What to Look for in an Email Finding Tool

Intro

If you’re in marketing or sales, you always need fresh leads to reach out to and accomplish your mission. Email finding tools save you time and energy – and allow you to connect with new prospects. But how do you pick the right one? Below, we look at a few key features to keep in mind when shopping for an email finder.

Email has outstanding marketing potential. Just consider that, on average, people spend 321 minutes of their day in the inboxes. Checking email is clearly how many of your ideal prospects spend their time.

(Source: Adobe Blog)

Also, the number of email users will continue to rise, hitting around 4.6 billion users by 2025.

(Source: Statista)

You use email for various purposes, but in every case, it’s about reaching a real person at the other end. And the only way to show up in the inbox is with an email address, but it’s got to be the right one. 

Aside from someone giving you their email address, you’ll need an email finding tool to generate and help you connect with new leads. It’s the best way to identify a particular person’s email. 

However, if you’ve never used an email finder, picking the right one can be challenging. How do you know that the platform is reliable? Is the company sharing data with you ethically? What if there’s a better one out there?

You probably have lots of questions – and you’ll find your answers below. Read on to learn about what makes for a quality email finder.

Look for an email finding tool that is convenient

Easy to use, fast, and beautiful – some email finding tools are more convenient. Most people who use an email finder end up using it frequently, which is why you want to be certain you’re considering ease of use and speed.

Try to find a tool with a UX design you like and an intuitive interface. Technical reliability is so important and you want to avoid any clunky or grating tool. Aside from giving you solid leads, an email finder should have superb usability.

So, test it out before you commit – how easy is it to find an email address? Is the process quick and straightforward? Trust your first impression.

An email finder should provide current and valid email addresses

Not all email finding tools provide you with trustworthy contacts. Some will give you a list of every single email address ever associated with the individual in question. But, why would you want an email address that someone hasn’t accessed in ages?

A good email finder will provide you with valid email addresses so that you are likely to reach the person you seek. If your email finding tool does present an obsolete email address, it’s not just unfavorable; it also sabotages your overall email outreach efforts.

You may find that you craft the perfect email, and you look it over feeling satisfied. You hit send. Only what you see – either immediately or after a while – is that your email has bounced.

It’s not just that you wasted your time and mental energy. You’ve also harmed your sender reputation, which all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) use to determine where your email will go. 

If your email finder starts supplying you with invalid emails that you use, future emails you send to people may go to the spam folder because the ISPs think you’re a spammer. Your email metrics will decline.

Data decays quickly, so make sure your email finder stays on top of email validity and returns solid results. Thus, you’ll help your emails land in the inbox so you can connect with the person you’re trying to reach.

(Source: ZeroBounce)

Consider cost-effectiveness 

The number of email finders on the market is growing because it’s a tool many people need. So you’ll find a variety of services promising to help you take your email outreach to the next level.

However, beware that some of the services are cheap for a reason. As mentioned above, you want to select a service that provides you with only accurate emails – and that may cost a little more.

Pick an email finder that gets the job done but at a cost within your budget. Usually, the price of an email finder is based on how many credits you use. In general, you’ll use one credit per email address. You can evaluate your purchasing needs once you determine how many monthly credits you’ll need. Alternatively, you can consider a subscription, which can help you save while getting access to more email addresses.

Quality email finding services put privacy and security first

An overlooked, but nonetheless critical, aspect of what makes a good email finding service is a dedication to privacy and security. People guard their email address as email is the online equivalent of their home. Some guard it more than street addresses or phone numbers. 

When companies are in the headlines for privacy or data breaches, it creates a low perception of that brand. Furthermore, there can be legal repercussions when a company runs afoul of the law. You should consider privacy and data security a must and choose an email finder with the same priorities. 

So, how do you know that your email finding tool is lawful and ethical?

Ask these questions about the tool you’re considering:

Is the company GDPR-compliant?

Adherence to the General Data Protection Regulation is a requirement for any organization that handles or comes into contact with personal data. Make sure the company that offers your email finding service respects all regulations.

Is it committed to not storing or selling customer data?

Customer data shouldn’t be a source for email finding tools because those individuals didn’t give consent for that purpose. When a customer provides a company with their personal data, it is only for the purposes granted. A good email finder doesn’t use stored data, but instead finds emails in real-time. Then, it checks the email address to ensure that it’s correct.

Does it display privacy and safety certifications?

Good email marketing platforms and services are proud of their commitment to protecting data and consider it an ongoing quest. Safety and security aren’t a destination you reach, but rather an ongoing journey.

Aside from asking these questions, it’s worth reaching out to a sales representative and find out more about how that email finder discovers, processes, and stores data. You want to have peace of mind knowing that you’re doing business with a legitimate company.

Select an email finding service with reachable support

Many people have an unpleasant memory of a Saas company that left them in the lurch. It’s not _if _you’ll need technical support and troubleshooting; it’s when. Of course, if you pick a quality email finder, you should virtually never run into a snag. But what if you do?

You’ll want an email finding service that offers prompt support. It’s great if that entails more than just an email address or form. I always test the live chat to see if it’s a real person and not a bot. The peace of mind that comes from knowing you can get help when in a jam is invaluable.

Read the reviews – they paint an accurate picture

If you’re like most people shopping online, whether for personal or business purposes, you read reviews before making any purchase. A company can claim various qualities and benefits, but do real customers back those claims? It’s worth checking reviews for the email finder you’re considering.

Any red flags reviewers shared will spare you having to go through the same unpleasant experience. Alternatively, seeing an abundance of positive reviews will help you decide faster – and get to work finding new leads.

Finally, consider checking the company’s online presence, too. A quick audit if its site, social media channels, and public customer interactions will give you an even better idea of who you’ll be dealing with.