If you’re in B2B sales or marketing, you know the pain: you’ve got a list of companies, but finding who actually calls the shots inside those companies? That’s the hard part. This guide is for people who don’t want to waste hours chasing dead-end contacts or generic “info@” inboxes. We’ll go step-by-step on how to use LeadGenius to cut through the noise and actually get the names (and real contact info) of decision makers in your target accounts.
Why Decision Makers Matter (and Why Most Tools Fall Short)
Let’s get the obvious out of the way: if you’re not reaching the right person, your email might as well be a message in a bottle. Gatekeepers, outdated org charts, and vague LinkedIn profiles eat up time and budget.
Most lead tools promise “decision makers,” but usually hand you bloated lists full of irrelevant titles or people who left the company years ago. The real challenge: getting accurate, up-to-date info on the actual people who can say “yes” to your pitch.
That’s where LeadGenius comes in, but let’s be clear: it’s not magic. It’s a mix of tech and human research, and you do need to know how to use it right.
Step 1: Get Clear on Who You’re Looking For
Before you open any tool, get specific about who counts as a “decision maker” for you.
- Titles: Are you after VPs, Directors, C-suite, or someone else?
- Functions: Is it always Sales, Marketing, IT, or does it change by account?
- Buying Committees: Sometimes, more than one person is involved. Are you mapping the whole group or just a primary contact?
Pro tip: Go through your last 10 deals. Who signed? Who championed the deal? This is your real-world decision maker profile—not what the internet says.
What to skip: Don’t just ask for “all directors” or “anyone with ‘manager’ in the title.” That’s how you end up with lists nobody wants to call.
Step 2: Upload or Build Your Target Account List
LeadGenius works best when you start with a focused list of companies (accounts) you care about. You can:
- Upload a CSV: If you already have a list, bring it in.
- Build a List In-Platform: Use LeadGenius’s filters (industry, size, region, etc.) to build your target list from scratch.
What works: Be ruthless about quality over quantity. Ten good accounts beat a hundred maybes.
What to ignore: Don’t get suckered by “total available market” numbers. Stay practical—how many accounts can your team realistically work this quarter?
Step 3: Define Your Ideal Contact Criteria
Here’s where most people get tripped up. LeadGenius lets you specify exactly who you want, down to department, seniority, location, and even custom triggers (like recent funding or tech stack).
How to set up contact criteria:
- Title Includes: e.g., “VP Marketing,” “Head of IT”
- Title Excludes: e.g., “Assistant,” “Intern,” “Consultant”
- Department: e.g., Marketing, Product, Engineering
- Seniority Level: e.g., Director and above
- Location: If you only sell in certain regions
Pro tip: Use “includes” and “excludes” together. For example, “Director” but not “Assistant Director.”
Honest take: Don’t overcomplicate it. More filters can mean fewer (but better) results, but if you’re too narrow, you’ll get nothing. Start broad, then tighten up as you see what comes back.
Step 4: Request Research (and Actually Talk to the LeadGenius Team)
Unlike fully automated tools, LeadGenius uses human researchers to validate and enrich your contacts. After uploading your list and setting criteria, you can submit a research request.
- Give context: Tell them why you want these contacts. Share your ICP (ideal customer profile), examples of good/bad leads, and any “red flags” to avoid.
- Ask for a sample: Get a small batch first. Review the results. Are these the right people? Are the emails valid? Are the titles what you expected?
- Iterate: Based on the sample, give feedback. Don’t just accept whatever comes back—be picky.
What works: Being specific and communicating with the research team gets you much closer to your real targets.
What to ignore: Don’t just take the default settings. If you don’t clarify, you’ll get the same generic lists everyone else does.
Step 5: Review, Validate, and Enrich Your Contact List
Once your contacts are delivered, don’t just import and blast them. Take a few minutes to check:
- Are the emails and phone numbers valid? Use a tool like NeverBounce or ZeroBounce to double-check deliverability.
- Do the titles and roles match your targets? Spot check a handful on LinkedIn.
- Are you missing key players? If you see gaps (like no one from IT at a tech company), flag it.
Pro tip: Add a “Last Verified” date to your CRM. Contacts go stale fast—especially with job changes.
What works: Validating a sample before outreach saves you from looking like a spammer (and keeps your domain off blacklists).
What to ignore: Don’t get obsessed with total contact count. A smaller, accurate list beats a giant, outdated one every time.
Step 6: Map Decision Makers and Buying Committees
If your deals involve more than one decision maker, map out the whole crew:
- Primary Decision Maker: The person who signs.
- Champion: The internal advocate.
- Influencers: People who shape the decision (IT, Finance, etc.)
- Gatekeepers: People who block access (sometimes helpful to identify, sometimes not worth your time).
How LeadGenius helps: You can request multiple contacts per account, each by role or department.
Honest take: Mapping the full committee takes time, but it’s worth it if your deals are complex. For quick sales, focus on the main buyer.
Step 7: Keep Your List Fresh (and Don’t Overpay)
Contacts go stale. People change jobs, companies re-org, and phone numbers change. Here’s how to keep things accurate:
- Set a refresh schedule: Quarterly is usually enough for most B2B teams.
- Track bounce rates and responses: High bounce rates mean it’s time to refresh.
- Use LeadGenius’s ongoing enrichment: You can set up regular updates, but watch your costs.
What works: Regular, smaller refreshes catch changes before they bite you.
What to ignore: Don’t pay for a giant “refresh” of your entire database if you only work a subset of accounts each month.
What LeadGenius Does Well (and Where It Falls Short)
What works: - Human researchers mean higher accuracy than most fully automated tools. - Flexible criteria so you can get the actual person you want, not just a title match. - Custom projects—if you need something weird (like “people who spoke at X conference”), they can usually find it.
What doesn’t: - It’s not instant. Research takes a few days—don’t expect leads in five minutes. - Quality varies depending on your instructions and the complexity of your ask. - It’s pricier than many self-service data tools. You’re paying for humans, not just a database.
Ignore the hype: No tool is “set it and forget it.” You still have to review, validate, and guide the process.
Pro Tips for Getting the Most Out of LeadGenius
- Always review sample contacts before a full order.
- Stay in touch with your research manager—treat them like a partner, not a vendor.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for oddball roles or custom data points.
- Track which contacts convert, and feed that data back to your LeadGenius team.
Keep It Simple—Iterate as You Go
Finding decision makers isn’t about having the biggest list. It’s about having a list you actually want to use. Take the time to define what you want, be clear with your criteria, and don’t be shy about giving feedback. You’ll waste less time chasing ghosts and spend more time talking to people who can say “yes.” Start simple, iterate as you go, and don’t let shiny features distract you from what actually works.