How do I find a company email address?

If you're planning on sending a message to a specific person or department within your organization but don't know their full contact details, it might be time to think about using one of these tools that make searching through hundreds of thousands of records easy and quick.

We've put together this short article detailing some of the best ways to find company email addresses as well as other useful information such as whether or not they are working from home.

How do you verify an email address belongs to a company?

Before we go into detail regarding each method, let's first discuss what actually constitutes verification. There seems to be varying opinions among companies with regards to verifying email addresses. Some will require certain credentials (such as a phone number) before granting access while others may only ask for confirmation via a link in the email itself.

For example, Google requires users to enter their account password when signing up for Gmail accounts. This allows them to quickly confirm ownership without having to request additional documentation. On the flip side, Apple does not currently offer any way to confirm ownership of an iCloud account unless you have already entered your credit card info at signup.

It’s important to clarify exactly what kind of verification is required so that you aren't left scrambling later down the road trying to figure out why they rejected your application.

Once you have confirmed that the email address belongs to a company, there are several methods available to help you search more effectively. The following sections outline some of the top options available today along with brief explanations of how they work.

How do I check if an email address is legitimate?

The easiest way to determine if an email address is real is to look at the domain name. If it begins with @companyname.com or starts with a.co.uk URL then it probably comes directly from the company you were looking for. However, sometimes domains like gmail.com or outlook.com are used instead of the official company website due to security reasons. In this case, you could try typing the user's name into a web browser and see where it takes you.

Another thing to consider is whether or not the user has verified his/her identity with the email provider. For instance, Microsoft uses two-factor authentication which often includes requiring an SMS code sent to mobile devices after logging into Outlook online. Other large providers like Yahoo! also use similar measures to ensure secure accounts.

However, smaller services like ProtonMail allow anyone to register for free with no questions asked. Users must provide personal data including their birthdate, location, gender, and occupation. Once registered, the service sends a secret key to the owner's inbox that can then be used to login whenever needed. While this isn't perfect, it provides protection against phishing attempts.

How can I verify someone's email?

There are many different types of verifications depending on the needs of the recipient. Here are just a few examples:

Verify my email - A simple text box asking for "confirmation" or "verification."

Confirm my email address - Similar to above but asks for the email address's validity.

Email me back - Usually appears next to the previous option and simply says "email us".

Need to change your email settings? - Requires entering your current username and password.

Change my email address - Allows changing the email address associated with your existing account.

In addition to standard verifications, there are also special cases such as those listed below.

Require a second factor for resetting passwords - Often seen on sites that store sensitive customer data.

Send a new token to confirm your email address - Used to prevent spam bots from accessing your inbox.

Need to send a document to a specific employee? - Requests the sender to include a copy of the email being forwarded to them.

Find an email address for free

When it comes to finding a company email address, one of the quickest ways to accomplish this task is to use a specialized tool designed specifically for this purpose. These websites typically offer lists of all possible email addresses based on geographical or industry criteria. You'll need to select the correct region and type of business to narrow down results.

A popular alternative to paid services is to utilize public directories. Public directories contain listings of millions of public email addresses that are publicly accessible. They usually display the names of businesses alongside every entry allowing you to easily locate the correct company.

How do you find the structure of a company email?

Now that you have found a valid email address belonging to a particular company, it's worth noting its exact format. Most major organizations offer multiple forms of communication with unique identifiers attached to each. Below are some common ones:

Company Name - The main identifier for a company. It's usually displayed near the top of every page.

Director Email Address - Typically located in footer section of the site.

Marketing Department Head Email Address - Located in the footer area of the site.

Accounting Manager Email Address - Listed under Director Email Address.

General Contact Information - Usually found somewhere near the bottom of the webpage.

Customer Service Representative Email Address - Found in the footer area of the site.

Employee Directory - Lists the team members' full names, job titles, and positions.

The format of each email address varies slightly between corporations and even within departments. To better understand how to navigate around various internal structures, here are some general guidelines:

Directors and executives start off with the prefix 'Mr.' followed by either a last name or initials.

