Getting a solid B2B email list isn’t magic—it’s methodical work. Whether you’re in sales, marketing, or recruiting, you know the drill: better contact data means better results. But anyone who’s tried scraping or buying lists knows how quickly things go sideways. This guide is for folks who want to use Contactout to build a targeted B2B email list without wasting time, money, or credibility.
Let’s cut through the noise and get to what actually works.
1. Know Your Audience Before You Start
It’s tempting to just start pulling emails, but if you haven’t nailed down your audience, you’ll end up with a bloated, useless list. Before you even log in to Contactout, answer these:
- Who are you trying to reach? (Job titles, industries, company sizes)
- What problem do you actually solve for them?
- Where do they work now, and where did they work before?
- Any specific regions you care about?
Pro Tip: Don’t get greedy. A smaller, well-defined target is 10x better than a giant, generic list. If you can’t picture your ideal recipient, neither will your emails.
2. Get Your Contactout Workflow Dialed In
Contactout’s main value is its ability to find work and personal emails for professionals, especially on LinkedIn. Here’s what actually works:
Installing and Setting Up
- Use the Chrome extension. It’s the quickest way to pull info directly from LinkedIn profiles.
- Double-check permissions. Some company networks block extensions or LinkedIn scraping. Use a personal device if you hit walls.
Searching and Filtering
- Start with LinkedIn searches. Use LinkedIn’s search filters (title, company, location) to build your shortlist.
- Avoid generic roles. “Manager” or “Consultant” will get you everyone and their dog. Be specific: “Demand Generation Manager,” “Cloud Security Architect,” etc.
- Check for recent activity. If a profile’s been dormant for years, the email may be dead too.
Exporting Contacts
- Batch exports are your friend. Don’t export one-by-one unless you like wasting time.
- Tag contacts as you go. Mark by campaign, region, or persona. You’ll thank yourself later.
What to skip: Pulling every email Contactout finds. More isn’t better. Focus on relevance and recency.
3. Clean and Validate Every List (Yes, Every Time)
Even the best tools aren’t perfect. Outdated emails, job changes, and typos happen. Here’s how to avoid bouncing into spam folders:
- Run your list through an email validator (like NeverBounce, ZeroBounce, or Kickbox) before you send anything. This weeds out dead or risky emails.
- Look for obvious red flags:
- Generic emails (info@, sales@, careers@)
- Weird domains (if it doesn’t look like a company, skip it)
- Duplicates or people who’ve switched jobs recently
Pro Tip: Expect 5–15% of even “verified” emails to fail. That’s normal. Clean early and often.
4. Stay on the Right Side of the Law (and Common Sense)
Just because you can email someone doesn’t mean you should. Privacy laws are real, and so is the risk of getting blacklisted.
- Know your laws:
- GDPR (Europe): You need a “legitimate interest” and must let people opt out easily.
- CAN-SPAM (US): Don’t use misleading info, and include a clear way to unsubscribe.
- CASL (Canada): You often need explicit consent.
- Don’t buy lists. Seriously. It’s a fast track to spam complaints and wasted money.
- Be transparent: Say where you got their info (“I found your profile via LinkedIn and wanted to reach out…”)
What not to worry about: You don’t need fancy legalese, just honesty and a way to opt out.
5. Write Real Emails, Not “Blasts”
If your email looks automated, it’s going straight to Trash. Here’s how to get replies instead of eye-rolls:
- Personalize, but don’t fake it. Use their name, mention something relevant (recent post, company news), and keep it short.
- Get to the point. One or two sentences about why you’re reaching out. No fluff.
- Call to action: Ask a simple, direct question (“Are you the right person for X?” or “Would you be open to a quick call?”)
- Follow up, but don’t stalk. Two or three nudges max if you don’t get a response.
What to ignore: Mail-merge “personalization” that just drops in {{FirstName}} and calls it a day.
6. Track, Test, and Prune Ruthlessly
Building a list is only half the battle. Keeping it healthy is the rest.
- Watch your bounce and open rates. If you’re bouncing over 5%, something’s wrong—pause and clean.
- Remove unengaged contacts. If someone hasn’t opened in 3–6 months, archive or delete them.
- A/B test your messages. Small tweaks, like subject lines or call-to-action, can make a big difference. But don’t over-optimize; clarity beats cleverness.
Pro Tip: Quality beats quantity. A smaller, engaged list will get you more replies and fewer headaches.
7. Keep Your List Building Sustainable
Don’t make this a one-and-done sprint. The best results come from steady, ongoing effort.
- Set a weekly or monthly goal for new contacts.
- Regularly update target criteria as your business or campaigns shift.
- Stay curious: If you notice a new job title or industry trend, add it to your search filters.
What to skip: Giant list-building binges. They’re tempting, but you’ll end up cleaning up messes for weeks.
Summary: Don’t Overthink It
Building a great B2B email list with Contactout isn’t rocket science, but it does take discipline. Know who you want, use the tool smartly, clean your data, respect privacy, and send real emails. Skip the shortcuts—they’re mostly headaches in disguise. Start small, adjust as you go, and you’ll get better results (and less spam) than most of your competitors.
Keep it simple. Test, learn, and don’t be afraid to cut what isn’t working. Your future self—and your inbox—will thank you.