How to Compare Lead Sources in One List

To compare lead sources, put the leads from every vendor or list in one file with a column that names the source, upload it to the lead source quality report and read one row per source. The table shows blanks, repeats, shared inboxes and webmail for each.

When this helps

You bought or exported leads from several places and want to know which are worth more. Or a vendor sent a sample and you want to see how much of it you already own. Looking at the sources side by side is quicker than opening each file.

What you need

• A CSV or .xlsx file for each source.
• A spreadsheet or the CSV merge tool to join them.

Step 1: join the files and add a source column

Stack the files into one, keeping the same columns. Add a column called Source and fill it with the vendor or list name for each file. Put the files in the order you received them: the report counts a repeat against the later row.

Step 2: load the file

Upload the file or paste the cells with the header row first. The source column is picked by name where possible (source, origin, vendor, list, campaign or channel). Change it if the guess is wrong.

Step 3: read the table

For each source you get:

• Rows. Everything in that source.
• No address. Blank or not address-shaped.
• Repeats. Addresses that already appeared on an earlier row.
• Role. Addresses such as info@ and sales@, which reach a shared inbox.
• Webmail. Gmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo and similar personal mailboxes, which are unusual on a list of company contacts.
• Usable. First appearance and not a role address.

The download adds a column for addresses that also appear under another source.

Step 4: what to conclude, and what not to

A source with many repeats may be reselling data you already have. A source with many role or webmail rows may not be targeting the people you want. Those are useful findings, and they cost nothing to get.

What the report cannot show is which addresses are dead. A list can look tidy and still bounce. Take a sample of each source, upload it to check the addresses, and compare the valid share. The pricing page has the plans if you check at scale.

Step 5: act on it

Ask a vendor to replace a sample that was mostly repeats. Remove role addresses with the role-based email filter. Keep a record of where each list came from with the list provenance log. For a fuller checklist, see the list quality check and how to clean an email list.

Common problems

• One source shows all the repeats. It came second in the file. Reorder and run again to see the other view.
• Rows sit under (no source). Fill the Source cell before you join the files.
• A company address was counted as webmail. Our list of free providers is finite; check the domain.

Frequently asked questions

How many sources can I compare? Any number. Each value in the source column gets a row.

Is a high usable share a good sign? It is a good sign about the shape of the data. It does not tell you the mailboxes work.