If you’ve ever tried to build a quality B2B prospect list, you know it can be a slog. You don’t want just any old contacts—you want the people who can actually say “yes.” This guide is for sales pros, founders, and anyone who’s tired of guessing who the real decision makers are.
There are a lot of tools that promise they’ll help you find the right people inside a company, but most of them drown you in noise. With Findylead, the advanced filters are actually useful—if you know how to use them. Here’s how to cut through the fluff and get straight to the folks who can move things forward.
Step 1: Set Your Goal (Don’t Skip This)
Before you start clicking around, get clear on who you’re actually looking for. “Decision maker” is vague. Is it the VP of Marketing at SaaS companies? The Head of Procurement at mid-sized manufacturers? Write it down. If you’re not specific, you’ll waste time and end up with a list full of “maybe” contacts.
Pro tip:
Think about real buying authority, not just fancy titles. Sometimes the person with “manager” in their title holds the purse strings.
Step 2: Get into Findylead’s Advanced Search
Once you’re logged in, head to the advanced search section. Don’t settle for the basic search bar—those results are too broad. Advanced filters are where you separate the wheat from the chaff.
Here’s what you’ll see:
- Company filters: industry, size, location, funding status, etc.
- Contact filters: job title, department, seniority, and more.
- Tech stack, keywords, and a few others.
It’s a lot, but don’t get overwhelmed. You don’t have to use every filter—just the ones that matter for your target.
Step 3: Zero In on the Right Companies
Start with the companies, because there’s no point finding the “right” contact at the wrong company.
- Industry: Pick the actual industries you want. Don’t go too broad (e.g., “Technology” brings noise), but don’t go so narrow you get 3 results.
- Company size: Be honest about what you can handle. Selling to enterprises is a different world than SMBs.
- Location: Only filter here if it really matters for your offer or market.
- Other filters: Ignore most of the rest unless you have a specific reason (e.g., you only want VC-backed companies).
What to ignore:
Don’t get sucked into “fancy” filters like “recently mentioned in the news” unless that’s your actual ICP. That stuff can turn into a distraction fast.
Step 4: Use Job Title & Department Filters Like a Human
This is where most people mess up. If you just type “CEO,” you’ll get a lot of small businesses where the CEO is also the janitor. If you go too generic (“manager”), you’ll get lost in a sea of middle managers.
Here’s how to get it right:
- Department: Start here—Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, etc. This narrows things down before you get to titles.
- Seniority level: Pick “Director+” or “VP+” if you want someone with real pull. “C-level” isn’t always best—sometimes a VP is actually your champion.
- Job title keyword(s): Use a few variations. For example, for marketing, search for “VP Marketing,” “Head of Marketing,” “Director Marketing.” Don’t trust the tool to match “Head” and “Director” automatically.
- Exclude irrelevant titles: Some tools let you exclude titles (e.g., “Assistant,” “Intern”). If Findylead offers this, use it.
Pro tip:
If the company is small (<50 people), the founder or CEO is usually the decision maker. At 200+ employees, look for department heads or VPs.
Step 5: Layer On Additional Filters (Only If It Helps)
Don’t go crazy. More filters don’t always mean better results. Only use:
- Tech stack: If your product depends on them using Salesforce, filter for “Salesforce” users. Otherwise, skip it—you’ll just shrink your list for no reason.
- Keywords: Use sparingly. Keywords can be helpful if you need someone with a niche responsibility (e.g., “procurement” or “logistics”).
- Seniority: Already covered above, but double-check it lines up.
What not to do:
Don’t filter by “last activity” or “recently updated” unless you have a clear reason (like you want only active LinkedIn users). More filters = more ways to accidentally delete good leads.
Step 6: Preview & Refine
Don’t export a big list right away. Preview your results. Are these people who can actually buy from you? Or are you seeing a lot of folks who just sound important?
- Spot check profiles: Click into a few. Are their job descriptions relevant? Do they look like actual decision makers?
- Check for junk: Every tool, Findylead included, can surface weird or outdated titles. Weed these out before you start emailing.
- Tweak filters: If you’re not seeing the right people, adjust your job title keywords or loosen up your company size/industry filters.
Pro tip:
If your list feels too small, relax one filter at a time. If it’s too big, tighten up job title or seniority first.
Step 7: Export and Organize—Don’t Spam
Once you’ve got a list you trust, export it. Most folks just dump it into a spreadsheet and start blasting emails. That’s a good way to get ignored (or land in spam).
Instead:
- Segment your list: Group by company size, industry, or seniority. Tailor your outreach.
- Double-check for duplicates and weird entries: It happens.
- Consider a manual review for big deals: If a company is a dream client, look up the contact on LinkedIn to confirm they’re still in the role.
What Actually Works (and What Doesn’t)
Findylead’s advanced filters can save you a ton of time—but only if you put in the work upfront. The filters are only as smart as you are.
What works:
- Combining department and title filters to get specific.
- Using company size as a proxy for who holds real power.
- Spot checking results instead of trusting the tool blindly.
What doesn’t:
- Relying on generic titles (“CEO”) for every company.
- Using every filter just because it’s there.
- Exporting a giant list and blasting everyone with the same message.
Ignore the hype:
No tool will hand you the perfect list. Findylead gets you closer, but you still have to use your judgment.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
The best way to get good at this is to keep your searches simple, learn by doing, and adjust as you go. Don’t try to build the “perfect” list on your first attempt. Figure out what works for your sales process, tweak your filters, and don’t be afraid to delete and start over.
Remember: Quality beats quantity. It’s better to have ten real decision makers than a hundred “maybe” contacts. Use Findylead’s advanced filters to save time, but always double-check your work. If you keep things simple and refine as you go, you’ll spend a lot less time chasing dead ends—and a lot more time talking to the right people.