Switching from Dux-Soup to Closely can save time and improve LinkedIn outreach results. Closely offers features like AI-driven personalization, multichannel campaign management, and a unified inbox for LinkedIn and email, which can increase response rates by 35% and engagement by 52%. Proper migration ensures your campaign data, including sequences, prospect lists, and engagement history, remains intact.
Here’s how to make the transition:
- Export Campaign Data: Download active campaigns, prospect lists, and engagement history from Dux-Soup as CSV files.
- Organize Data: Clean and format files for smooth import into Closely, ensuring headers match, duplicates are removed, and fields like LinkedIn URLs are complete.
- Import to Closely: Use Closely’s import tool to map fields, create custom fields if needed, and upload your data.
- Rebuild Campaigns: Set up workflows in Closely, leveraging AI tools for personalization and multichannel outreach.
- Test and Optimize: Start with small-scale tests, track performance through analytics, and refine campaigns for better results.
How to create LinkedIn lists using Dux Soup
Step 1: Export Your Campaign Data from Dux-Soup
Before transitioning to Closely, it’s important to export your campaign data from Dux-Soup. This ensures you don’t lose any valuable prospecting information and can seamlessly continue your outreach efforts.
What Campaign Data to Export
To maintain the flow of your outreach, make sure to export the following:
- Active campaigns: These include your current outreach sequences, such as prospects, message templates, and engagement history. They’re critical for continuing your efforts without interruption.
- Prospect lists: These lists consist of LinkedIn profiles you’ve scanned, visited, or engaged with. Each profile represents a potential lead, and losing this data would mean starting from scratch.
- Outreach steps and sequences: This includes your connection request templates, follow-up messages, and personalized strategies tailored to your audience. These frameworks are the result of your fine-tuned approach to prospecting.
- Engagement history and notes: This data helps you track who has responded, who you’ve connected with, and any tags or notes you’ve added to categorize leads. It’s essential for picking up conversations exactly where you left off.
Export Data as CSV Files
To export your data, follow these steps:
- From your LinkedIn page, activate the "expert" settings.
- Click the Dux-Soup icon and select "Download Data."
- Choose to download both scanned and visited profiles to ensure all data is captured.
Before exporting, stop any active bots to ensure the data reflects the most up-to-date state of your campaigns. The exported CSV file will include key details like:
- Profile ID
- Date last viewed
- Profile URL
- Connection degree
- First and last names
- Current company details
- Email addresses and phone numbers
- Location, industry, and any tags applied via Dux-Soup
For Cloud users, you can also access the Contacts page within Dux-Dash to filter profiles by campaign name, prospect name, connection degree, or the last viewed date before exporting.
Once exported, your CSV files will be ready for formatting and importing into Closely.
How to Organize Your Exported Data
Proper organization of your CSV files will make the import process smoother. Use Excel or Google Sheets to review and structure the data effectively. Here’s how to get started:
- Use clear file names: Follow the MM/DD/YYYY format, such as "DuxSoup_ActiveCampaigns_07/26/2025.csv", to keep track of your exports.
- Filter outdated prospects: Remove profiles that no longer fit your current sales strategy to keep your campaigns focused.
- Ensure essential columns are included: At a minimum, include Profile (LinkedIn URL), First Name, and Last Name. Additional columns like company info, job titles, connection status, and custom tags can add value.
- Segment by campaign type or audience: If you’ve run different campaigns for various industries or roles, create separate CSV files for each. This will help you replicate your segmentation strategy in Closely.
Lastly, format any numerical data using standard U.S. conventions – commas for thousands (e.g., 1,000 connections) and periods for decimals. This consistency prevents import errors and ensures a smooth migration into Closely.
Step 2: Prepare Your Data for Closely Import
Now that you’ve got your campaign data exported, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get it ready for import into Closely. A little effort here goes a long way – clean, well-organized data prevents errors and ensures your campaigns kick off without a hitch.
Review and Format Your Data
Start by opening your CSV file in Excel or Google Sheets. The first step is to align your column headers with Closely’s field requirements since the first row will be used for mapping fields [4].
Rename your headers to match Closely’s standard fields – think ‘First Name,’ ‘Last Name,’ and ‘LinkedIn URL.’ This ensures automatic field mapping during the import process.
Next, tackle duplicate entries. Use your spreadsheet’s built-in tools to remove duplicates. Sorting by name or LinkedIn URL can make spotting these easier.
