Importing Your First Contacts

Bringing your contacts into BuffSend allows you to target them with campaigns. The primary method is by uploading a CSV (Comma Separated Values) file.

1. Preparing Your CSV File

  • Ensure your contact data is in a spreadsheet program (like Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers) or exported from another system as a CSV file.
  • Required Column: Your CSV file MUST contain a column with the header email containing the contact's email address.
  • Recommended Columns: Include columns for personalization like first_name, last_name, company, or any other custom data points you want to use as merge tags in your emails. Use clear, simple headers (lowercase, no spaces, use underscores if needed, e.g., job_title).
  • Formatting:
    • One contact per row.
    • The first row should be your header row (email, first_name, etc.).
    • Ensure consistent formatting, especially for email addresses.
    • Save or export your file specifically as a CSV (UTF-8 encoding is recommended).

Example CSV Structure:

emailfirst_namecompanyjob_title
alice@example.comAliceExample IncCEO
bob@sample.orgBobSample OrgManager
charlie@domain.netCharlieDomain LtdDeveloper

2. Uploading the CSV

  1. Navigate to the Contacts section from the main menu.
  2. Look for an "Import Contacts" or "Upload CSV" button.
  3. Choose the CSV file you prepared from your computer.
  4. You might be asked to select an existing contact list to add these contacts to, or you may have the option to create a new list during the import process.

3. Mapping Columns

  • After uploading, BuffSend will usually show you the columns from your CSV file and ask you to match them (or "map" them) to the corresponding fields in BuffSend.
  • The email column should be automatically detected or easily mappable.
  • Map other columns like first_name, company, etc., to the appropriate BuffSend fields.
  • If you have custom columns in your CSV, you can often map them to custom fields within BuffSend for later use in personalization.
  • Review the mapping carefully to ensure data goes into the correct fields.

4. Starting the Import

  • Once mapping is complete, confirm and start the import process.
  • The time taken will depend on the size of your list. You can usually navigate away while the import runs in the background.
  • You should receive a notification or see an update in the Contacts section once the import is complete.

Troubleshooting

If your import fails or has errors, check the Contact Import Errors guide.

Next Step

Now that you have contacts, you're ready to Create Your First Campaign!

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