Department heads begin with the word 'Manager', followed by their title.

Sales representatives begin with the letter 'Sr.' followed by their position.

Other managers and supervisors follow the same naming convention as Directors and Executives.

Team leaders are identified by 'Mgr,' 'Msgr,' or 'Dircto.'

Non-executive staff begins with 'Assistant,' 'Assoc,' or something similar.

To further refine your searches, keep reading...

Want to save money? Try paying for email forwarding services. Many ISPs offer a variety of plans ranging from $4-$20 per month. Depending on your requirements, these services can significantly reduce the amount of bandwidth consumed by bulk mailings.

One caveat though: Make sure to read the fine print carefully so you don't end up wasting money subscribing to a plan that doesn't meet your expectations.

How do you find the phone numbers of company employees?

Search engines like Bing and Google are great resources to find a company's physical locations. Simply visit maps.google.com and click on the blue pin icon labeled 'Show nearby places'. Enter the city and state you wish to search and hit Go. Next, scroll through the map until you reach the desired location. From here, you can view directions, hours of operation, and driving times.

Alternatively, you can also browse a directory of local businesses. Just head over to Yelp and type in the company name followed by the keyword 'businesses.' After choosing where to start browsing, choose the category you want to explore. Click the green star button on the right hand corner and voila -- you should receive a listing containing everything from reviews to photos.

How do you find the names of company owners?

Similar to locating the phone numbers of individual employees, you can also check the internet for information pertaining to the company's principals. All you need to do is perform a reverse lookup and input the company name in the form provided.

You can also take advantage of databases hosted by government agencies. These tend to be less accurate since they rely solely on public records. Still, checking out the IRS database is always fun because it contains some interesting tidbits such as CEO salaries and executive bonuses.

How do you find the names of company board members?

As mentioned earlier, many big businesses maintain a comprehensive directory of their employees. This is especially true for larger firms with numerous divisions spread across the country. One of the fastest ways to gain access to this information is to download a spreadsheet containing all the relevant information.

Most of these files come complete with all sorts of metadata related to each record. What makes this extra helpful is that the file includes links to both social networking profiles and external sources, making it much easier to track down who owns the company altogether.

Unfortunately, these documents are rarely made available for free. Instead, they cost anywhere from $10-$60 apiece depending on the size of the organization. Thankfully, there are plenty of alternatives available if you prefer to avoid purchasing proprietary software.

OpenCorporates offers a free version containing basic information about 500 million US business entities. Each record consists of four columns:

Name

Address

Phone Number

Website Link

While you won't find detailed financial records here, Opencorporates does host a wealth of valuable statistics relating to each entity. Among them are things like total revenue generated yearly, average annual income earned, and net profit margin.

There's no shortage of ways you can contact companies these days through their own websites and social media platforms. But what about when they don't have any online presence whatsoever? Or if you're just looking for some old-fashioned snail mail to send your letter or package?

If you want to know where to go to find the right people at a given company, then you'll need to start with knowing their email addresses -- since that's usually the first place we reach out to them, whether it be via phone call, text message, or even Facebook Messenger. And while there may not always be a direct way to find someone's personal email account, there are plenty of options available to help you track down the right person in the right department at a particular organization.

In this article, we break down all the different methods you should try before resorting to sending a self-addressed stamped envelope. We also explain why using Google is often the best option for searching for a company email address, as well as other tips on how to avoid common pitfalls along the way. If you've already found yourself asking "what is the best method to find company email addresses?" or "where did my friend work?", then keep reading.

What is the format of an email address?

A typical company email address will begin with something such as "corp@companyname.com" or "director@companyname.com". It might also include things like "@companyname.com", but those are only used when referring to another individual within that company who has the same last name (like John Smith) instead of the full name of the employee (John D'Arcy). The latter would use "jsmith@companyname.com".

