If you do B2B sales or recruiting, you know the drill: finding the right person to contact inside a company is half the battle. Cold emails to generic addresses go straight to the void. Decision makers rarely put their real info on company websites. You need direct contact details for real people who can actually say yes to your pitch—or at least forward you to someone who can.
That’s where tools like Contactout come in. It promises to help you dig up personal and work emails, phone numbers, and LinkedIn profiles for just about anyone in your target company. Sounds great—but does it actually work, and how do you use it without wasting time or money? Let’s break it down, step by step.
Step 1: Know Exactly Who You’re After
Before you fire up any tool, get specific about who you need to reach. “Decision maker” is a vague goal. Figure out:
- What department do they work in? (Marketing, IT, HR, etc.)
- What’s the right seniority? (VP, Director, Manager)
- What job titles actually sign off on deals like yours? (Don’t guess—look at similar customers or ask around)
- If you’re not sure, start higher up and work down. It’s easier to get routed down than up.
Pro tip: LinkedIn’s search filters are your friend here. You don’t need a paid LinkedIn account to see job titles or get a rough lay of the land.
Step 2: Use LinkedIn to Build Your Target List
Contactout works best when you’re starting with LinkedIn profiles. Here’s how to make your list:
- Search for your target company on LinkedIn. Go to their page and click “People.”
- Filter by location, department, and title. LinkedIn’s filters aren’t perfect, but they’ll get you 80% of the way.
- Open profiles in new tabs. Don’t click “Connect” or “Message” yet—you just want to gather names and job titles.
- Make a spreadsheet. Old-school, but it keeps you organized. Columns: Name, Title, LinkedIn URL, Notes.
What to skip: Don’t bother with people who obviously aren’t your buyers—like interns, HR for non-HR products, or anyone whose profile looks fake or abandoned.
Step 3: Install and Set Up Contactout
Now you’re ready to use Contactout itself. A few notes:
- Contactout is a Chrome extension. Download it from their site—not random third parties.
- You'll need to create an account. There’s a free trial, but the free credits run out fast. Think before you burn through them.
- Once installed, you’ll see the Contactout button on LinkedIn profiles.
Real talk: No tool finds 100% of emails, and Contactout is no exception. Expect a hit rate of 50–70% on work emails; personal emails (like Gmail) are harder, but sometimes gold if you get them.
Step 4: Pull Contact Data—Don’t Overdo It
Here’s the workflow:
- Open your target’s LinkedIn profile.
- Click the Contactout button. It’ll try to find work and personal emails, sometimes phone numbers.
- Copy the info into your spreadsheet. Don’t just spam “export”—you want to double-check accuracy.
- Repeat for your whole list, but pace yourself. Contactout limits how many contacts you can pull per month.
What works: Contactout is best for finding direct emails of mid-to-senior-level folks, especially in the U.S., U.K., and Australia. Lower hit rates in some other regions.
What doesn’t: Don’t expect magic with obscure roles, brand-new employees, or companies that lock down their info. If Contactout strikes out, try alternate spellings or look up the person on company bios.
Step 5: Sanity-Check the Data
Not every email you pull will work. Here’s how to cut down on bounces and angry replies:
- Test emails with a verifier. Free tools like NeverBounce or MailTester can help.
- Check for obvious typos or weird addresses. If it looks like a placeholder (e.g., “info@”), skip it.
- Google the email with quotes. Sometimes you’ll find it elsewhere online, confirming it’s real.
Pro tip: If all you get is a Gmail or “personal” email, use with caution. Some people hate cold outreach to their personal inbox.
Step 6: Reach Out (Without Being Annoying)
Now you have your list. Here’s what to do—and not do:
- Write short, specific emails. Mention something relevant to them (“Saw you manage IT at Acme Corp…”).
- Don’t send a generic pitch blast. People can spot a mail merge a mile away.
- Follow up once or twice, max. If you haven’t heard back after that, move on.
- Track responses in your spreadsheet. Mark who replies or bounces.
What to ignore: Don’t waste time tracking opens or obsessing over subject lines. Focus on getting the right message to the right person.
Step 7: Keep Your Process Lean
Contactout is a tool, not a strategy. Here’s how to avoid getting bogged down:
- Don’t buy bigger plans “just in case.” Start with the free trial or the smallest plan.
- Experiment with other tools if you hit a wall. No single data source is perfect. Alternatives: Hunter.io, Apollo, Lusha.
- Update your spreadsheet as you go. Outdated lists mean more bounces and wasted time.
The Honest Take: What to Expect
Contactout is helpful, but it’s not a silver bullet. Here’s the real deal:
- It works best for companies and roles with a big digital footprint. The CEO of a 5-person bakery? You’ll probably strike out.
- The quality of emails varies. Some work, some bounce, some are outdated.
- You still have to do the hard part: writing something people care about and being persistent (but not a pest).
If you’re expecting 100% accuracy, you’ll be disappointed. But if you use it as one of several tools—and combine it with some good old-fashioned research—it’ll save you hours.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple
Finding decision makers is grunt work, not rocket science. Tools like Contactout can help, but the basics matter most: know who you’re targeting, double-check your info, and send smart, respectful outreach. Skip the shiny objects and focus on getting your message in front of the right people. Iterate as you go, and don’t overthink it. The fastest way to get better is to start—then adjust based on what actually works.