Consistency is key when it comes to formatting. Stick to the standard U.S. date format (MM/DD/YYYY) and apply proper number formatting – commas for thousands (1,000) and periods for decimals. If you have contacts with multiple email addresses or phone numbers, separate them with semicolons (;) since Closely expects this format [4].
Once you’ve tidied up the structure, it’s time to address any common data issues that might trip you up later.
Fix Common Data Problems
Cleaning up your data now saves you headaches later. Start by filling in any missing information – blank fields, especially for first names, last names, or LinkedIn URLs, can cause errors during import.
Standardize text fields like job titles and company names. This makes it much easier to segment and analyze your campaigns once they’re live.
Keep an eye out for invalid entries. Malformed email addresses or phone numbers can derail your efforts [8]. Use Excel’s data validation tools or conditional formatting to flag anything suspicious. Email addresses should include an "@" symbol and a valid domain, while phone numbers should follow a consistent format.
Outdated details, like old job titles or company names, can harm your outreach and even your brand’s reputation [6]. Update or remove any information that no longer aligns with your target audience.
Finally, address typos, partial data, and other small errors. Excel’s spell-check can help you catch obvious mistakes, like "Manger" instead of "Manager", or incomplete company names.
Check Data Before Import
Before you hit upload, give your data one last quality check. Save your CSV files with UTF-8 encoding [2][3] to avoid character display issues during the import process.
Make sure commas are used as delimiters. For fields containing commas, like "Smith, John & Associates", enclose the entire field in double quotes to prevent errors.
Custom date fields should be formatted as yyyy-mm-dd [4]. Also, trim any leading or trailing spaces from text fields to keep things clean.
"Apart from everything mentioned here, an important piece of this is having [5] a robust process for when and how data should be added/changed/updated/deleted; and [6] clear and accessible documentation that your team can refer to." – Kristeen Romero, HubSpot Imagineer [7]
As a final step, open your CSV in a basic text editor like Notepad. This lets you double-check the formatting – clean, comma-separated values with proper quoting where needed. A quick review here can save you from potential import headaches later.
Step 3: Import Your Campaign Data into Closely
Now that your data is cleaned and organized, it’s time to bring it into Closely to fuel your campaigns. This step officially moves your data from export to action, ensuring everything is ready to roll.
How to Use Closely’s Import Tools
Head to your Closely dashboard and open the import tool. Before uploading your UTF-8 encoded CSV file, review both Standard and Custom Fields. Make sure phone numbers include country code prefixes (e.g., +1 for U.S.), and when updating records, map them to the lead_id field.
If you need Custom Fields that aren’t already set up, create them first by navigating to Settings > Custom Fields. This helps avoid duplicates and gives you better control over data types. For each field, choose the right data type – like Number, Text, Date, or Choice options – to take full advantage of Closely’s search and filtering features.
Once your fields are ready, upload your cleaned CSV file. The platform will process the file and guide you through field mapping. Take your time to ensure everything is mapped accurately.
Mapping Data Fields
Closely’s import wizard automatically maps fields if your CSV follows proper naming conventions. Double-check these mappings, and for any unmapped fields, manually assign them to the right Closely fields. If needed, you can create new Custom Fields during the import process and adjust their types later.
Standard fields like "First Name", "Last Name", and "LinkedIn URL" are usually mapped automatically, but it’s always a good idea to verify. For fields like phone numbers and emails, make sure to select the Contact Standard Field options rather than generic text fields. This ensures you can fully use Closely’s built-in tools for calling, emailing, and SMS.
Once all fields are mapped correctly, you’re ready to move on to reviewing the import results.
Reviewing Import Results and Fixing Errors
After the import, check the summary to see how many rows were processed, how many new records were added, and how many existing records were updated. If there are errors, download the error report to pinpoint issues, then fix them in your CSV or directly in Closely.
Pay close attention to critical fields like names and LinkedIn URLs to ensure everything imported correctly. Common problems include mismatched data types, missing required values, or improperly formatted data that slipped through the cleaning process.
Address any errors quickly to keep your data accurate. Depending on the problem, you might need to update your original CSV and re-import it, or manually correct individual records in Closely. Issues like schema mismatches or data type conflicts often stem from inconsistent formatting in the source data, so a careful review is key.
sbb-itb-8725941
Step 4: Rebuild and Improve Campaigns in Closely
Once your data is imported, the next step is to rebuild your LinkedIn outreach campaigns using Closely’s workflow builder. This tool transforms your data into dynamic, automated campaigns designed to maximize efficiency and results.
