How to Find Business Email Addresses: 8 Proven Methods (2026)

You've identified the perfect prospect. You know their name, company, and why you want to reach them. Now you need their email address. Here are eight proven methods to find business email addresses—plus why building inbound authority often works better than cold emailing.

Key Takeaways

• Email format guessing works 60%+ of the time: Most companies use predictable patterns
• Free methods exist: LinkedIn, company websites, and Google searches often reveal emails
• Paid tools improve accuracy: Hunter, Apollo, and similar tools verify emails before sending
• Cold email response rates are declining: Average is now below 2%
• Inbound alternatives exist: Building LinkedIn authority attracts warm leads who want to hear from you

Method 1: Guess the Email Format

Most companies use predictable email formats. Once you know the pattern, you can construct any employee's email.

Common Email Formats

Format	Example	Prevalence
firstname.lastname@company.com	john.smith@acme.com	35%
firstnamelastname@company.com	johnsmith@acme.com	20%
firstname@company.com	john@acme.com	15%
flastname@company.com	jsmith@acme.com	10%
first.l@company.com	john.s@acme.com	8%
firstl@company.com	johns@acme.com	7%
Other variations	Various	5%

How to Find the Company's Format

1. Check their website's team page: Sometimes emails are listed
2. Find one employee's email: Press releases, signatures in forums, or company blog posts often reveal emails
3. Use Hunter.io's domain search: Enter the company domain to see known email patterns
4. Check LinkedIn Sales Navigator: Sometimes shows email formats in company info

Verify Before Sending

Guessed emails should be verified. Tools like NeverBounce, ZeroBounce, or Hunter's verification check if the email exists before you send.

Method 2: LinkedIn Profile + Email Lookup Tools

LinkedIn profiles often connect to email addresses through databases built by sales intelligence tools.

Top Email Finder Tools

Tool	Free Tier	Paid Starting	Accuracy
Hunter.io	25 searches/month	$49/month	~85%
Apollo.io	60 emails/month	$59/month	~82%
RocketReach	5 lookups/month	$48/month	~80%
Lusha	5 credits/month	$39/month	~79%
Snov.io	50 credits/month	$39/month	~78%

How to Use LinkedIn + Email Tools

1. Find the person's LinkedIn profile
2. Copy their LinkedIn URL
3. Paste it into your email finder tool
4. The tool searches its database for associated emails
5. Verify the email before sending

Pro tip: Many tools offer Chrome extensions that work directly on LinkedIn profiles.

Method 3: Google Search Techniques

Google indexes many publicly available email addresses. Strategic searches often reveal them.

Search Operators for Finding Emails

Basic search:

"John Smith" email @acme.com

Looking for the exact email format:

site:acme.com "@acme.com"

Searching for press contacts or team pages:

site:acme.com contact email

Finding emails in PDFs and documents:

"John Smith" filetype:pdf email

Searching speaker bios and conference sites:

"John Smith" "Acme Inc" email speaker

Where Google Finds Emails

• Conference speaker listings
• Press releases
• Academic papers and presentations
• GitHub profiles
• Forum signatures
• Blog comment sections
• Company "Contact Us" pages

Method 4: Check Company Websites Directly

Many companies publish contact information that includes email addresses.

Where to Look

• Team/About page: Sometimes lists emails
• Contact page: May reveal the email format
• Press/Media page: Press contact emails shown
• Career page: HR email often listed
• Privacy policy or legal pages: Usually includes a contact email
• Blog author bios: Authors sometimes share emails

Inspect the Website Code

Some websites hide emails from scrapers but include them in the page code.

1. Right-click on the contact page
2. Select "View Page Source" or "Inspect"
3. Search (Ctrl+F) for "mailto:" or "@company.com"

Method 5: Social Media Profiles

Business professionals sometimes share email addresses on social media.

Where to Check

Platform	Where to Look
Twitter/X	Bio section, pinned tweets
GitHub	Profile page (if they're technical)
Personal blog	Contact or About page
YouTube	Channel About tab
Company Facebook	About section
Crunchbase	Company profile page

LinkedIn-Specific Methods

• Connect first, then check: Once connected, some users show email in contact info
• Check shared connections: Ask for an introduction
• Look at their content: Sometimes people mention their email in posts or articles

Method 6: Use Email Permutator Tools

If you know the name and domain, permutator tools generate all possible email combinations for verification.

Free Permutator Tools

• Metric Sparrow Email Permutator: Generates all common formats
• Mailmeteor's Email Permutator: Free online tool
• Permutate (email-permutator.com): Multiple format generation

How to Use

1. Enter first name, last name, and company domain
2. The tool generates 20-30 possible email combinations
3. Use a verification tool to check which one exists
4. Send to the verified address

Method 7: The Direct Ask on LinkedIn

Sometimes the simplest approach works best.

