Stepwise process for integrating LeadGenius with outreach tools

So, you’ve got a pile of leads from LeadGenius and you want to actually do something with them—not just stare at a spreadsheet. You want those leads in your outreach tools, ready for your team to take action. Maybe you’re using Outreach, Salesloft, HubSpot, or whatever the flavor of the month is.

This guide’s for you if you have leads stuck in LeadGenius and need a no-nonsense, step-by-step process to get them into your sales outreach system with minimal headaches—and without wasting days on “integrations” that don’t actually integrate.

Before You Start: What You Actually Need

Let’s get real about what works and what’s just buzzwords:

  • You need a way to get leads out of LeadGenius in a usable format. Usually this means CSVs or API access. Most people just use CSVs.
  • You need admin or import rights for your outreach tool. No, you can’t skip this.
  • You need a clear mapping of fields. “First Name” here, “first_name” there—get this wrong and you’ll be fixing junk data for weeks.
  • You do NOT need a fancy middleware tool unless your workflow is complex. Ignore the hype unless you have a real reason.

Set aside an hour. If it takes days, something’s wrong.

Step 1: Export the Right Data from LeadGenius

Don’t just hit “Export All” and hope for the best. Garbage in, garbage out.

  • Filter your leads first. Only pull what you actually want to contact. There’s no sense importing 1,000 leads you’ll never use.
  • Check custom fields. If you’ve collected unusual data (e.g., LinkedIn profiles, custom tags), make sure those columns are in your export.
  • Export as CSV. It’s the universal language of sales ops. Excel works, but CSVs are less likely to break stuff during import.

Pro tip: Open your CSV in Google Sheets or Excel and scan for obvious errors—missing emails, weird characters, or columns you don’t recognize.

Step 2: Clean and Prep Your Data

Here’s where most integrations go sideways. Outreach tools are picky, and will choke on bad data.

  • Standardize your headers. Match the column names in your CSV to the field names in your outreach tool. This saves a ton of hassle during import.
  • Remove duplicates. Don’t count on your outreach tool to catch these.
  • Check required fields. Most tools need at least name and email. Missing one? Decide now if you’ll skip or fix it.
  • Fix funky formatting. Watch out for extra spaces, weird symbols, or broken email addresses.

Pro tip: If you’ve got a lot of missing or junk data, fix it now. Importing trash just makes more work later.

Step 3: Decide on Import Method—Manual or Automated

How fancy you get depends on your tools and appetite for complexity.

Manual Import (99% of people)

  • Go to your outreach tool’s import feature. Usually under “Contacts” or “Leads.”
  • Upload your CSV. Follow the prompts.
  • Map fields. Double-check that “Company” isn’t about to end up as “Last Name.”
  • Run a test import with 10 records. If it works, do the rest. If not, fix your mapping.

Automated Import (For API fans or big teams)

If you’ve got dev resources and a reason to automate (e.g., daily lead flows), some outreach tools and LeadGenius both have APIs.

  • Check API docs for both platforms. They’ll tell you what’s possible.
  • Set up authentication. Usually OAuth or an API key.
  • Map fields programmatically. This is where things get fiddly. Test with small batches.
  • Monitor for errors. Don’t set and forget. Something will break, guaranteed.

Honest take: Unless you’re importing thousands of leads a week, manual is simpler and less likely to break. The API route is for teams with tech support.

Step 4: Map Your Fields Carefully

Every outreach tool is a little different. Here’s what to watch for:

  • Match required fields exactly. If your outreach tool wants “email_address” and your CSV says “Email,” fix it at this stage.
  • Map custom fields intentionally. Don’t just shove extra data into “Notes” unless you know you’ll use it.
  • Validate data types. Some fields only accept numbers, dates, or certain formats.

Pro tip: Keep a cheat sheet of your field mappings. Next time will be faster.

Step 5: Run a Small Test Import

Don’t get cocky and import all 5,000 leads at once.

  • Import a batch of 10–20 leads.
  • Check for errors or weird formatting. Look for missing fields or garbled names.
  • Test an outreach sequence. Make sure emails actually go out and links work.

If something’s broken, fix it now. Much easier than apologizing for 500 botched emails later.

Step 6: Import the Full List

Now that your test worked:

  • Import the rest of your leads.
  • Monitor for system warnings or skipped records. Most tools will flag duplicates or missing data.
  • Spot-check several records. Open a few at random to double-check the data landed in the right fields.

Step 7: Segment and Tag for Campaigns

Don’t just lump everyone in one bucket.

  • Use tags or lists to group by campaign, region, or lead type.
  • Set up your initial outreach sequences. Personalize if you can. Even basic first-name tokens help.
  • Exclude do-not-contact or opt-out leads. If you imported junk, clean it up now.

Honest take: If you skip segmentation, you’ll end up blasting everyone with the same message. That’s how you burn good leads.

Step 8: Automate, But Don’t Overthink It

Now, if this is a repeat process (say, weekly lead drops):

  • Document your steps. Write a quick checklist for next time.
  • Consider basic automation. Zapier or Make (formerly Integromat) can move CSVs around, but don’t expect miracles.
  • Set up notifications for failures. If something breaks, you want to know before sales calls start.

What to Ignore: Don’t buy into promises of “seamless, AI-powered” integrations unless you’ve seen it work in the wild. Most “one-click” integrations just move the CSV behind the scenes.

What About Native Integrations?

Some outreach tools advertise direct integrations with LeadGenius. In reality:

  • Most are just glorified imports. You’ll still need to map fields and double-check data.
  • APIs often lag behind UI features. Don’t expect the integration to support every custom field or workflow.
  • Test before you trust. Integrations break, and support isn’t always helpful.

Common Pitfalls and How to Dodge Them

  • Dirty data. Spend more time cleaning before import to avoid headaches later.
  • Duplicate contacts. Outreach tools handle these differently—read the docs.
  • Field mismatches. If your “Title” ends up in “Phone Number,” you’ll confuse your team.
  • Overcomplicating the process. Stick to manual unless you’ve got a real need for automation.

Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Fast

Integration isn’t magic. The fastest, most reliable process is usually a clean CSV and a careful import. Start manual, document what works, and only automate when there’s a real payoff. If something feels too clever or complicated, it probably is.

Remember: your goal is to get leads from LeadGenius into your outreach tool so your team can take action—not to build the world’s fanciest workflow. Keep it simple, iterate, and fix what’s broken as you go. That’s how you actually get value from your tools.