The following examples show all three cases above:

Corporate Email Address Examples:

john.d'arcy@example.com

jsmith@example.com

Directorate Email Address Examples:

directors@example.com

employees@example.com

individuals@example.com

email.address@example.com

These are just a few of the many variations that could exist depending on which country the company operates from, the type of company it is, and so forth. Some places require two forms of identification when requesting access to their internal systems. In addition to your government issued ID card, you might also have to provide proof that you actually live somewhere (such as a utility bill), or perhaps a copy of your passport. This means that you might end up having to hunt around for multiple pieces of information before you can successfully request access to a system. For example, you'd likely have to check multiple directories to see if the email address exists, and then possibly verify its validity by calling the number listed next to it.

You can search for company names and directory listings to discover if they offer an official website, or if they have a public LinkedIn profile. You can also visit sites like Whois to determine who owns the domain, and sometimes even obtain a WHOIS report showing the exact details of the owner. These reports typically cost money, however.

To make matters worse, some organizations choose to hide their email addresses behind password protection, making it nearly impossible to locate anyone without a valid username and password. So even though you managed to figure out the correct URL for accessing the site, you won't be able to log into anything unless you know the proper login credentials, too.

What does a business email address look like?

Although each organization may have slightly different requirements, here's a general idea of what kind of information you should expect to see in a standard email address:

First Name Last Name Department/Position Company Name (or Corporation) @company.com

This is pretty much the norm across all industries, although some places may add more information based on specific circumstances. It's important to note that this isn't necessarily the case everywhere, either. Many companies opt for something simpler, like simply adding your first initial and surname in front of their main office location. They may also prefer a shorter version of the whole thing, like simply "firstlast@company.com."

For instance, let's say you wanted to write an email to a member of the board of directors at one of the biggest tech corporations in Silicon Valley. Here's what that person's email address might look like:

Email Address Example: jimmybarratt@apple.com

While technically legal, this practice doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Your chances of getting a response increase significantly if you change the order of the letters, so long as you stick to the basic rules outlined earlier. That said, some businesses still insist upon sticking to the traditional order despite potential confusion over pronunciation issues.

What is the structure of a business email?

As mentioned earlier, each industry has its own unique set of restrictions and guidelines regarding email addresses. For example, some countries allow you to spell out the entire word, whereas others force you to adhere strictly to the English alphabetical order. In the United States, for example, you must follow the pattern spelled out below:

Business Emails Structure Examples:

DirectorNameLastInitial@company.com

EmployeeFirstMiddleInitialLastFullName@company.com

IndividualFirstMiddleInitialLastFullName@company.com

Let's take a closer look at the various types of email addresses that might appear in your inbox:

A single dot indicates that the email address contains both the sender's name and the recipient's name.

Two dots indicate that the email address consists solely of the sender's name.

Three dots indicate that the email address consists solely of the recipient's name.

Four dots mean that neither the sender nor the recipient's name appears anywhere in the address.

Five dots refer to an organizational unit, which includes groups of people working under the same title. A good example of this would be the director, deputy director, vice president, manager, etc., of a certain division or section within the company.

Six dots represent a group of individuals, including managers and executives. Typically, these folks are directly responsible for overseeing projects, tasks, and activities related to the primary function of the organization.

Seven dots signify that the email belongs to a family of people.

Eight dots denote a subgroup of individuals, for example, a team of project managers assigned to a certain task.

Nine dots are reserved for special categories or classes of recipients, such as donors, volunteers, customers, vendors, etc.

Ten dots are generally reserved for senior members of management, CEOs, CFOs, presidents, chairmen, etc.

11 dots represent a private mailing list, which allows users to communicate privately among themselves.

12+ dots signifies that the email address is publicly accessible.

Note that some email providers may impose additional restrictions that prevent you from creating certain kinds of addresses. As an example, Gmail requires that every user create a custom domain name before being allowed to register a new email address.

Other factors that affect the overall length of an email address include the size of the organization itself, as well as the amount of time it takes to respond to messages sent to a particular address. While it may seem counterintuitive, smaller companies tend to receive fewer responses due to the sheer volume of incoming requests.

