Sick Of Wasting Time On Bad Data? Meet Waterfall Enrichment

You know that old, well-known saying “You can’t bake a cake if you’re out of eggs”? 

No? Don’t worry. Not to be annoying or anything, but we actually just made that up – to make the point that you can’t be good at sales if you’re working with inaccurate or incomplete data. 

Sure, you might score a few random wins here and there – but fundamentally, if you don’t have the right ingredients to bake a successful sale, so to speak, you’re going to be fighting an uphill battle. 

Data enrichment can go some way to making sure your data is accurate and up-to-date – but you can’t just rely on any old solution. You need to make sure you’re working with the best of the best – which, we’ll have you know, is called waterfall enrichment. And that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about today: 

• What Is Waterfall Enrichment?
• The Cost of Not Using Waterfall Enrichment
• What to Look For in a Waterfall Enrichment Tool
• KPI Impact: How to Measure Success

Put your apron on – let’s get cooking.

What Is Waterfall Enrichment?

So, what is waterfall enrichment anyway? Waterfall enrichment is basically a fancy way of describing a method where multiple data providers are used in a prioritized sequence to enrich contact or account data. 

If one provider can’t find a piece of information — say, a phone number, job title, or verified email — the next provider gets asked. You can imagine the providers all queuing up to help, with the waterfall enrichment engine picking the best one for the job, in order.

This means that 1) your match rates are higher and 2) you’re more likely to get the most accurate, complete data out there. 

This is much better than relying on one single data source – if it can’t find what you’re looking for, you won’t have a backup, and you’ll have gaps in your data instead. No thank you. 

The Cost of Not Using Waterfall Enrichment

Let’s talk about what happens when you don’t use waterfall enrichment. Spoiler: it’s messy.

Without it, most sales teams end up in what we like to call the Great Data Hunt. It’s a thrilling, high-stakes adventure – if your idea of thrilling is watching reps waste hours scraping LinkedIn, guessing email formats, and begging for intros on Slack.

Here’s what that usually looks like:

• Manually searching LinkedIn profiles: reps scrolling through endless profiles to double-check job titles, company moves, and whether their prospect still exists.
• Googling contact info: “[First Name] [Last Name] email address” – search. Open 17 tabs. Pray. Repeat.
• Relying on a single enrichment tool (bad idea, btw): if it comes back empty? Congrats, your lead is dead in the water.
• Working across disconnected tools: it’s a miracle if the right data actually makes it to the right place without a meltdown.
• Asking around: all that’s going to get you is an awkward silence at best, or an annoyed contact at worst. 
• Trusting outdated CRM data: nothing says “professional outreach” like emailing someone who left the company last summer.

All this detective work kills momentum: after all, when your reps are tangled up in manual research, bad outreach, and bouncing emails, they’re not selling. They’re stuck patching holes in a system that can’t be fixed. 

Here’s what you’re actually losing by not using waterfall enrichment:

• Hours of selling time every single week
• Slower pipeline generation (hello, missed quota)
• Stressed-out reps who’d rather eat glass than fill out another spreadsheet
• Inconsistent CRM data that messes with your entire sales process
• Lower connect rates, because half your emails are landing in junk folders – or bouncing into the void

Waterfall enrichment fixes all this. Instead of throwing your reps into the Great Data Hunt, it quietly works behind the scenes, layering multiple data providers together to fill in the blanks – accurately, quickly, and without stress or effort on your part.

Think of it like this: you could spend your days chasing after missing puzzle pieces. Or you could just get the full picture in one go. Up to you! 

What to Look For in a Waterfall Enrichment Tool

Alright – you’re sold on waterfall enrichment. (Or at least, you’re waterfall enrichment-curious.) But before you go signing up for the first tool that promises better data, let’s get clear on what you actually need.

Because not all enrichment tools are created equal. Some are barely more helpful than that one friend who says “Just Google it” every time you ask for advice.

Here’s what you should be looking for:

• Multi-source support: if your enrichment tool only taps into one provider, that’s not a waterfall – it’s a trickle. Real waterfall enrichment stacks multiple providers, so if one comes up empty, the next one steps in. We hate to brag, but Surfe does just this by layering your preferred providers to give you maximum match rates and full coverage.
• Smart provider prioritization: some providers are better at finding emails, others at updating job titles. A good waterfall enrichment tool knows the difference – and picks the right order automatically.
• Field-level control: sometimes your CRM already has good data – and you don’t want a random enrichment tool steamrolling it. Look for a solution that lets you choose exactly which fields to update. Surfe puts you in full control, no nasty surprises…oops, you caught us bragging again! 
• Real-time and scalable options: whether you’re enriching one contact while stalking their LinkedIn (respectfully) or enriching 10,000 leads at once, your tool should adapt with you. Surfe makes it easy either way – you can enrich contact by contact, or a big list from a LinkedIn Sales Navigator, or results from Surfe Person or Contact search. 
• CRM integration: if you’re still copy-pasting enriched data into your CRM, we’re sending thoughts and prayers. A real waterfall enrichment tool should sync directly, so you can update everything in just a single click. 
• Transparent data flow: you should know exactly where your data’s coming from and how it’s enriched.

