How to build a B2B prospect list: seven steps, a cost check and the sending rules a list does not remove

How to build a B2B prospect list: the seven steps

• Step 1, define one buyer: write a sentence naming the job title, company type, company size, region and the problem you solve. A list built for one buyer beats a list built for everyone.
• Step 2, set narrow filters: UpLead's pages list more than 50 filters, including job title, industry, location, revenue and technology. Add a filter for records with a mobile number if you plan to call.
• Step 3, estimate the batch: work out how many usable contacts you need, then divide by the share of unlocked contacts that turn out usable. The next section shows the arithmetic.
• Step 4, exclude what you hold: upload a list of emails, company phone numbers or company URLs so existing customers and past contacts do not come back. UpLead also offers an option to exclude EU and EEA records.
• Step 5, choose the email setting: in UpLead's help center, Valid Only charges credits for valid emails only, while All Available Emails charges invalid ones too.
• Step 6, export once: download to a spreadsheet file or send to your CRM. UpLead's help center says re-downloading from the Downloads section costs no extra credit.
• Step 7, check before you send: re-verify, confirm the role and read the sender rules below.

Size the batch by usable contacts

A usable contact has a valid email, the right role and a person you are allowed to email. Unlocked contacts are what you pay for. Usable contacts are what you can work.

Here is an illustration with your own numbers to swap in. If you want 70 usable contacts and about 7 of every 10 unlocked ones turn out usable, plan to unlock 100. If only 5 of 10 qualify, plan to unlock 140. Start with a small test batch, count how many pass, and scale only when the ratio holds. The UpLead pricing guide turns the same ratio into a cost per usable contact.

Where to start without spending much

• Free plans: Apollo's pricing page lists a free Starter plan with no time limit, and Hunter's lists a free plan. The six-tool shortlist compares them with UpLead and three others.
• Trial: UpLead's help center describes a seven-day free trial that asks for payment details at activation and bills the Essentials annual plan on day 7 unless you cancel.
• Your own records: customer lists, event contacts and past inquiries are people who already know you, and a database can fill in the gaps.

Check the sending rules before you send

• Google's sender guidelines require SPF or DKIM authentication for all senders to Gmail and ask you to keep reported spam rates below 0.3%. Senders above 5,000 messages a day to Gmail also need DMARC and one-click unsubscribe on marketing messages.
• The FTC's CAN-SPAM Rule, 16 CFR Part 316, bars a sender from requiring a fee, any information beyond the recipient's email address and opt-out preferences, or any step beyond a reply email or a visit to a single web page in order to opt out.
• UpLead's terms put the duty to follow laws such as CAN-SPAM, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, GDPR and CCPA on the customer.
• California's Attorney General page says CCPA rights include opting out of the sale or sharing of personal information, and the law applies to many businesses, including data brokers.
• This is general information, not legal advice. Ask a lawyer about your situation.

Verify and keep the list clean after you build it

A list decays as people change jobs. UpLead's help article on bounces says an accuracy figure describes an address at the time it was verified, and advises re-verifying a list just before sending, starting with a small campaign and removing addresses that hard bounce. Suppress anyone who unsubscribes and keep that list for the next export.

Address checking and domain warm-up are separate jobs with their own tools. Once the list is ready, read what UpLead is and does or go back to the shortlist if you are still choosing a source.