Also worth noting is that a lot of companies have started adopting the double dash symbol, known as a hyphenated business email address, to save space during correspondence. Although this approach makes sense for small teams, it can cause a bit of confusion when trying to interpret the meaning of an address.

What are the structures of an email?

An e-mail address begins with the "to:" field followed by the receiver's name. Once you've located the desired email address, you can enter the body of the message, which follows the subject line. Most times, the subject line acts as a trigger for the intended action. When writing a formal reply, you'll probably want to use the "cc:" field to forward the message onto several recipients.

When addressing a message to multiple parties, you can use the "BCC:" field to designate which recipients you wish to exclude from receiving copies. To send a mass communication, you'll want to put everyone's name in the "From:" field. However, it's possible to specify which name came from whom, if needed.

Some services allow you to attach files, images, videos, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, audio recordings, and links to external sources. By default, attachments are placed inside a folder called "Attachments," but you can rename it whenever necessary.

Another trick you can pull off is inserting HTML codes inside an email. This lets you embed graphics, hyperlinks, animations, and other interactive elements into your document. You can also insert inline images, which display immediately after you hit Send rather than waiting until the recipient opens the message.

Many email clients support features such as signatures, which automatically generate content based on the contents of your email. You can customize the signature with whatever information you feel is pertinent to the situation. You can also configure it to deliver personalized greetings depending on the context of the interaction.

The best way to contact companies is via their official website or social media channels. However, if you want to send them something important but don't know what they're called, it can be hard to figure out where to start looking.

Luckily there's another option - using one of the many online services that offer lists of all kinds of information, from phone numbers and websites to email addresses. You'll need to put in some time searching through these sites, but it will pay off when you finally make contact with someone who can help you.

In this article we take a look at some different methods of getting company details on popular platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ and Facebook. We also show you which ones work better than others so that you can save yourself time and effort.

If you've got any other tips then please share them below too!

What are the five parts of business email?

There are several types of company email. Below we break down each type into its component parts.

Headquarters Email Address: This is the main email sent from a company’s headquarters office. It usually includes the CEO’s name and title along with the full mailing address. A good example would be ‘info@companyname.com'.

Customer Support Email Address: Customer support staff often have separate email addresses just for dealing with customer queries. These may include names such as'support@companyname.com' or even 'customer-service@companyname.com'.

Sales Team Emails: If a company has sales teams working across multiple countries or regions, each team member might have his own individual email address. For instance, a marketing manager could receive emails under the heading of'marketing@companyname.com', while a product specialist might be addressed as 'product-development@companyname.com'.

Email Addresses Used By Company Employees: Many large organisations keep internal communication within certain departments restricted to only those people involved. As such, every employee gets a personal email account that contains messages intended solely for him. Sometimes these accounts are referred to as 'workmail'. The term 'office email' refers to public correspondence between employees and external contacts.

Company Board Members: Depending on the size and structure of a particular organisation, board members may not always maintain their own private emails. Instead, they may opt to use their own domain names instead (or simply forward their regular mail) when communicating internally. In this case, their email address will be similar to their professional profile – eg,'mikejones@boardofdirectors.org'.

What is your business email address?

When trying to find a company email address, it's worth knowing exactly what kind of thing you're going after before diving straight in. That means checking whether the target company uses Gmail, Outlook, Hotmail, Yahoo!, AOL, Apple Mail or any other service. Here we explain why this matters.

Can I use a normal email as a business email?

It depends on the nature of the company's activities. There are two schools of thought here. Some businesses prefer to treat everything as confidential and require that all communications go through designated channels. Others consider themselves open to the world and regard their correspondence as no more sensitive than any other form of communication. Whichever approach you choose, it pays to check first.

For example, if you plan to write a letter to a client asking about payment terms, you should probably avoid sending it by email rather than snail mail. On the other hand, if you intend to ask an employee for advice on setting up a new software package, you'd be wise to communicate directly over email.

