People research
How to identify a relevant contact at a company
Choose a role based on the problem you solve, verify the company identity, and review the person before outreach.
“Find the decision-maker” sounds simple, but buying decisions vary by company size and problem. A relevant contact is someone whose responsibilities connect to the issue you can help with. Start from the problem, then choose the role.
Map your offer to a responsibility
If you improve a sales process, a sales leader or revenue operations manager may own the workflow. If you support hiring, the relevant person may be a hiring manager or talent lead. At a small company, a founder may cover several functions; at a larger company, a specialist leader is often closer to the work.
Write two or three title alternatives rather than relying on one exact title. Titles differ across companies, and a broad “CEO” search may miss the person who actually handles the problem.
Keep the company match precise
When researching people at a known company, use its reviewed LinkedIn company page or saved company identity. Similar company names are common, especially across countries and subsidiaries. Check the profile’s current employer, not only the company name in search results.
A person’s location and the company’s operating market are separate facts. If both matter to your offer, verify both; one filter does not prove the other.
Review context before making a list
Check the current role, company, and profile link. A title match does not prove budget authority, interest, or permission to contact. If the person appears relevant, note the business reason you believe they may care about your offer.
Keep a smaller list of reviewed people rather than a large list of guesses. If you need business email enrichment, treat that as a separate service; a LinkedIn profile search does not promise an email address.
Example
A consultant helping firms improve onboarding looks for operations or customer-success leaders at companies already shortlisted for size and market, then confirms each person’s current position.
What to remember: The “right person” is a reasoned choice about responsibility. A matching title is a lead to investigate, not a qualification by itself.
Apply the method in the tool
People Search accepts job titles, location, company size, and an optional exact company selection. Start with a small result count, review profiles, save useful matches, and export only after checking fit.
Reading this guide does not run a search or use an allowance. Live searches and monitoring use the allowances shown in your plan.
Follow the step-by-step workflow →