Set Up Campaign Workflows
Begin by aligning your existing campaign structure with Closely’s workflow system. If you’ve been running multi-step sequences, you can replicate them here with improved timing and precision. Use the campaign builder to create your outreach flow, step by step.
For instance, Elvin Mootoosamy implemented a 10-step sequence that achieved an impressive 80% connection acceptance rate. His approach spaced actions 3–4 days apart, using steps like Visit, Follow, Connection Request (blank), Endorse Skill, and several follow-ups [9].
When building your workflow, add each action as an individual step. For connection requests, take the time to craft personalized messages that reference specific details about the prospect’s background or recent activities. Follow up with well-timed, value-focused messages, and set delays that mimic natural interaction patterns. This not only improves engagement but also reduces the risk of triggering LinkedIn’s spam detection systems.
Use Closely’s Advanced Features
Closely offers AI-powered personalization to help you create tailored messages. Users who leverage these features often see a 35% boost in response rates [1].
You can also combine LinkedIn outreach with email sequences to create multichannel campaigns. This strategy can drive 70% more engagement and deliver 2x higher reply rates [10]. Set your workflow to send follow-up emails automatically to prospects who don’t respond to your LinkedIn messages within a specific timeframe.
Another powerful tool is data enrichment, which enhances your imported contact list by adding verified email addresses and phone numbers. This ensures you have multiple ways to reach out and makes it easier to shift between channels as needed. Additionally, Closely’s unified inbox allows you to manage all responses – whether from LinkedIn or email – in one centralized location.
Set Campaign Limits and Schedules
Once your campaign sequence is ready and advanced features are in place, configure your campaign limits to align with U.S. business hours and LinkedIn’s activity guidelines. Running campaigns during standard business hours (Monday through Friday) ensures you’re reaching prospects when they’re most active.
Set daily activity limits to maintain safe levels of engagement. If you’re using a newer LinkedIn account, start conservatively and gradually increase your outreach as your account gains credibility. These practices help protect your account while maintaining consistent interaction with prospects.
Closely’s scheduling features allow you to spread your activities throughout the day, rather than sending all messages at once. Stagger connection requests and vary message timings to keep your activity natural and avoid LinkedIn restrictions.
Don’t forget to enable campaign analytics tracking to monitor key performance metrics like connection acceptance rates, message response rates, and overall campaign success. Regularly reviewing these metrics helps identify which templates and timing strategies work best for your audience.
Finally, set up automatic pausing rules to temporarily halt campaigns if response rates drop significantly or if spam reports are detected. This feature safeguards your LinkedIn account while maintaining high-quality outreach standards.
Step 5: Test and Manage Your New Campaigns
Once you’ve migrated your campaigns, the next step is all about testing and managing them to ensure everything runs smoothly. This phase not only confirms that your migration was successful but also helps you fine-tune your LinkedIn outreach for better results.
Test Campaigns Before Full Launch
Before rolling out your campaigns to your entire audience, start with a small-scale test. Using a pilot group from your imported data allows you to identify any issues without impacting your entire prospect list. This group should represent your broader audience and will help you evaluate key elements like workflow, message sequences, and timing.
Set clear goals for your test and use A/B testing to compare variables such as connection messages or timing. For example, including a mention of a shared LinkedIn group in your message can boost response rates by 21% [11][12]. Run your tests for at least 14 days to gather meaningful data.
Track Campaign Performance
To see how your campaigns are performing, take advantage of Closely’s analytics dashboard. It provides detailed insights into metrics like connection acceptance rates, response rates, and click-through rates [14].
Keep an eye on key indicators such as:
- Opens and clicks
- Connection requests
- Reply rates
- Bounces
Schedule regular reviews – weekly reviews during the first month are a good starting point. These check-ins help you spot trends early and make necessary adjustments. Pay close attention to areas where performance lags compared to your previous campaigns; these are opportunities for improvement.
Use the insights you gather to refine your campaigns, bridging the gap between testing results and ongoing optimization.
Refine Campaigns with Closely’s Tools
Closely offers several tools to help you improve your campaigns over time. Its unified inbox, AI-driven personalization, lead scoring, and CRM integrations are especially useful for fine-tuning your outreach.
- Lead Scoring: This feature evaluates engagement patterns, response rates, and profile data to prioritize your most promising prospects. Focus your manual outreach on high-scoring leads, while automation manages the rest.
