If you’re in B2B sales or marketing, you know most “leads” in your CRM aren’t worth your time. Junk data, missing fields, and outdated info can tank your lead scoring model before you’ve even started. But there’s a way to cut through the noise: enrich your contact data so you can actually tell who’s a hot lead and who’s just another tire-kicker.
This guide is for folks who want to get more out of their existing contacts—without relying on fairy tales about “AI-powered everything.” If you’re curious about how to use Leadspace to beef up your data and sharpen your lead scoring, you’re in the right place.
Why Bother Enriching Contact Data?
Let’s not overthink it. Garbage in, garbage out. If your CRM is packed with half-baked records (missing job titles, old company names, vague industries), your lead scoring is basically a guessing game.
Enrichment means filling in the blanks and making sure what’s there is accurate. That way, your lead scoring actually means something. With better data, you:
- Waste less time on dead-end leads
- Target the right people faster
- Make sales and marketing play together instead of fighting over scraps
But enrichment isn’t magic. It’s only as good as the process you set up—and the data source you use.
What Leadspace Actually Does (and Doesn't)
Before you dive in, a reality check: Leadspace is a data enrichment and segmentation platform for B2B companies. It pulls in info from a bunch of sources (databases, social, web) to update and fill out your contact and account records.
What works: - Can append missing fields (job title, company size, industry, etc.) - Helps surface new decision-makers at accounts you already know - Integrates with most CRMs and marketing platforms
What to ignore: - Don’t expect Leadspace to magically fix every record. If your data’s a train wreck, you’ll still need to do some cleanup. - “AI” here means pattern matching and data inference—not a crystal ball that tells you who’s about to buy.
Step 1: Get Your Data House in Order
Don’t throw messy data at Leadspace and hope for the best. You’ll get slightly less messy data back, and that’s it.
What you should do first: - Audit your CRM/contact list. Remove obvious junk, duplicates, and test records. - Standardize key fields. Make sure you’re using consistent formats (e.g., “VP of Sales” not “V.P. Sales” or “Sales VP”). - Prioritize the contacts you care about. Start with your active leads or target accounts—don’t try to fix everything at once.
Pro tip: If you’ve got a lot of missing email addresses or you suspect your data is years out of date, consider a basic cleanse with your CRM’s built-in tools before moving to enrichment.
Step 2: Set Up Your Leadspace Connection
You can use Leadspace as a standalone platform, but most people hook it into their CRM or marketing automation tool (Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, etc.).
How to connect: - Check your CRM’s marketplace or Leadspace’s integration docs. Most setups are point-and-click, but some (especially custom CRMs) require API work. - Decide how you want data to flow. Do you want Leadspace to update existing records, create new ones, or just flag records for review? - Test with a small batch. Never start with your whole database. Run a subset (a few hundred records) to see what gets updated and how.
Honest take: Integrations usually work, but mapping fields is where things go sideways. Double-check that “Company Size” in Leadspace lines up with “Employee Count” in your CRM, and so on.
Step 3: Choose Your Data Enrichment Criteria
Leadspace lets you pick what data to enrich. More isn’t always better—pick what actually moves the needle for your lead scoring.
Here are some fields worth enriching: - Job Title/Function: Critical for B2B targeting. Skip fluff like “Rockstar Ninja.” - Company Info: Size, industry, revenue, location. Useful for account scoring. - Contact Info: Email, phone, LinkedIn. Be careful—just because Leadspace finds an email doesn’t mean it’s always valid. - Tech Stack: Helpful if your product depends on what tools a company uses.
What not to bother with: - Generic fields like “Contact Source” or “Time Zone” rarely help with scoring. - Appending social media links to every record sounds cool, but it rarely gets used in real workflows.
Pro tip: Ask sales and marketing what fields they actually use. Don’t enrich just to enrich.
Step 4: Run a Test Enrichment
This is where you see what Leadspace can actually do for your data.
How to run a test: - Pick a controlled sample (active opportunities, closed-lost leads, or a random slice of your database). - Kick off enrichment in Leadspace, following the prompts for your integration. - Review the results. Look for: - Fields that got filled in (and whether the info makes sense) - Records that couldn’t be enriched (and why) - Any weird overwrites or mismatches
What usually happens: - Some records come back with great info (especially if they’re at well-known companies) - Some get nothing (small businesses, outdated contacts, weird domains) - Occasionally, you’ll see odd matches (e.g., a John Smith at Microsoft matched with the wrong LinkedIn)
Don’t panic if it’s not perfect. The point is to see what’s realistic—not to expect 100% coverage.
Step 5: Map Enriched Data to Your Lead Scoring Model
Now, use that shiny new data for smarter lead scoring.
How: - Update your scoring rules. If you get reliable job titles and company sizes, weigh those more heavily. - Ignore fields with low coverage. If Leadspace only finds “Tech Stack” data for 10% of your leads, don’t make it a scoring factor. - Test your new scores. Pull a list of “high scoring” leads and gut-check them with sales. If they’re not better than before, tweak. - Automate re-enrichment. Set Leadspace to update records on a schedule, but don’t overdo it—monthly or quarterly is fine for most.
Honest take: No lead scoring model is ever “done.” The real win here is making sure your scores reflect what you actually know about your leads, not just what you wish you knew.
What to Watch Out For
- Data decay is real. Even the best enrichment gets stale. People change jobs, companies get bought, emails go dark. Set a schedule to refresh your data.
- Privacy matters. Make sure you’re following GDPR, CCPA, and any other data rules that apply. Don’t enrich or store data you can’t justify.
- Cost adds up. Leadspace charges by volume or credits. Focus on enriching leads you’re actually working—not the whole database.
Quick FAQ
Is Leadspace better than its competitors?
It’s solid for B2B, especially if you care about firmographics and segmentation. But it’s not the only game in town. Try a pilot before you commit.
Can I enrich leads in real time?
Sort of. Some integrations let you enrich as new leads come in. But most teams batch enrich overnight or weekly, since it’s more reliable and cheaper.
Does Leadspace verify emails?
They’ll append emails but don’t guarantee deliverability. Use a separate email validation tool if you’re sending cold outreach.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Enriching B2B contact data with Leadspace can make your lead scoring a whole lot smarter. But don’t get caught up in chasing every last data point or automating yourself into a corner. Start with a test, fix what matters, and check your results with the folks actually using the leads.
Keep it simple, stay skeptical, and tweak as you go. The goal isn’t “perfect data”—it’s just better decisions, faster.