How to Find Verified Email Addresses Using Contactout for B2B Sales Teams

Finding real, working email addresses for B2B prospects is a pain—especially when you’re tired of bouncebacks, dead ends, and generic "info@" inboxes. If you’re in B2B sales and need to get in front of decision-makers, you need a tool that actually delivers verified contact info, not just a list of guesses. That’s where Contactout comes in. But here’s the thing: like any tool, it’s only as good as how you use it. This guide walks you through finding verified business emails with Contactout—step by step, with zero fluff, and a reality check on what actually works.

Who This Is For

  • B2B sales teams who want more direct conversations with the right people.
  • SDRs, AEs, or founders who are tired of chasing dead leads.
  • Anyone who’s had enough of “all-in-one sales platforms” that don’t actually help you find real emails.

If you’re looking for a set-and-forget solution, you’ll be disappointed. But if you want a practical, repeatable way to get verified emails that work, keep reading.

Step 1: Set Up Contactout Properly

Before you start blasting out emails, make sure you’ve got the basics right. Here’s how to get started:

  • Sign up for an account on Contactout. They offer a free trial, but you’ll need a paid plan for real volume.
  • Install the Contactout browser extension (Chrome only, as of now). This is where most of the magic happens.
  • Link your LinkedIn account. You’ll need to be logged in to LinkedIn to use Contactout effectively, since it sits on top of LinkedIn profiles.

Pro tip: Contactout works best with LinkedIn, but it can also pull data from GitHub and other sites for certain roles (like tech hires). For B2B sales, stick to LinkedIn for the highest hit rates.

Step 2: Build a Target List the Right Way

You can’t just spray and pray. The quality of your outreach depends on the quality of your list. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Define your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile). Don’t just say “mid-market tech companies.” Get specific: industry, company size, geography, job titles.
  2. Use LinkedIn search (Sales Navigator helps, but not required). Filter down to your exact targets.
  3. Open each LinkedIn profile. With the Contactout extension installed, you’ll see a Contactout overlay on each profile.

What to ignore: Don’t waste time with people who clearly aren’t decision-makers. Contactout will still find emails, but you’ll just be filling up inboxes that never reply.

Step 3: Find and Export Verified Emails

Here’s where Contactout shines—but let’s be clear: no tool is perfect. Here’s what to expect and how to make the most of it.

On the LinkedIn Profile

  • Click the Contactout overlay or icon. It’ll scan the profile and (if available) return email addresses—often both work and personal.
  • Green checkmark = verified (according to Contactout’s system). These are your best bet.
  • Gray checkmark or “guess” = not verified. Treat these with caution—they might bounce.

Bulk Prospecting

If you’re working at scale:

  • Use the Contactout dashboard. You can upload a list of LinkedIn URLs and let it run in bulk.
  • Set up folders or lists to organize prospects by campaign, industry, or whatever makes sense for you.

Exporting

  • Export your contacts as a CSV for use in your CRM or outreach tool.
  • Double-check formatting. Sometimes exports get messy with extra columns or weird characters.

Honest take: Contactout claims 75-97% accuracy. In reality, you’ll get a lot of valid emails, but not every hit is perfect. Always expect a few bounces—no tool gets to 100%.

Step 4: Clean and Verify Your List (Don’t Skip This)

Even if Contactout says an email is verified, don’t blindly trust it—especially at volume. Here’s why:

  • Even “verified” emails can go stale if someone leaves a company or changes roles.
  • Some emails are personal (Gmail, Hotmail, etc.). Decide if you want to use these or stick to work addresses.

What to do:

  • Run your list through a verifier (e.g., NeverBounce, ZeroBounce, or even free tools like Hunter’s verifier).
  • Remove any emails flagged as invalid or risky.
  • Tag or separate personal emails if you want to avoid them.

Why bother? Hitting too many invalid addresses can tank your sender reputation and get you blacklisted. Don’t gamble with your domain.

Step 5: Reach Out—But Don’t Be Annoying

Now you’ve got a clean list of verified emails. Here’s how not to screw it up:

  • Personalize every email. If you’re just blasting a generic pitch, you’ll get ignored (or worse, marked as spam).
  • Keep it short. Decision-makers don’t read essays from strangers.
  • Include context. Why are you reaching out? What’s in it for them?
  • Follow up, but don’t stalk. One or two reminders are fine. More than that and you’re just burning bridges.

Ignore: Templates that promise “10x response rates.” If it sounds too good to be true, it is.

What Works (and What Doesn’t) with Contactout

What Works

  • Finding work emails for professionals on LinkedIn. Especially mid-level and senior folks.
  • Personal emails for harder-to-reach people. Sometimes this is the only way in.
  • Bulk processing for larger teams. The dashboard is actually usable.

What Doesn’t

  • Junior roles or very recent grads. Data is often missing.
  • People outside North America and Western Europe. Lower match rates.
  • Every single email being 100% verified. No tool gets this right every time, no matter what the marketing says.

Don’t bother: If you’re looking for mass-market consumer emails, this isn’t the right tool.

Pro Tips for Getting the Most Out of Contactout

  • Don’t just grab emails—build real lists. Take time to segment by company, title, and relevance.
  • Combine with other tools. Sometimes Contactout misses an email, but Hunter or LinkedIn Sales Navigator can help fill gaps.
  • Track your bounce rates. If you’re seeing more than 5-7% bounces, tighten up your process.
  • Respect privacy. Sending cold emails to personal addresses is a gray area. Know your local laws and company policy.

Keep It Simple: Iterate and Improve

Don’t overthink it. Start with a small list, see what works, adjust, and scale up from there. The goal isn’t to build the world’s biggest list—it’s to get in touch with people who actually want to talk to you. Contactout is a solid tool for B2B sales, but it’s not magic. Use it well, keep your process honest, and skip the shortcuts.

Happy hunting.