Whether you’re generating leads to build your contact list or hoping to reconnect with a former colleague, knowing how to find someone’s phone number with their name is an important tool to have in your kit.
Even if you have a current email address for your prospect (and, by the way, we’ve also got a guide to get those), only 8.5% of emails receive a response, so chances are you’ll need some extra details.
Now, we’re not going to sugarcoat this. Finding phone numbers can be tricky, as people are often more protective of their phone number than their email address, and don’t share it as frequently.
That said, there are a number of ways to find someone’s phone number online if you’re prepared to put in the effort. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best channels, including:
- Search engines
- Online directories
- Social media
- Company websites
- Local records
- Lookup tools
To be clear, we’re not looking to help anyone reconnect with their high school sweetheart or colleague roommate. We’re here to provide practical approaches to help you reach out to potential clients for legitimate business reasons. If that’s why you’re here, then let’s begin…
Search Engines
It may seem obvious but if you’re looking for a company’s phone number then search engines such as Google are a great starting-point. All you need to do is search for the company name and use the keyword ‘phone number’ (e.g. [company name] phone number) and you’ll see the phone numbers listed.
Of course, this is a very imprecise method. So you can try experimenting with additional terms to narrow the search, using information you have available. For example:
Location:
- ‘[company name] phone number USA’.
- ‘[company name] phone number NYC’.
Division or function:
- ‘[company name] phone number marketing’.
- ‘[company name] phone number procurement’.
Position or name
- ‘[company name] phone number [job title]’.
- ‘[company name] phone number [contact name]’.
Whilst free, this approach will only work if your prospect is listed and you’re more likely to find company phone numbers than direct contact information.
People Search Engines
Alongside the traditional search engines, we can use people-focused search engines such as Zabasearch, which can help us find details such as phone numbers and email addresses for people in the U.S.
Online Directories
Online directories like Whitepages and AnyWho can be a real treasure trove of information for businesses looking to make contact with potential clients and are a great way to find someone’s phone number online. They contain listings of individuals, businesses and organizations that are registered with the directory. All you need to do is enter your prospect’s name (and ideally location) to see what’s there.
Whitepages
Whitepages is the online equivalent of using the phonebook to look someone up in the U.S. It’s incredibly simple and straightforward to use. All you’ll need is your prospect’s name and location to run a search.
Anywho
AnyWho is a free service to find someone’s phone number online using their name and zip code. Like Whitepages, it’s very simple, but like all free services it has its limitations.
Online directories are an excellent resource when trying to find someone’s phone number for free with their name. However, as bulk research isn’t usually possible, this approach can be a very time-consuming and inefficient method of lead generation.
It’s important to note that the information listed in online directories might not always be up to date, so it’s worth cross-checking with other sources to make sure your results are as accurate as possible.
Social Media
When considering how to find someone’s phone number for free, searching social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn (more on this later) can be an effective method to pursue. Most social platforms will have collected users’ phone numbers to enhance experience and security, so try searching your prospects profiles and you might get lucky.
As the social platform dedicated to professional networking, LinkedIn is a great way to connect with prospects, so it’s worth a special mention. You can use LinkedIn’s search engine to find your contact’s profile and check their contact information to see whether their phone number is included.
Of course, this will only work if your target has chosen to add their phone number and publicly list it. If they haven’t, then you could use the SalesQL browser extension to find all of their information.
Company Websites
It’s by no means guaranteed, but some companies provide departmental contact numbers or, in some cases, even direct dial numbers for their employees. With this in mind, a thorough search of the target company’s contact pages may pay off.
Have you scoured the contact pages but only found company contact information? Try calling and asking around for the person you’re looking for.
Local Records
Ok, we’re going to go old-school now. This approach might be more associated with private detectives than modern marketing, but checking local records is still an effective free way to find phone numbers online or in person.
County records often include phone numbers and can be accessed online through public search portals, or in person at the county courthouse. It’s worth noting that you’ll usually need to provide a valid ID to search these records, making it a more complex and time-consuming process than other approaches.
Lookup Tools
Whilst the approaches we’ve looked at can yield the results you’re looking for and help you find someone’s phone number for free, by far the quickest and most accurate way to find someone’s phone number online is by using a lookup tool, such as our own SalesQL.
Now this might seem like a boast, but consider this: With SalesQL, you can extract your prospects’ key contact information from LinkedIn, Sales Navigator or Recruiter profiles, then export them in manageable lists you can work with.
You can even use search results to create precise targeted lists based on your ideal customer profile, helping ensure you’re reaching the right people.
SalesQL’s vast database includes over 40 data points per contact and the intuitive and user-friendly dashboard makes it easy to drill down into the details that matter most to you.
With a free plan that includes 50 credits every month, SalesQL offers a cost-effective way for small businesses to get started with lead generation activity. In addition, integration with all the most popular CRM, outreach and productivity tools means it’s a great choice for larger, more established operations too.
Want to give us a try? You can find details of our pricing here.
Conclusion
Now that you know the most effective methods for finding someone’s phone number for free, you can start building or enhancing your contact lists with greater confidence. But what if you also need to find email addresses? Don’t worry, we’ve got a guide for that too.
If you found this article helpful and wish to continue expanding your contact-searching skills, we invite you to read our next article on how to find someone’s email address for free. Explore detailed techniques and useful tools that will help you obtain additional contact information, essential for your networking and marketing efforts.