Bonus points if your waterfall enrichment tool also:

• Works where your reps work: your team shouldn’t have to juggle between 17 tabs just to enrich a contact. Sorry to mention ourselves AGAIN, but Surfe’s Chrome extension plugs straight into LinkedIn and Sales Navigator, so enrichment happens right where reps are already working.
• Gives developers what they need: if you want to enrich leads at scale, automate workflows, or just show off your API wizardry, Surfe’s well-documented API has your back.

The right waterfall enrichment tool makes your reps faster, your CRM cleaner, and your pipeline a whole lot healthier – sounds nice, right? 

KPI Impact: How to Measure Success

So, you’ve set up waterfall enrichment. Next up: make sure it’s, you know, working.

Because while “better data” sounds nice, you need actual metrics to prove it’s worth the investment. Here’s how to measure whether your waterfall enrichment setup is delivering the goods:

• Match rates increase: with multiple providers working in sequence, your match rates should go up – especially for tricky roles or smaller companies where a single provider would normally tap out.
• Lead conversion rate: when you’re reaching out with the right job title, accurate email, and timely context, people actually respond. Monitor how many enriched leads turn into pipeline – it’s usually a happy surprise.
• Time saved per rep per week: estimate how much time your team used to spend guessing email formats, digging through LinkedIn, or updating CRM fields. Now subtract it. That’s the amount of time they’re getting back to actually sell.
• Meetings booked per rep: one of the earliest signs enrichment is working? Reps are booking more meetings. Keep an eye on this KPI post-enrichment – it’s often the first real “win” to show.
• Sales velocity improvement: when reps aren’t slowed down by data gaps or bounce-backs, they can move from lead to meeting – or meeting to opportunity – way faster. Compare pre- and post-enrichment funnel speeds to see the difference.
• Bounce rate reduction: bad data = bounced emails. Clean data = outreach that lands. Look at how your bounce rate improves once waterfall enrichment is running – it’s a quick, satisfying proof point.

You don’t need to measure all of these to prove waterfall enrichment is working – but even one or two solid improvements should be enough.

Let’s Wrap It Up!

Wow, that cake tastes amazing! 

Good job you didn’t skip the eggs in the end – just like good data, they’re a crucial part of keeping the process smooth, simple, and effective. 

To go back to sales for just a moment: waterfall enrichment is a practical way to fill gaps, boost accuracy, and save your reps hours of busywork. And if you use Surfe’s waterfall enrichment too, you’ll experience all those benefits tenfold. Promise we didn’t make that up. 

FAQs About Waterfall Enrichment 

What’s The Difference Between Waterfall Enrichment And Standard Enrichment?

Standard enrichment typically pulls data from a single provider. If that provider doesn’t have what you need – tough luck. You’re left with missing fields, bounced emails, or reps diving back into LinkedIn to do the dirty work themselves. Waterfall enrichment, on the other hand, uses multiple providers in a prioritized order. If one source comes up empty, the next is automatically queried. This dramatically increases match rates and data accuracy. So instead of crossing your fingers, you’re actually getting the info you need. Simple. 

Can I Use Waterfall Enrichment With LinkedIn Contacts?

Yes – and it’s one of the smartest places to use it. With a tool like Surfe, you can enrich LinkedIn or Sales Navigator contacts in real time using waterfall enrichment logic. That means you can pull clean, verified emails, phone numbers, and job titles while browsing someone’s profile. It’s the perfect way to turn a promising connection into an actual prospect. 

How Does Surfe Handle Multiple Data Providers?

Surfe uses waterfall enrichment technology to stack multiple data providers together and query them in a smart, prioritized order. Basically, it automatically moves down the list until it finds the data you asked for. This increases your chances of finding what you need and speeds up the process, too. It’s enrichment done right: you just get better data – and your reps get to skip the wild goose chase.

Is Waterfall Enrichment Available Via API?

Yep – if you want to run enrichment at scale, Surfe’s API has you covered, whether you’re enriching a big list of leads, syncing data into your CRM, or building custom workflows. Surfe’s API taps into multiple data providers just like the Chrome extension does – so if one source can’t find what you’re looking for, the next one takes over. It’s the same reliable match-boosting, data-filling magic, just available programmatically. Developers love it. Sales ops love it. Your data team might even cry happy tears.

Why Should Sales Teams Care About Waterfall Enrichment?

Because it saves time, prevents bounces, and makes your reps look like they actually know what they’re doing. No more emailing someone who left the company three months ago. No more hours spent guessing email formats or stalking LinkedIn. Waterfall enrichment means your CRM stays accurate, your outreach lands better, and your team spends more time selling – not spreadsheet-wrangling. It’s the behind-the-scenes fix that makes your whole funnel faster. Basically, if your reps care about hitting quota, they should care about waterfall enrichment.