> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.customeros.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Contacts

> Understand how CustomerOS identifies and manages key people associated with each lead.

<Info>
  Automated contact creation is an additional addon - reach out to our team if
  you want to know more.
</Info>

## What Are Contacts?

While **leads are companies**, progress always depends on the **people inside those companies**.\
Contacts in CustomerOS represent the decision-makers, influencers, and champions tied to a lead.

Each contact is linked to the **lead’s company object** and enriched with role, seniority, and relevance to your ICP. This gives your team the **human context** needed to run targeted, personalized outreach.

***

## How Contacts Are Discovered

CustomerOS automatically surfaces and enriches contacts based on:

* **Public and partner data sources** (e.g., LinkedIn, press releases, company websites)
* **Your ICP criteria** (e.g., job titles, departments, levels of seniority)
* **Behavioral signals** (multiple people from same company engaging with your content)
* **Manual additions** by your team (always possible for custom scenarios)

***

## Key Attributes of a Contact

Each contact typically includes:

* **Full name and role** → e.g. VP of Marketing, CTO
* **Seniority level** → Executive, Manager, IC
* **ICP relevance** → How closely this person aligns with your ideal personas
* **Contact details** → Email, LinkedIn, phone (where available)
* **Engagement activity** → Touchpoints tied directly to this contact where known

***

## Why Contacts Matter

* **Personalize Outreach** → Talk to the right people with the right message
* **Expand Buying Committees** → See when multiple stakeholders are engaging from the same company
* **Shorten Sales Cycles** → Prioritize contacts who drive budget and decision-making
* **Strengthen Briefs** → Contacts enrich [Sales Briefs](/briefs) with real human context

***

## Example

For a software company lead:

* CustomerOS surfaces a **VP of Engineering** (primary decision maker),
* A **Director of IT** (technical evaluator),
* And a **Head of Finance** (budget influencer).

As engagement grows, you can see which stakeholders are leaning in — and coordinate outreach accordingly.

***

## Best Practices

* **Focus on ICP personas first** → prioritize outreach to contacts who map directly to your ICP.
* **Track multi-contact engagement** → multiple stakeholders engaging = strong buying signal.
* **Keep data fresh** → CustomerOS updates contacts automatically, but you can add/remove as needed.
* **Leverage in briefs** → always review contacts inside [Briefs](/briefs) before outreach.

***

## Next Steps

* Learn how [Leads](/leads) organize companies as the central object.
* Explore how [Touchpoints](/touchpoints) reveal which contacts are active.
* Review how [Briefs](/briefs) combine contacts with research to prep your team.