Prospecting has three separate jobs: research the company, assess fit against approved criteria and decide whether a lawful, relevant contact route exists. AI can organize evidence. It should not turn a weak signal into purchase intent or manufacture a person’s contact details.
Use a source ladder
| Priority | Source | Good for | Not proof of |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Company website and official filings | Product, locations, published changes | Internal priorities or budget |
| 2 | Approved first-party CRM records | Prior conversations and consent status | Current intent unless recently confirmed |
| 3 | Reputable public reporting | Dated external events | A specific buyer’s need |
| 4 | Secondary databases | Discovery lead | Accuracy without verification |
Record the page, capture date and exact statement. If a fact matters to the outreach reason, open the original source before using it.
Build the account brief
COMPANY:
CONFIRMED FACT / SOURCE / DATE:
WHY IT MAY MATTER:
ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATION:
FIT CRITERION:
MET / NOT MET / UNKNOWN:
CONTACT ROUTE + VERIFICATION:
CONSENT / SUPPRESSION CHECK:
QUESTION TO ASK, NOT ASSUME:Decide the next action
| Evidence state | Next action |
|---|---|
| Fit and contact basis confirmed | Human review before tailored outreach |
| Fit plausible, key fact unknown | Research or ask a neutral question |
| Contact unverified or suppressed | Do not send |
| No relevant reason to contact | Stop rather than generate generic personalization |
The FTC’s CAN-SPAM guidance says the rules cover commercial messages, including business-to-business email. Your legal and compliance obligations can extend beyond this US guide, so use the rules approved for the recipient and channel.
Can AI find someone’s email address?
Do not treat a generated address as fact. Use an approved source and verification process, then apply suppression, consent and outreach rules before contact.
Is a funding announcement proof of buying intent?
No. It is a dated company event. It may justify a research question, but it does not prove budget, priority or authority for your offer.
What belongs in a prospecting brief?
Include source URLs, checked dates, explicit fit criteria, verified contact information, unknowns and the decision: research further, prepare outreach or take no action.