Glossary
The vocabulary of callable contact data
The short answer
Most disagreements about lead quality are really disagreements about definitions. These entries explain what each term means in practice, how vendors stretch it, and what to check before you accept a record as valid.
Direct dial
A phone number that rings one named person at their desk or through their own extension, without passing a switchboard.
Mobile number
A cell number tied to an individual, which is the highest connect-rate phone type in B2B outbound.
Ideal customer profile (ICP)
A written definition of the companies and people worth calling, specific enough that a data engine can execute it.
Connect rate
The share of dials that reach a live human, the clearest single signal of list quality.
Data decay
The rate at which contact records go wrong as people change roles, companies and numbers.
Suppression list
Records you never want contacted, including customers, live opportunities, partners and opt-outs.
Switchboard number
A company main line that routes to a receptionist, a queue or an automated menu instead of a person.
Gatekeeper
The receptionist, assistant or phone menu that stands between a caller and the decision maker.
Firmographics
Company-level attributes used for targeting: industry, employee count, revenue, location and structure.
Technographics
Data about the software and systems a company runs, used to time and frame outreach.
Intent data
Signals suggesting a company is researching a problem you solve, used to prioritise a calling list.
Lead enrichment
Adding verified contact and company detail to a record so it can actually be worked.
Waterfall enrichment
A general industry term for filling missing fields through more than one quality step.
Bounce rate
The share of sent emails rejected by the receiving server, the headline measure of email list hygiene.
Catch-all domain
A mail domain that accepts every address, making individual mailboxes impossible to verify remotely.
Do not call (DNC)
Registries and internal lists of numbers that must not receive unsolicited sales calls.
Opt out
A person's request to stop being contacted and to have their record removed.
B2B outreach compliance
The rules governing how business contact data may be collected, used and stored for outreach.
Cadence
The planned sequence of calls, emails and touches applied to each new contact.
Dials per rep per day
The realistic number of outbound calls one person can make in a working day.
Cost per booked meeting
Total outbound cost divided by qualified meetings booked, including rep time and data.
Cost per contact
The effective price paid for each usable, callable record.
Match score
A numeric estimate of how closely a contact matches the ideal customer profile it was sourced for.
White label lead delivery
Supplying prospect batches under an agency's own brand rather than the data provider's.
Aged leads
Contacts that were collected weeks or months ago and are resold at a discount, usually with a high share of dead numbers.
Real-time leads
Contacts built or confirmed close to the moment they are delivered, rather than pulled from an old file.
Pay per lead
A pricing model where you pay a set amount for each contact or enquiry delivered, instead of a seat or retainer.
Appointment setting
An outsourced service where callers contact prospects on your behalf and book qualified meetings into your calendar.
Verified email
A work email address that has been checked to accept mail for that person before it is delivered.
B2B lead list
A set of business contacts matched to a target market, used for outbound calling and email.