- CRM Integrations: Automatically sync campaign data – like interactions and response rates – into your sales pipeline. This eliminates manual updates and ensures your sales team has up-to-date information for follow-ups.
Regular optimization is key. Continue A/B testing and experiment with multivariate testing, which can boost ROI by at least 30% [12]. Use the analytics dashboard to spot which messaging styles resonate most with your audience, then tweak your strategy accordingly [13].
To keep things on track, set up automated reporting. Choose metrics that align with your goals, whether that’s connection acceptance rates, meeting bookings, or qualified leads. Reviewing these regularly will show you what’s working and where adjustments are needed [14].
Conclusion: Complete Your Migration to Closely
You’ve successfully transitioned from Dux-Soup to Closely, bringing your campaigns to a platform built for greater efficiency and better results. This isn’t just a tool swap – it’s a step toward a more streamlined and impactful outreach system.
Key Points from the Migration Process
The migration process involved several important steps to ensure your campaign data stayed intact while boosting your outreach capabilities. Properly formatted CSV files and well-organized prospect data were critical for a smooth transition to Closely.
Closely’s import tools made it easy to transfer your existing campaigns without losing any prospect data or conversation history. The precise field mapping ensured that your personalization efforts and established relationships carried on without disruption.
As you continue working with Closely, gradual scaling remains crucial. This approach helps you stay under LinkedIn’s radar while maintaining the authentic, human-like interactions that make automation effective [16]. Plus, Closely’s automation tools allow you to create advanced, multi-step outreach campaigns, giving you more flexibility to engage with prospects effectively.
Get the Most from Closely
Now that your migration is complete, it’s time to explore Closely’s advanced features to take your outreach to the next level. You can fully utilize the platform by leveraging its AI-powered personalization tools and unified dashboard to refine your LinkedIn outreach and lead nurturing.
The unified inbox simplifies your workflow by bringing all prospect interactions into one place, saving you time and effort. Integrated lead scoring helps you focus on your most promising leads and syncs effortlessly with your CRM.
Additionally, Closely’s A/B testing feature lets you experiment with different message formats and timing to find what works best [15]. The analytics dashboard provides detailed insights into key metrics like connection acceptance rates, response rates, and click-through rates, giving you the data you need to fine-tune your strategy.
With Closely, you can also adopt a multi-channel approach, combining LinkedIn and email outreach for broader reach [16]. The platform’s data enrichment capabilities ensure consistent messaging across channels, helping you connect with prospects on their preferred platforms.
FAQs
What are the main advantages of switching to Closely for managing LinkedIn outreach campaigns?
Switching to Closely brings some standout advantages for handling LinkedIn outreach campaigns. First off, it streamlines the entire process with automation tools that are built to scale. This means you can save time and effort while keeping things running smoothly and efficiently.
Another big plus? It reduces the chances of running into account restrictions by sticking to LinkedIn’s recommended practices. This makes your outreach efforts not only safer but also more dependable. On top of that, the platform’s user-friendly interface lets you juggle multiple campaigns at once with ease, keeping everything organized and helping you stay laser-focused on your objectives.
How can I safely transfer my campaign data to Closely without losing any critical information?
To move your campaign data without losing critical details, begin by exporting it as a CSV file from your current tool. Take a moment to review the file, making sure all fields are filled out and consistent. Next, use Closely’s import feature to align the data fields with the platform’s format. Be thorough when mapping the fields to prevent mistakes and ensure everything transfers correctly. Following these steps will help you keep your campaign history intact and avoid missing any important information.
How can I optimize my LinkedIn outreach campaigns using Closely after migrating?
To maximize the impact of your LinkedIn outreach campaigns using Closely, make full use of its automation tools for tasks such as profile visits, sending connection requests, follow-ups, and engaging with posts. Combine this with AI-driven personalized messaging to increase response rates and build stronger connections with your prospects.
Keep an eye on your campaign’s performance through Closely’s analytics. This will help you fine-tune your approach and drop strategies that aren’t delivering results. You can also take advantage of tools like the lead finder to identify top-quality prospects and use custom branding options to deliver a polished, tailored experience to your audience.
Related posts
- Closely’s White Label Solution for Marketing Agencies: Implementation Guide
- GoHighLevel LinkedIn Integration by Closely: Complete Setup & Features Guide
- SaaS Companies: Scale LinkedIn Outreach with Closely’s Multi-Channel Campaigns
- Implementing Closely + HubSpot Integration for Automated Lead Nurturing