Use case: sales and lead generation
Sales and lead generation with import and export data
CargoFax customs records show which companies import or export a product, how often, and through which ports. Sales teams use the records to find companies with real trade activity. Logistics providers, service firms, suppliers, and anyone selling to companies that trade filter shipment records in Atlas Explorer by HS code, market, port, and partner country. They rank prospects by shipment frequency, volume, and recency. They save the best prospects to Contacts with tags and export the list to a CRM. US bill of lading records update daily with about a one-day lag. New US importers reach your prospect lists quickly, so outreach rests on evidence, not guesswork.
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Step by step
How do sales teams find leads in trade data?
- 01
Identify active prospects.
Search the HS codes, products, or trade lanes your customers move in Explorer. Every company in the results is importing or exporting in that flow.
- 02
Build a targeted list.
Filter by HS code, market, port, origin or destination country, and period. Save the search in Vault, add the companies to Contacts with your own tags, and export the list to your CRM.
- 03
Prioritize outreach.
Rank prospects by shipment frequency, volume, and the date of their last shipment, and start with the companies that fit your ideal customer profile.
- 04
Personalize the conversation.
Open a prospect's records before the call and reference its products, origins, ports, and lanes.
- 05
Keep prospecting.
Vault emails you when a saved search picks up new records, including companies trading in your flow for the first time.
In the records
Which trade signals qualify a sales lead?
| Signal | What it tells your sales team | Where in Atlas |
|---|---|---|
| Products and HS codes | Whether the company moves the goods your offer serves | Explorer: HS code and product description search |
| Shipment frequency | How often it imports or exports, and how much recurring work there is to win | Explorer: shipments over time |
| Volume | Account size, by shipments, weight, or containers | Explorer: rank companies by any metric |
| Recency | Whether the company is active now, from the date of its last shipment | Explorer and Vault saved searches |
| Origins, destinations, and ports | The lanes and gateways it uses, to match your network or service area | Explorer: filters by country and port |
| New entrants | Companies trading in your flow for the first time | Vault: email updates on saved searches |
| Your prospect list | Companies tagged by stage or priority, ready for outreach | Contacts: tags, website and LinkedIn where available, CRM export |
Atlas searches and downloads are unlimited in every market, Haiti included, so prospect lists can be exported in full.
In practice
Examples by market
- United States: a freight forwarder lists every importer receiving furniture (HS 9403) through the Port of Savannah in the last 90 days, ranked by containers, and tags those shipping every month.
- Haiti: a shipping services company finds the importers bringing containers into Port-au-Prince each week, with their vessels, origins, and weights, and calls the most frequent first.
- Mexico: an equipment supplier lists the companies importing plastics machinery (HS 8477) this year and starts with those whose shipments are growing.
- Colombia: a customs broker spots companies exporting coffee (HS 0901) for the first time this year through a Vault saved search.
Exporting a product? To find the companies that already import what you make, with their current suppliers, start with Buyer discovery.
Need the raw data instead? Teams that want to run sales and lead generation in their own systems receive the records in bulk through Files, by FTP or API.
FAQ
Sales and lead generation: frequently asked questions
How can trade data help with sales lead generation?
CargoFax trade data shows which companies actually import or export, what they move, how often, and through which ports. Sales teams use it in Atlas to find prospects with real trade activity. They prioritize outreach by shipment frequency, volume, and recency.
Who uses CargoFax for sales prospecting?
Sales teams at logistics providers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, service firms, and suppliers, as well as importers and exporters prospecting each other. Any team that sells to companies moving goods across borders can build prospect lists from CargoFax shipment records.
How is sales and lead generation different from buyer discovery?
CargoFax buyer discovery is for exporters looking for the companies that already import their product. CargoFax sales and lead generation is for any sales team, such as a logistics provider or service firm, that wants a prioritized list of companies active in a trade flow. Both run in Atlas Explorer, Vault, and Contacts.
How do I decide which prospects to contact first?
Rank companies in Atlas Explorer by shipment frequency, volume, and the date of their last shipment. Then filter by HS code, port, and partner country to match your ideal customer profile.
Can I export prospect lists to my CRM?
Yes. Save companies to Atlas Contacts, tag them, and export the list for your CRM. Atlas plans include unlimited downloads in every CargoFax market, Haiti included.
How do I hear about new prospects?
Save the search in Atlas Vault, which emails you when the saved search picks up new records, including companies trading in that flow for the first time. US bill of lading records update daily with about a one-day lag, Haiti and Peru weekly, and the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay, and Argentina monthly.
Which markets can I prospect in?
Sales teams can prospect in every CargoFax market: the United States, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. US bills of lading name both the shipper and the consignee. Haiti records name the importer with its containers, vessels, and ports.
How much does CargoFax cost for sales teams?
Atlas plans are monthly or annual and priced by market and team size. See the pricing page or book a demo for a quote.
By company type
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Fill your sales pipeline with CargoFax trade data.
Find the suppliers, buyers, and shipping companies you need to grow your business. CargoFax trade data helps you identify real companies, discover new opportunities, and make your next move with confidence.