If you’re hunting for a dead-simple, no-nonsense way to get your lead lists into shape, this guide is for you. Whether you’re a founder, sales pro, or just “that person” who got stuck wrangling spreadsheets, here’s how to actually get your contacts into Leadsotters, make them useful, and avoid the headaches that trip everyone up.
Step 1: Get Your Lead List Ready
Before you even touch Leadsotters, do yourself a favor and look at your spreadsheet. Garbage in, garbage out — so let’s not make more work for ourselves later.
What you need:
- A CSV or Excel file (CSV is safest).
- At least one column with email addresses. (If you don’t have these, stop and get them — everything else is secondary.)
- Other columns like name, company, title, LinkedIn URL, etc. are great, but optional.
Pro tip:
Don’t bother with weird file formats, PDFs, or Google Sheets links. Export to CSV and save yourself the grief.
What usually goes wrong:
- Columns are mismatched or unnamed (“Column1”, “Column2” — please, no).
- Duplicate rows — get rid of them now.
- Missing emails? Leadsotters can sometimes guess, but don’t expect miracles.
Step 2: Log Into Leadsotters
You’re ready. Head to Leadsotters and sign in. If you don’t have an account, you’ll need to create one. The free trial is decent for testing, but serious volume will mean picking a plan.
Heads up:
If you’re on a company account, make sure you’ve got permissions to import data. Otherwise, you’ll waste time and end up emailing support.
Step 3: Start a New Import
Once you’re in, look for the “Import Leads” button or menu. (They move things around sometimes — but it’s usually in the main dashboard or under “Leads.”)
Here’s what you’ll see: - An upload area for your file - Some options about mapping your columns - Maybe a preview of the first few rows
How to avoid headaches: - Always preview your import. If the columns look wonky, go back and fix your file. - If Leadsotters can’t match a column (like “First Name” vs “FName”), you’ll have to map it manually. It’s worth doing right.
Ignore:
Don’t get sucked into any “advanced” import options you don’t understand. 90% of people just need to upload, map, and move on.
Step 4: Map Your Columns
This part matters more than you think. Leadsotters will try to auto-detect which columns are which, but don’t trust it blindly.
- Emails should be mapped to the “Email” field. No exceptions.
- First/Last Names, Company, Title, LinkedIn — map what you have.
- Extra fields? Map them to “Custom Field” or skip them if you don’t need them.
What works: - Take 2 minutes to check every field. It’ll save you hours later. - If you keep importing the same format, Leadsotters can remember your mappings. Use this if you can.
What doesn’t: - Don’t try to cram phone numbers or weird notes into unrelated fields. It’ll just make things messy.
Step 5: Set Your Import Settings
Leadsotters might ask you how to handle duplicates, missing data, or updates to existing leads.
- Duplicates: Usually, you’ll want to skip exact duplicates (same email address).
- Missing data: If you’re missing a name or company but have the email, that’s fine — enrichment can help.
- Updating: If you’re importing a list that may overlap with what’s already in Leadsotters, choose “update existing leads” if you want to keep things tidy.
Skeptical take:
Some platforms oversell “auto-merge” or “smart dedupe” features. Leadsotters is decent, but always check a sample after import to make sure it’s working how you expect.
Step 6: Start the Import
You’ve mapped, checked, and set your options. Hit “Import.” For small lists, this takes a few seconds. Large lists (thousands of rows) can take a few minutes.
What NOT to do:
- Don’t refresh your browser mid-import.
- Don’t try to upload multiple lists at once — Leadsotters can get cranky.
You’ll get a confirmation when it’s done, and usually an import summary: how many leads were added, skipped, or failed.
If something fails:
Check your original file. Most issues come from missing required fields (like email) or weird formatting. Clean it up and try again.
Step 7: Enrich Your Leads
Now for the good stuff. Enrichment means Leadsotters will look up extra details on your leads: company info, LinkedIn profiles, job titles, sometimes even phone numbers.
How to do it: - Find your imported list in Leadsotters. - There should be a button or menu for “Enrich Leads” or “Start Enrichment.” - You’ll often have to select which fields you want to enrich (e.g., “Find LinkedIn,” “Get Company Info”).
What works: - Only enrich what you actually need. Every enrichment eats up credits (and maybe money). - Start with a small batch to see how accurate the enrichment is. Sometimes it’s spot-on, sometimes...not.
What doesn’t: - Don’t expect 100% accuracy. Enrichment is hit-or-miss, especially for obscure companies or new emails. - If you see a lot of blanks or errors, double-check that your imported emails are valid and up to date.
Pro tip:
If you’re enriching thousands of leads, break them up into chunks. This makes troubleshooting easier if something goes wrong.
Step 8: Review and Clean Up
Once enrichment is done, look at your list. Don’t assume everything is magically correct.
- Spot check 10-20 leads. Is the info accurate? Are job titles off? Are names spelled right?
- Filter for missing or obviously wrong data (like “asdf@gmail.com” or “CEO, Retired”).
- Delete, merge, or fix as needed.
If you see lots of bad data:
Blame the source first, but also check if Leadsotters enrichment is pulling from weird places. Sometimes, you’re better off with no data than wrong data.
Step 9: Tag & Segment Your Leads
Don’t skip this part. Tags and segments make it way easier to run campaigns, assign leads, or filter later.
- Create tags based on source (“Q2 Web Scrape,” “Event Leads”), persona, or campaign.
- You can also segment by job title, industry, or whatever matters for your sales process.
What works: - Be consistent with naming. “Q2-2024-Event” is better than “eventleads” or “event_leads_2.” - Use tags to note if a list is “raw,” “verified,” or “enriched.”
What doesn’t: - Don’t over-tag. If you have 50 tags, none of them mean anything. - Avoid using tags for info that belongs in a field (like job title or company).
Step 10: Export, Sync, or Launch Campaigns
Now your list is loaded, cleaned, and enriched. What’s next depends on your workflow.
- Export: Download as CSV if you need to use the list elsewhere.
- Sync: Push leads directly to your CRM or email tool if Leadsotters supports it.
- Campaigns: If you’re running outreach from within Leadsotters, your list is ready to go.
What works: - Always do a quick export and open it to check for weird formatting or missing data. - If syncing, test with a small batch before pushing thousands of leads.
What doesn’t: - Don’t use your enriched list as a “master list” until you’ve used it in real life. Iteration is the name of the game.
A Few Things to Ignore (or Not Overthink)
- Advanced enrichment: Unless you’re doing massive enterprise sales, stick to email, company, and LinkedIn. The rest is usually fluff.
- Custom fields: Use them if you have a real need. Don’t fill them out just because you can.
- Automation hype: Leadsotters can automate stuff, but don’t overcomplicate things. Manual review is still your friend.
Keep It Simple
Importing and enriching lists in Leadsotters isn’t rocket science — but it’s easy to mess up if you rush or try to get fancy. Start with a clean file, map your fields carefully, and don’t trust automation to fix everything. Spot-check your results, tag wisely, and get on with the real work: talking to leads and closing deals.
Remember: Simple, repeatable processes beat clever hacks every time. Adjust as you go, and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. The tools just help — you’re the one making the magic happen.