How To Import Contacts Into Your dsSearchAgent or dsAgentReach Contact List
It’s true, you live and you die by your database. So, did you know that if you have an existing database (on an excel sheet or from some other contact management system), you can import ANY data that you choose for a client. Even custom fields. So, here is your lesson for today…
Importing Contacts
1. You must create a CSV file to import the contacts. Note: It must be in CSV format.
2. At the very top of the CSV file the columns should be labeled with whatever information per contact will be housed in that column. You might have columns like this:
First Name | Last Name | Email | Cell Phone | Address 1 | Address 2 | City | State | Zip | Birthday | Buyer or Seller? | Home Features of Interest | Price Range | Comments | Etc.
Technically, it doesn’t matter what order the columns are in. The only thing that matters is that each column is labeled in some way. You might label “First Name” as “First” or “First Name”. That also doesn’t matter. As long as YOU know what their labels mean it’s fine. NOTE: There is a 75 character limit for each field!
3. Notice in the above “labels” that I put extra fields that are not normal fields such as:
| Buyer or Seller? | Home Features of Interest | Price Range | Comments |
These fields can be imported as well. But… if you have “extra” fields like this you will first need to…
a. Go into “Contacts” in the control panel
b. Choose ANY contact (it doesn’t matter what one) and click the name
c. Then, click “Edit” to edit that contact
d. Scroll down to “New Additional Field”
e. You will see “Name” and “Value”. Just the “Name” portion needs to be filled in with each custom field the client wants to add
f. Click “Add Field” for each new custom field. When done adding each of the custom fields… “Save and Done”
Having done this on ONE contact you will now see these custom fields on ALL contacts when you edit them. And now that the custom fields exist you can upload your own contacts via the CSV file with these custom fields
4. Now, go to the main “Contacts” page and click the “Start Importing Now” button.
5. Browse for your CSV file.
6. Now you will be taken to a page where you will see two columns of information. On the left you will see all the fields that exist on your contacts in the control panel. On the right you will see a drop down menu for each field (this is the reason you must properly label each of the columns on the CSV file because now you simply need to match up each field correctly).
7. Once each field has been matched up properly choose the “Contact Group” on the right that you would like to upload these new contacts to.
Note: If you want to put them into a new group you should create the new group first
8. Click “Import” and wait for it to complete
Congratulations!
You have just successfully imported all of your contacts into your new dsAgentReach Contact Management system! Now get to setting up those Marketing Emails and Custom Campaigns :-)