If you’re running sales outreach and your inbox or CRM is starting to look like a junk drawer, you’re not alone. Keeping track of leads, remembering who’s hot, and knowing what needs a follow-up—it’s all messy fast. Outboundsync’s tag system can help. This isn’t magic, but if you use tags right, you’ll spend less time hunting for leads and more time actually selling. Here’s how to make tags work for you, not the other way around.
Why Tags Matter (and When They Don’t)
Tags in Outboundsync are basically digital sticky notes you can slap on contacts, deals, or activities. They’re flexible, easy to use, and—when set up with a little discipline—make it dead simple to slice and dice your outreach lists.
But here’s the thing: tags are only useful if you keep them simple and consistent. If you start creating a tag for every little thing, you’ll end up with chaos. So the trick is to find just enough structure to stay organized, without drowning in your own system.
Good tags can help you: - Sort leads by priority or stage - Track source or campaign - Mark follow-up needs (e.g., “Needs Demo” or “Follow Up Q2”) - Flag problem accounts
But they can’t: - Replace a CRM’s full pipeline management - Make your team magically remember to use them - Fix bad data
If you’re hoping for a turbocharged AI that reads your mind, keep dreaming. Tags are as good as the system you build—and stick to.
Step 1: Decide What’s Worth Tagging
Before you start, take five minutes to actually think: What do you want to organize or prioritize? If you try to tag everything, you’ll end up with a mess.
Here’s what’s usually worth tagging: - Lead priority: Hot, warm, cold (or whatever words make sense to you) - Source: Where the lead came from (e.g., “Webinar,” “Referral,” “LinkedIn”) - Stage: “Demo Scheduled,” “Contract Sent,” “Needs Decision” - Personal follow-ups: “Call Next Week,” “Send Case Study” - Red flags: “No Budget,” “Bad Fit,” “Do Not Contact”
Skip tagging things that are already tracked elsewhere. If Outboundsync already has a field for “Industry,” don’t make an “Industry: SaaS” tag. Duplicate data is a huge time-waster.
Pro tip: Limit yourself to 10-15 core tags. Any more and people will start making up their own.
Step 2: Set Up a Tag Naming System
Tags are just free text, so anyone can type anything. That’s a blessing and a curse.
For clarity and searchability: - Use clear, short names (“Hot Lead” beats “🔥 Super Interested Customer”) - Standardize capitalization (pick “Hot Lead,” not “hot lead,” “HOT LEAD,” etc.) - Use category prefixes if your list grows (e.g., “Source: Webinar”)
What to avoid: - Emojis and clever puns (they’re fun, but hard to search) - Duplicates (“Follow-up” vs. “Follow Up” vs. “F/U”) - Overly specific tags (“Met at 2023 Q3 Chicago SaaS Mixer”)
Write your tag list down somewhere—Google Doc, Notion, even a sticky note. Share it with anyone else who’ll use Outboundsync. Consistency is everything.
Step 3: Tag Your Existing Contacts (Don’t Go Overboard)
If you already have a bunch of leads in Outboundsync, it’s tempting to tag everything. Don’t. Start with the ones you’re actively working, and batch-tag them by priority or next action.
How to batch tag efficiently: 1. Filter your list by recent activity, deal stage, or another useful field. 2. Select a group (e.g., all “Contacted This Month”). 3. Apply the relevant tag (“Follow Up,” “Hot Lead,” etc.).
You don’t need to backfill every old contact. Focus on what’s in play now. Tagging should save you time, not eat it.
Pro tip: If you’re cleaning up a big list, do it in small chunks—a few minutes a day. Don’t burn out trying to tag a thousand records at once.
Step 4: Make Tagging Part of Your Daily Workflow
Tags are only useful if you actually use them. That means adding or changing tags as you work—not saving it for “later” (which never comes).
Practical ways to build the habit: - Tag every new lead as you add them (source, priority, etc.) - Update tags after every call or email (“Needs Demo,” “No Response,” etc.) - Remove tags that no longer apply (e.g., after a deal closes or goes cold)
If you’re working with a team: - Set clear rules for which tags to use and when - Review tags during pipeline meetings - Clean up unused or duplicate tags once a month
Don’t expect perfection, but try to keep things tidy. It’s like brushing your teeth—boring, but necessary.
Step 5: Use Tags to Organize and Prioritize Outreach
This is where tags actually pay off. Once your leads are tagged, you can filter and segment your lists for smarter outreach.
Some practical ways to use tags: - Build call lists: Filter for “Hot Lead” + “Needs Demo” and call those first. - Send targeted campaigns: Email everyone tagged “Source: Webinar” with a relevant offer. - Spot neglected leads: Filter for “Follow Up” with no recent activity. - Avoid wasted effort: Exclude “Bad Fit” or “Do Not Contact” tags from your sequences.
What doesn’t work: - Chasing every lead just because it’s tagged. Tags help you focus, not do more busywork. - Using tags as a substitute for real notes. Write actual context where needed.
Pro tip: Review your tags weekly. If you’re not using a tag, kill it. If you keep wishing you had a tag, add it. Let your system evolve, but don’t let it sprawl.
Step 6: Avoid Common Tagging Pitfalls
It’s easy to fall into traps that make tagging more trouble than it’s worth. Here’s what to watch out for:
- Too many tags: If you need a spreadsheet to track your tags, you’ve gone too far.
- Vague tags: “Interested” means different things to different people. Be specific.
- Tagging for the sake of tagging: Only tag what you’ll actually use to sort or prioritize.
- Tag drift: Over time, people start inventing new tags that mean the same thing (“Followup” vs. “Follow-Up”). Settle on one.
If your tags aren’t helping you find or act on leads faster, it’s time to clean house.
Step 7: Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Stress
No tagging system is perfect. The point is to make your sales life easier, not to build a museum exhibit of tags. Start simple, see what works, and tweak as you go. If you find yourself spending more time managing tags than talking to people, scale it back.
Remember: - Focus on what helps you take action. - Share your tag list with your team. - Review and prune regularly.
Don’t overthink it. The goal is to spend less time organizing, more time selling. Use tags as a tool—not another to-do list.
That’s it. Outboundsync tags can be incredibly useful, but only if you keep the system lean and actually use it. Start with what matters, keep it tidy, and adjust as you learn what works for you. Happy selling.