Lead verification confirms that a prospect's address exists and accepts mail before it enters a sequence, using syntax checks, MX lookups, SMTP probing, and catch-all detection. Enrichment adds firmographic and role data used for personalization.
What good looks like#
- Done: Verify every address through an API before it enters a sequence.
- Done: Segregate catch-all domains and send to them at lower volume.
- Done: Refresh verification for any lead older than 90 days.
- Done: Enrich with 3 to 5 data points that drive the opening line.
What bad looks like#
- Seen in audits: Trusting a vendor's 'verified' label from months ago.
- Seen in audits: Treating catch-all as valid.
How to move from bad to good#
Work through the good list in order and re-verify after each change. Most teams find one or two items from the bad list already present; fixing those usually produces the largest improvement.
Frequently asked questions#
What bounce rate is safe for cold email?
Under 2 percent. Above 5 percent, pause and re-verify the list before continuing.