Discover folk - the CRM for people-powered businesses
Inaccurate data is one of the biggest threats to B2B growth. A shocking 25% of CRM data is inaccurate or outdated at any given time (IBM Big Data Hub).
That's not just annoying—it’s expensive. Gartner estimates the cost of poor data quality at $12.9 million per year, per company.
That’s why the smartest B2B teams invest in the best data enrichment tools—to feed their CRM with accurate, real-time information that unlocks better targeting, segmentation, and revenue.
What Is B2B Data Enrichment?
Data enrichment is the process of enhancing your contact and company records with missing or updated data points:
- Job titles, emails, phone numbers
- LinkedIn profiles and social data
- Company size, location, tech stack
- Intent signals and buying readiness
This ensures your CRM is not just a database—but a dynamic engine for outbound sales, personalized marketing, and pipeline growth.
Why Data Enrichment Matters
- 88% of B2B marketers report that enriched data improves lead quality and segmentation (DemandGen Report 2024)
- Reps spend 20% of their time hunting or fixing data instead of selling (Salesforce State of Sales Report)
- Good data = better targeting, shorter cycles, higher win rates
Imagine this: a sales team launches a cold email campaign to 500 leads. But 30% of the emails bounce because job titles and email addresses are outdated. Worse, one of their top reps wastes hours following up with a lead who switched companies six months ago.
Without enrichment, even the best CRM becomes a graveyard of outdated records filled with dead contacts, duplicate entries, and missed opportunities. Enrichment turns static data into a dynamic growth asset by keeping your pipeline clean, fresh, and relevant in real time.
Top B2B Data Enrichment Tools Compared
folk CRM
Type
All-in-one CRM with native enrichment
Best For
Startups, founders, agencies, sales teams who want enriched data inside their CRM
Pros
- Real-time enrichment on contacts and companies
- Pulls LinkedIn data and enriches automatically
- Smart deduplication and merge logic
- Modern UI, built for collaboration
- Affordable pricing and intuitive UX
Cons
- Less suitable for enterprise-size orgs with complex approval chains
Pricing
Starts at $20/month/user
Why it stands out
folk CRM eliminates the friction between your CRM and your data provider. It offers automated enrichment directly inside your contact views and supports seamless collaboration across sales and marketing. You don’t need to manage third-party APIs or rely on developers—folk makes enrichment as simple as adding a contact.
Clearbit
Type
Data enrichment API and SaaS integrations
Best For
Developers and revenue ops who need custom workflows
Pros
- Access to 200+ data points including tech stack and firmographics
- Real-time updates via integrations with tools like Segment, Marketo, Salesforce
- Highly customizable via its robust API
- Basic deduplication using domain-matching in Salesforce
Cons
- No smart merge or advanced duplicate detection
- Deduplication is domain-based and limited in scope
- Entry-level plans are limited; pricing scales quickly
Pricing
From $99/month for SaaS, custom pricing for API usage
Use case: Clearbit is ideal if you have a technical team and need precise control over data flows. Its deduplication is basic and tied to domains, so large teams may need extra data hygiene layers.
Apollo.io
Type
Sales engagement platform with built-in enrichment
Best For
SDR teams looking to combine prospecting and enrichment
Pros
- Large and growing database with over 265M+ verified contacts
- Offers enrichment and outbound tools in one interface
- Chrome extension for LinkedIn scraping and enrichment
- Built-in deduplication tools with manual and bulk merge options (Apollo Help Center)
Cons
- No "smart merge" logic (requires manual review)
- Some inconsistencies in contact accuracy by region
Pricing
From $49/month/user, with a free tier available
Use case: Apollo.io is ideal for high-velocity outbound teams. With built-in enrichment, automation, and deduplication tools, it minimizes tool-switching. But users should still validate data quality manually for best results.
ZoomInfo
Type
Enterprise-grade B2B database & intelligence suite
Best For
Large enterprises with mature sales operations
Pros
- Extensive global coverage across industries
- Intent data, technographics, and buying signals integrated
- Strong ABM features and advanced segmentation tools
Cons
- No LinkedIn sync, which limits some real-time updates
- Expensive—contracts often start at $10K+ annually
Pricing
Custom pricing only
Use case
ZoomInfo is for teams who can leverage high-volume ABM campaigns and need deep integrations across their tech stack. It’s powerful but priced accordingly.
Lusha
Type
Lightweight enrichment and prospecting tool
Best For
SMBs and individual reps
Pros
- Browser extension for quick data lookups
- Easy to use with Salesforce and HubSpot
- Offers rules-based deduplication to update or ignore records
- Affordable entry pricing
Cons
- No smart merge functionality
- Data coverage not as comprehensive for niche industries
Pricing
From $36/month/user
Use case
Lusha is great for sales teams that need a fast, low-friction enrichment tool. It now supports configurable deduplication settings, helping teams maintain cleaner CRM data without extra tools.
FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About Data Enrichment
Why does data enrichment matter in B2B?
Because incomplete data kills performance. Enrichment fills the gaps, updates contact info, and reveals buying intent. It drives targeting, segmentation, and pipeline.
What data is typically enriched?
- Emails, phone numbers, LinkedIn profiles
- Titles and roles
- Company firmographics (size, industry, location)
- Tech stack and tools
- Intent data and ICP signals
How often should CRM data be enriched?
Active pipelines: every 30–60 days. Dormant records: quarterly. Top tools (like folk CRM) enrich data in real-time, so you don’t have to think about it.
How is enrichment different from data cleaning?
- Enrichment: Adds new, verified information
- Cleaning: Fixes, standardizes, and removes bad data
You need both. A clean CRM is just the baseline. Enrichment makes it revenue-ready.
Is it legal to enrich contact data?
Yes, if your provider complies with GDPR and CCPA. Leading tools like folk, Clearbit, and Apollo offer transparency in how they collect and store data.
Can data enrichment be automated?
Absolutely. folk CRM, for example, enriches every contact automatically when added via email or LinkedIn sync. No manual lookup, no Excel needed.
Conclusion
CRM data decay is not optional—it happens to every database. The question is whether you’re fixing it.
Data enrichment is the foundation of smart segmentation, hyper-personalized messaging, and high-performing sales teams. With enriched data, your CRM evolves from a contact list to a strategic revenue engine.
While tools like Clearbit, Apollo.io, ZoomInfo, and Lusha offer various levels of coverage and control, they now all offer some form of deduplication—but often limited or manual.
folk CRM stands out as the best choice for small to mid-sized teams who want an all-in-one CRM that handles enrichment, automation, deduplication, and collaboration—without stacking multiple tools or inflating costs.
Discover folk CRM - Like the sales assistant your team never had
