Key takeaways
- A direct dial or mobile reaches the person. A main line reaches a gatekeeper.
- Filter for people who have a number before you spend credits.
- Automated dialing and texting to mobiles carry strict consent rules in the US.
Step by step
- Decide who you need to call. Owners and field roles answer mobiles. Office roles are more likely to have a direct dial.
- Search with a phone requirement. Add "with a mobile number" to the request, or use the contact-details filter, so the list only includes reachable people.
- Check the breakdown first. Look at how many people in the people have a mobile or direct dial before revealing anyone.
- Reveal and export. Reveal the people you will actually call. In Buzzlist you are not charged when no email or phone exists.
- Call within the rules. Scrub numbers against the National Do-Not-Call Registry and your own do-not-call list before calling or texting. Dial manually unless you have consent for automated calls or texts, respect do-not-call requests, and keep calls to reasonable hours.
| Number type | What it reaches | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile | The person, anywhere | Owners, field and trades roles |
| Direct dial | The person's desk line | Office and corporate roles |
| Company main line | Reception or a phone tree | Last resort, or to confirm someone works there |
What to know
In the United States, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act restricts calls and texts made to mobile phones with an automatic dialing system or a prerecorded voice unless you have the right consent. The National Do-Not-Call Registry protects residential numbers. Mobiles on the registry are presumed residential, which can include a business owner's personal cell, and do-not-call rules cover marketing texts as well as calls. States add their own rules, and some apply to business calls too. This page is general information, not legal advice, so check with counsel for your situation.
Practically: Scrub numbers against the National Do-Not-Call Registry and your own do-not-call list before calling or texting. After that, a person dialing one number at a time, calling a business contact about a business matter, carries less risk than automated dialing. Mass texting purchased numbers carries the most.
