real conversation, the better.