Leads & clientsPractical guide · updated for 2026
How to Verify a Lead List Before You Email It
Check the source and consent basis first, then clean the addresses for syntax, domain and bounces. A list you cannot describe the origin of is a deliverability and legal risk, not an asset.
Have this ready
- The list with its source recorded
- A verification tool
- A suppression list for past unsubscribes and complaints
Step by step
- 1Write down where each list came from and on what basis you may contact those people.
- 2Remove duplicates by email address and by company domain.
- 3Check syntax and remove obvious typos and invalid domains.
- 4Run the list through a verifier and drop hard bounces and disposable domains.
- 5Confirm the domain-level checks pass for the sender address you will use.
- 6Send in small batches first and watch bounce and complaint rates before scaling.
- 7Keep an unsubscribe and suppression list that survives list imports.
Want it done with you?
I can walk you through it in a Magic Box, show you the exact clicks, or do it with you and keep the recording. You log in yourself; I never see your password.
Common questions
What bounce rate is acceptable?+
Keep hard bounces very low, well under two per cent. Higher rates damage the domain's reputation quickly.
Can I email a list without consent?+
In some countries business-to-business contact has a limited basis, in others it does not. Verify the rule for the recipient's country before sending.
Should I remove role addresses?+
For outreach, often yes. info@ and sales@ reach a shared inbox that usually ignores cold mail.