Contact Hunting: 9 Tools for Finding the Right People

Learn how to find the right people for your business needs with these nine contact-hunting tools, including top choices in the market.

01:32 11 April 2023

In today's competitive business world, finding the right people to connect with is crucial for success. Whether it's potential clients, partners, or employees, making the right connections can open doors and drive growth. However, traditional ways of networking, such as attending events and cold calling, can take time and effort. 

That's where contact-hunting tools come in - they offer a more efficient and effective way to find the right people for your business needs. In this article, we'll explore nine online tools for contact hunting, including SignalHire, and share best practices for using them effectively.

Traditional Ways of Finding Contacts

While online tools have become increasingly popular for contact hunting, traditional networking methods can still be effective in building relationships and expanding your network. In this section, we'll explore some conventional ways of finding contacts, including attending events, joining organizations, and leveraging personal connections.

Networking Events

Attending industry events and conferences is a great way to connect with like-minded people and expand your network. However, it can be time-consuming and expensive, and there's no guarantee you'll meet the right people. Plus, with the ongoing pandemic, many events have moved online, which may offer different networking opportunities than in-person events.

Cold Calling and Emailing

Cold calling and emailing can sometimes be effective, but they can also be hit or miss. People are often busy and may need more time to speak with you, or they may not be interested in what you have to offer. Finding the right contact information is challenging, and you risk being marked as spam if you send too many unsolicited messages.

Referrals and Recommendations

Getting referrals from people you know and trust is an excellent way to expand your network and connect with potential clients or partners. However, this approach relies on your existing connections and may only help you reach people within your immediate circle.

While traditional networking methods can still be effective, they often require significant time and resources. In the next section, we'll explore online tools that can help you streamline the process of finding and connecting with the right people.

Online Tools For Contact Hunting

In today's digital age, online tools have become increasingly valuable for finding and connecting with potential contacts. This section will highlight some of the best online tools for contact hunting, including SignalHire, LinkedIn, and Hunter.io. These tools can help you expand your network and find the right people for your business needs.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a social networking platform designed for professionals to connect and network. With over 740 million members, LinkedIn is a powerful tool for finding and connecting with the right people. You can search for people by industry, job title, location, and more and send messages or connection requests directly from the platform.

SignalHire

SignalHire is an all-in-one tool for finding and connecting with potential contacts. With SignalHire, you can search for people by job title, company, location, and more, and you can easily find contact information, including email addresses, phone numbers, and social media profiles. SignalHire also offers features like team collaboration, email verification, and ATS integrations, making it a powerful tool for recruiting, sales, and marketing teams. Overall, SignalHire is a robust and user-friendly contact-hunting solution that can help you find the right people for your business needs. Plus, its Chrome extension includes everything right in your browser.

Hunter.io

Hunter.io is an email finder and verifier tool that can help you find email addresses for potential contacts. You can enter a company domain name or a person's name and domain to generate a list of email addresses associated with that domain. Hunter.io also verifies email addresses to ensure they are accurate and up-to-date. 

Clearbit Connect

Clearbit Connect is a free Gmail extension that provides additional information about your email contacts. It shows you a person's job title, company, social media profiles, and more, making it easier to personalize your outreach messages. Clearbit Connect also allows you to schedule emails to follow up with potential contacts at the right time.

Lusha

Lusha is a browser extension that allows you to find contact information for potential leads and prospects. You can enter a person's name and company to generate a list of contact information, including email addresses and phone numbers. Lusha also integrates with LinkedIn, Salesforce, and other tools, making adding new contacts to your CRM easy.

Voila Norbert

With the aid of the email finder tool Voila Norbert, you can locate the email addresses of prospective contacts. To generate a list of email addresses linked to a particular domain, input the name of the person and the business domain. Additionally, Voila Norbert checks email addresses to make sure they are updated and correct.

AeroLeads

AeroLeads is a lead generation and prospecting tool that allows you to find potential contacts and leads based on specific criteria, such as industry, location, job title, and more. You can export contact information to CSV or connect directly to your CRM.

These online tools can help you streamline finding and connecting with potential contacts, saving time and resources. However, with so many available tools, knowing which one to use can be challenging. The next section will explore best practices to help you find the right people for your business needs.

Best Practices For Effective Contact Hunting

Following some best practices is essential to get the most out of your contact-hunting efforts. This section will share five key practices for effective contact hunting to help you connect with the right people and achieve your business goals.

Define Your Ideal Contact

Before starting your contact hunt, take some time to define your ideal contact. Consider the job title, company, location, and other relevant factors. This will help you narrow your search and focus on finding the right people.

Use Multiple Tools

Don't rely on just one tool for contact hunting. Instead, use multiple tools to maximize your chances of finding the right people. Combine online tools like SignalHire, LinkedIn, and Hunter.io with traditional networking methods to expand your network and find new opportunities.

Personalize Your Outreach

When reaching out to potential contacts, personalize your message to make it more engaging and relevant. Mention specific details about the person or their company to show that you've researched and are genuinely interested in connecting with them.

Follow Up

Following up is critical when it comes to effective contact hunting. Feel free to send a polite reminder or follow-up email if you have not heard back from a potential contact. However, respect their time and only spam them with a few messages.

Track Your Results

Keep track of your contact-hunting efforts and track your results. This will help you identify what's working and what's not and adjust accordingly. Use a CRM system or spreadsheet to keep track of your contacts, outreach messages, and response rates.

By following these best practices, you can improve your chances of finding and connecting with the right people for your business needs.

Final Thoughts

Effective contact hunting is essential for businesses looking to expand their networks, recruit new talent, or generate leads. Traditional methods like attending events and networking are still valuable, but online tools like SignalHire, LinkedIn, and Hunter.io can significantly streamline the process.

By defining your ideal contact, using multiple tools, personalizing your outreach, following up, and tracking your results, you can improve your chances of finding and connecting with the right people for your business needs.

Remember, contact hunting is not a one-time activity but an ongoing process that requires patience, persistence, and creativity. By implementing these best practices and using the right tools, you can build a strong network of contacts and take your business to new heights.