Connection Request Template

Hi [Name], I came across your work on [specific topic] and
would love to connect. I'm exploring [relevant topic] and
think there might be interesting synergies to discuss.

Follow-Up Message After Connection

Thanks for connecting, [Name]. I've been impressed by
[Company]'s approach to [topic]. Would you be open to
a brief conversation about [relevant subject]? Happy
to connect via email if that's easier—mine is [your email].

Notice the technique: You offer your email first, which often prompts them to share theirs.

Method 8: Professional Network Introductions

Warm introductions beat cold emails every time.

Finding Connection Paths

1. Look at your mutual connections on LinkedIn
2. Identify who knows your target prospect
3. Ask for an introduction

Introduction Request Template

Hi [Connector's Name], I noticed you're connected with
[Target Name] at [Company]. I'm working on [relevant project]
and would value the chance to speak with them about [topic].
Would you be comfortable making an introduction?

According to LinkedIn's Sales Solutions research, warm introductions have 5x higher response rates than cold outreach.

What Most Guides Get Wrong About Finding Emails

The Real Problem Isn't Finding Emails

Finding emails is getting easier. Response rates to cold emails are getting worse.

According to HubSpot's email marketing research, average cold email response rates have dropped to 1-2%. Even with the perfect email address, your message likely goes unanswered.

Why Cold Email Is Declining

• Inbox overwhelm: Decision-makers receive 100+ emails daily
• Spam filters: Cold email often gets filtered before it's seen
• Trust deficit: Recipients are skeptical of unsolicited messages
• Privacy regulations: GDPR and similar laws restrict cold outreach in many regions

The Alternative: Inbound Authority

Instead of chasing prospects with cold emails, build authority that attracts them to you.

Inbound approach advantages:

• Warm leads who already trust you
• No email deliverability concerns
• Sustainable, compounding results
• Higher close rates (14.6% vs. 1.7% for cold)

Learn more about building inbound authority in our LinkedIn lead generation guide.

Ethical Considerations for Email Outreach

Legal Compliance

• CAN-SPAM (US): Requires opt-out options, honest subject lines
• GDPR (EU): Requires consent or legitimate interest justification
• CCPA (California): Gives consumers control over personal data

Best Practices

• Only email people with genuine business relevance
• Provide clear opt-out in every message
• Don't buy email lists (poor quality, legal risk)
• Respect "no" responses and unsubscribes
• Limit follow-up attempts (3 maximum)

When Cold Email Still Makes Sense

Cold email isn't dead, but it requires specific conditions to work:

1. Highly targeted, small lists: 50-100 carefully researched prospects
2. Strong personalization: References to their specific work, challenges, or content
3. Clear value proposition: Immediate benefit, not a vague "let's connect"
4. Follow-up strategy: Multiple touchpoints across channels
5. Combined with warm touches: LinkedIn engagement before emailing

Cold Email + LinkedIn Strategy

The most effective approach combines both:

1. Day 1-7: Engage with their LinkedIn content (likes, comments)
2. Day 8: Send LinkedIn connection request (personalized)
3. Day 10: After connection, send warm message
4. Day 14: If no response, send first email (reference LinkedIn engagement)
5. Day 21: Follow-up email with additional value

This "warm cold email" approach gets 3-4x higher response rates than pure cold outreach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to find someone's business email address?

Generally yes, if the email is publicly available or you're using legitimate business databases. However, how you use the email matters—follow CAN-SPAM, GDPR, and other relevant regulations.

What's the most accurate email finder tool?

Hunter.io and Apollo.io consistently rank highest for accuracy (80-85%). However, always verify before sending, as no tool is perfect.

Can I find someone's email from their LinkedIn profile?

Not directly, unless they've made it public in their contact info. Email finder tools like Hunter or Apollo can often find emails associated with LinkedIn profiles through their databases.

How many cold emails should I send before giving up?

Most experts recommend 3-4 emails in a sequence over 2-3 weeks. If no response, move on. Continued emailing damages your reputation and deliverability.

Is buying email lists a good idea?

No. Purchased lists have poor accuracy, lead to spam complaints, and often violate privacy regulations. Build your own lists through research and LinkedIn engagement.

What's the average cold email response rate?

According to industry benchmarks, cold email response rates average 1-2% in 2026. Well-targeted, personalized campaigns can achieve 5-10%, but this requires significant research and effort.

---

Cold email has its place, but building LinkedIn authority often works better for B2B lead generation. Learn how to create content that attracts leads or explore why inbound beats outbound.