Positive scoring finds good leads; negative scoring filters out the ones that look good but aren't. Without it, bounced emails and job seekers clutter the top of your list.
Common negative criteria
| Signal | Suggested points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hard email bounce | −50 or disqualify | Can't reach them; hurts deliverability |
| Personal email (gmail, yahoo) in B2B | −10 to −20 | Weaker company signal (but not always bad for small businesses) |
| Competitor domain | Disqualify | Research, not buying |
| Student / job seeker | −30 | Not a buyer |
| Visited careers page only | −10 | Likely job seeker |
| Unsubscribed | −30 and stop emailing | Respect the choice |
| No activity 60+ days | −10 to −20 | Interest faded |
| Outside served geography | −20 | Can't serve them |
Careful with personal emails
Many small business owners use Gmail for their business. If you sell to SMBs, apply a small penalty or none, and lean on other fit signals instead.
Prevent bounces in the first place
Verify emails before they enter sequences. See verify an email list before cold outreach.
Review regularly
Look at leads disqualified by negative scores each month. If good leads are being filtered out, soften the rule.
Check emails before you send: built-in verification flags bounces before they hurt your sender reputation.
Start free — no card neededor claim up to 3,000 FREE credits with a paid planEmail and phone checks in every package:
Basic
$9.99/month
11,500 credits a month
+ 1,000 FREE credits
- About 261 done-for-you leads
- or 88 AI website previews
- All features included
Pro
$39/month
50,000 credits a month
+ 1,500 FREE credits
- About 1,136 done-for-you leads
- or 384 AI website previews
- All features included
Premium
$79/month
105,000 credits a month
+ 3,000 FREE credits
- About 2,386 done-for-you leads
- or 807 AI website previews
- All features included
Frequently asked questions
What is negative lead scoring?
Subtracting points from leads for signals that suggest poor fit or low intent, such as bounced emails, competitor domains, job-seeking behaviour or long inactivity.
Should personal email addresses lower a B2B lead score?
Slightly, for mid-market and enterprise. For small businesses, many owners use personal email, so apply little or no penalty.