Looking to build a B2B lead list, but tired of guessing if an email will bounce—or just disappear into the void? This guide is for sales reps, founders, and marketers who want a no-nonsense, step-by-step process to find and verify business emails using Hunter—without wasting money or time.
If you’re after magic-growth hacks or spammy tactics, you’ll be disappointed. But if you want a clear, reliable way to get verified B2B emails (without getting your domain blacklisted), you’re in the right place.
Why bother verifying B2B emails?
Anyone can scrape a list of “possible” emails. The problem? Most will bounce, get ignored, or land you in spam hell. Verified emails mean:
- Fewer bounces (protect your sender reputation)
- Better reply rates (you’re reaching real people)
- Less time wasted chasing ghosts
And honestly, it’s just more professional.
Now, let’s walk through exactly how to do this with Hunter.
Step 1: Sign up for a Hunter account
Obvious, but let’s get it out of the way.
- Go to Hunter and sign up. They have a free plan (limits apply), so you can test the basics without a credit card.
- Pick a work email if you can. Free Gmail/Yahoo addresses sometimes hit friction.
Pro tip: The free plan gives you 25 searches and 50 verifications/month. Good for trying things out, but you’ll probably outgrow it fast if you’re serious about lead gen.
Step 2: Decide who you’re targeting
Don’t just “find emails”—get specific.
- What companies are you after? (Industry, size, location)
- What job titles or roles matter?
- Are you focusing on decision-makers, users, or both?
Skip this, and you’ll end up with a bloated list that nobody wants to email.
Step 3: Build your list of prospects
You’ve got a few ways to start:
3.1. Manual company research
- Use LinkedIn, Crunchbase, or even company websites to find names and titles.
- Make a spreadsheet: Name, Company, Job Title, LinkedIn URL, Company Domain.
This takes time but leads to higher-quality leads. Don’t fall for “buy a giant list for $9.99” scams—most are 90% garbage.
3.2. Hunter’s Domain Search
If you already know the company’s website:
- In Hunter, use the Domain Search tool.
- Enter the company domain (e.g.,
acme.com). - Hunter shows all publicly found emails, with names, positions, and sources.
What’s good: You see where the email was found (LinkedIn, company site, etc.), which helps you judge accuracy.
What’s not: Smaller companies may not have any emails listed, or just generic addresses like info@ or contact@.
3.3. Hunter’s Email Finder
Got a name and company? Use Email Finder.
- Enter first name, last name, and company domain.
- Hunter predicts the email format and checks if it’s real.
Reality check: This works great at companies with consistent email patterns, less so at tiny startups or companies that use aliases.
Step 4: Bulk search—save time at scale
If you have a spreadsheet of names and companies, let’s bulk it:
- Go to Bulk > Email Finder in Hunter.
- Upload your CSV (columns: First Name, Last Name, Company, Domain).
- Map columns as prompted.
Hunter will try to find or guess the right emails for each entry.
Heads up: The more precise your input, the better your results. Typos in names or domains = missed emails.
Step 5: Verify every email before you send
This is the step most skip (and regret). Even if Hunter finds an email, always verify:
- Use Email Verifier (single or bulk mode) in Hunter.
- Paste or upload your list.
- Hunter checks deliverability, syntax, and whether the address actually works.
What the results mean: - Valid: Safe to send. - Accept all: Some companies accept all emails, real or fake; riskier. - Invalid: Don’t bother—will bounce. - Unknown: Couldn’t verify; up to you, but risky.
Be strict: Only email “valid” addresses if you care about your sender reputation.
Step 6: Export your clean, verified list
Once you’ve got your “valid” emails:
- Download/export as CSV.
- Add extra columns if you want (e.g., LinkedIn URL, notes, etc.).
- Now you’re ready to import into your CRM or email tool.
Don’t email directly from Hunter. Their sending options are basic and not built for real outreach (there’s no meaningful personalization or automation). Use a tool built for cold email.
Step 7: Keep your data up to date
People change jobs, domains switch hands, and emails go stale—fast. Here’s what actually works:
- Re-verify old lists before each campaign.
- Don’t “set and forget”—build time into your process for regular updates.
- Assume 2-5% of your emails will go stale every month, even with good tools.
Ignore anyone promising “100% accuracy forever.” It doesn’t exist.
Pro tips, warnings, and what to ignore
- Don’t buy big, cheap email lists. They’re mostly junk. Build your own.
- Hunter’s Chrome Extension: Handy for scraping emails from LinkedIn or company websites as you browse. Just don’t overdo it, or LinkedIn will notice.
- Respect privacy and laws: Don’t spam. Check GDPR and CAN-SPAM rules if you’re reaching out in bulk.
- Don’t automate outreach to “accept all” emails. Too risky.
- You don’t need 10,000 leads. A smaller, cleaner, more relevant list outperforms a giant, messy one every time.
- Don’t trust one tool blindly. If an email seems fishy, double-check on LinkedIn or the company site.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple and iterate
Getting verified B2B emails isn’t rocket science, but it does take a bit of discipline. Use Hunter to automate grunt work, but don’t skip steps—especially verification. Start small, see what works, and tweak your process over time.
The best lead lists are built, not bought. Keep it clean, keep it targeted, and—most importantly—keep it real.