If you’re trying to actually find companies worth your time—and not just dump a thousand random names into a spreadsheet—this guide’s for you. Whether you’re in sales, marketing, or just tired of “spray and pray” lists, let’s cut through the noise and walk through how to build targeted account lists in Enlyft that don’t waste your day.
Why Bother With Targeted Lists, Anyway?
Let’s be honest: most prospecting lists are garbage. They’re bloated, outdated, and you spend more time scrubbing them than talking to real prospects. Building a targeted list means you actually know who you’re reaching out to—and why. That’s the only way to get replies that aren’t just auto-deletes.
Step 1: Know What You’re Looking For (Don’t Skip This)
Before you even log in to Enlyft, get clear about your ideal customer profile (ICP). Seriously. It’s tempting to just start clicking through filters, but if you don’t know what you want, you’ll end up with junk.
Ask yourself: - What industry or industries do you actually want? - Company size: Revenue, employees, or both? - Geographic regions you care about? - What tech or tools do your dream customers use? - Any dealbreakers? (e.g. competitors, companies too small to matter)
Pro Tip: Don’t get paralyzed by “what ifs.” You can always adjust later. Start with your best guess.
Step 2: Set Up Your Search in Enlyft
Now open up Enlyft and get ready to filter. The platform’s main strength is its ability to slice and dice company data by tech stack, firmographics, and more. But don’t get lost in the weeds.
The Basics
- Log in and head to the “Accounts” or “Company Search” section.
- You’ll see a panel of filters on the left. This is where the magic (or mayhem) happens.
Core Filters to Actually Use
Focus on these to start:
- Industry: Use the dropdown to pick one or more. Don’t go too broad (“Information Technology”) unless you want an overwhelming list.
- Company Size: Set employee count or revenue. If you pick both, you’ll narrow too fast.
- Location: If you care about region, set it. Otherwise skip—most people over-filter here.
Tech Stack (Where Enlyft Stands Out)
This is Enlyft’s calling card. You can filter by what technology a company uses—CRM, cloud platforms, marketing tools, etc.
- Enter the tech you care about (e.g., “Salesforce,” “Shopify”).
- Decide if you want companies with or without a certain tool.
- Don’t go nuts. If you pile on “must use X, Y, and Z,” you’ll end up with almost nothing.
What To Ignore (at least for now): - Fancy “intent” scores: These are often vague and tough to action. - Overly granular filters (like “number of Instagram followers”): It’s rarely worth the effort.
Step 3: Review and Refine Before Exporting
This is where most people blow it. They see a big number (“Wow, 2,300 companies!”) and just export. Slow down.
Gut-Check Your Results
- Scan the first page: Are these the types of companies you want? If you see obvious mismatches, tweak your filters.
- Check company details: Click into a few profiles to make sure the data is actually up to date. Enlyft’s data is better than most, but nothing’s perfect.
- Look for outliers: If you see companies that absolutely shouldn’t be there, tighten things up.
If you only do one thing: Spend five minutes here. It’ll save you hours of cleaning up a bad list later.
Step 4: Use Tags and Saved Searches (Optional, But Handy)
If you’re running lots of campaigns or want to keep track of different ICPs, use Enlyft’s “tags” or “saved search” features.
- Tags: Mark companies as “high priority,” “follow up,” etc. Don’t overthink your tagging system—simple is best.
- Save searches: If you’ll need this list again (say, for a quarterly campaign), save your filters so you don’t have to rebuild from scratch.
Step 5: Export—But Don’t Dump Into Your CRM Blindly
Once you’ve got a list you’re happy with:
- Hit the “Export” button—usually CSV, sometimes direct CRM integration.
- Reality check: Look at the exported file. Are all the columns useful? Is there junk data?
- Clean up obvious duplicates or bad fits before importing anywhere important.
Word to the wise: Resist the urge to blast every contact. Start with a test group and see if your targeting actually works.
Step 6: Spot-Check, Iterate, and Stay Sane
Lists get stale. Tech stacks change. Companies get acquired. Don’t treat your list as gospel.
- Every few months, revisit your saved searches.
- If you’re not getting results, it’s probably your targeting—not your email script.
- Ask your sales or marketing team what’s working (and what’s not) with the current list.
Things That Actually Work: - Focusing on one or two core attributes (industry, tech used) and ignoring the rest. - Keeping lists smaller and more focused—quality over quantity. - Checking company websites before high-stakes outreach. Even the best data platforms get it wrong sometimes.
What Doesn’t: - Assuming “intent” signals mean someone wants to buy. They’re often just noise. - Over-segmenting. The more filters you use, the fewer real prospects you’ll find. - Blind “spray and pray” exports. It’s a waste of everyone’s time.
Quick Recap (and a Bit of Real Talk)
Building good account lists isn’t magic, and Enlyft is a solid tool—but it won’t think for you. Get clear on your targets, use the right filters, and double-check your results. Don’t chase perfection. Start with a focused list, test, and adjust. That’s how you find accounts worth your time—and keep your sanity.
Keep it simple, ignore the hype, and remember: a tight list beats a big one every time.