clay
Clay enriches lead lists with data from over 150 sources and uses AI agents to build personalized outbound campaigns in spreadsheet format.
Clay is a data enrichment tool for outbound sales that works like a spreadsheet: each row is a lead, each column an enrichment. Instead of paying for a subscription per data provider, Clay lets you query over 150 sources, from company data and tech stacks to email verification.
GTM teams use it to build workflows such as: pulling lists from LinkedIn, enriching company size and tech stack, researching websites with the AI agent Claygent, generating personalized first lines, and handing everything off to Instantly or HeyReach. The waterfall principle queries providers sequentially until a match is found, which saves credits.
Compared to Apollo.io, Clay is more flexible, but significantly more complex and quickly more expensive: The credit system is difficult to predict, and the learning curve is steep; many teams hire dedicated Clay agencies for this. It's not suitable as a CRM replacement or for occasional individual searches.
Excellent for outbound teams that view data quality as a competitive advantage and can invest several weeks in onboarding. For simple lead searching with a ready-made database, Apollo.io is sufficient.
Functions
- One subscription instead of ten data provider contracts: Credits apply to all sources
- AI-generated personalization for opening lines and reasons per lead
- Signals like job changes or funding rounds as campaign triggers
- Templates and community workflows for common outbound plays
- AI-powered formulas instead of spreadsheet syntax
Core Functions
- Data enrichment from over 150 sources in a table interface
- Waterfall enrichment queries providers sequentially until a match is found
- AI agent Claygent researches websites and answers open-ended questions per lead
- List import from LinkedIn, CSV, CRM, and webhooks
- Export to outreach tools like Instantly, HeyReach, and Lemlist, and CRMs
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