What are examples of email addresses?

Here are some common ways to identify a company's email address:

First Name Last Initial + @companydomain.com (e.g., "John Smith"@gmail.com).

LastInitial + @companydomain.com (e.g., "Smith Joe"@yahoo.com).

FullName + @companydomain.com (e.g., "Joe Smith"@hotmail.com).

Title + @companydomain.com (e.g., "Mr John Smith"@outlook.com).

Given First Name + Given Middle Initial + @companydomain.com (e.g., "Jane Doe"@gmail.com).

Middle Initial + @companydomain.com (e.g., "J.Doe"@aol.com).

Given Names + @companydomain.com (e.g., "Sally Brown"@live.com).

Nicknames + @companydomain.com (e.g., "Joey Blue Eyes"@msn.com).

Job Title + @companydomain.com (e.g., "Marketing Manager"@microsoft.com).

Department Head + @companydomain.com (e.g., "Marketing Department"@apple.com).

Office Phone Number + @companydomain.com (e.g., "(555)-123-4567"@att.net).

Office Location + @companydomain.com (e.g., "New York City"@google.com).

Street Address + @companydomain.com (e.g., "1234 Main Street"@hotmail.com).

Zip Code + @companydomain.com (e.g., "90210"@aol.com).

Phone Numbers + @companydomain.com (e.g., "(888)-333-4433"@skype.com).

Mobile Phone Numbers + @companydomain.com (e.g., "+1-212-555-5555"@myvodafone.com).

Fax Numbers + @companydomain.com (e.g., "fax@companydomain.com").

Social Media Accounts + @companydomain.com (e.g., "@facebook.com/theirsocialmediaaccount".

LinkedIn Profile URL + @companydomain.com (e.g., "https://linkedin.com/profile/viewProfileId=100012343&trk=nav_responsive_tab_signup").

Twitter Handle + @companydomain.com (e.g., "@twitterusernamehere". Also see How to find Twitter usernames.).

Google+ Profile URL + @companydomain.com (e.g., "https://plus.google.com/+UsernameHere/posts")

Facebook Page URL + @companydomain.com (e.g., "http://www.facebook.com/pages/PageNameHere/pageid/PAGENAMEHERE").

YouTube Channel ID + @companydomain.com (e.g., "youtube.com/channelIDhere").

Instagram Username + @companydomain.com (e.g., "@instameusernamehere").

WhatsApp Group Id + @companydomain.com (e.g., "groupIdhere").

ProtonMail Email Address Search Tool: This tool gives you access to the entire database of ProtonMail users, making it very easy to search for specific users based on various criteria. Simply enter the user's email address and click Go. Alternatively, select Advanced Options and tick the box next to Include subdomains. Then input the email address you wish to retrieve. Click Find Now.

Yahoo! Mail: A simple web search should bring up results for the company's registered office location and physical address. Next, try entering the person's job title and department head, followed by the last initial of either the given or middle name. Finally, search for the person's email address using the keywords mentioned above. Once you locate the correct entry, copy the email address and paste it into the appropriate field.

Alternatively, you could try sending a message to the email address listed on the company's homepage.

LinkedIn: Search for the company name in the People section, followed by clicking People Results. Select the dropdown menu beneath the relevant result and change the view mode to All Contacts. Enter the email address you found earlier in the To field.

Twitter: To narrow down potential candidates, limit the search to profiles containing the words 'CEO', 'CTO', 'CFO', 'VP Sales', 'Director Marketing', etc. Try adding additional filters such as 'Location', 'Industry', 'Employment Type', 'Current Position', 'Salary Range', etc.

G+. Check the About page to discover the username associated with the email address. Input it into the search bar provided on the site and press Enter.

Facebook: Enter the person's name into the search bar located at the top right corner of the site. When the results appear, scroll down until you reach the Contact Information tab. Underneath the person's name, you should notice a link labelled With whom does [person] interact? Click this link, and you'll be able to explore the person's network connections.