What does a blue checkmark mean in a cold email and how legitimate is an email from AlphaSights?

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that the email from alphasights.com seems legitimate because it has a valid BIMI record, an appropriate DMARC record, and a VMC. He also suggests marking the email as spam if the recipient doesn't want it.

Email marketer from Email Geeks confirms that the sender has a valid BIMI and paid for a VMC.

Email marketer from ZeroBounce says that the key is to only send to people who have expressed interest in your emails and regularly clean your list of inactive emails.

Email marketer from Quora user Jane Doe shares that AlphaSights often contacts individuals based on their professional background and experience, offering compensation for participating in brief surveys or interviews.

Email marketer from EmailToolTester shares that although setting up email authentication is important, it is not a magical solution for a cold email. The content still has to be relevant.

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that BIMI implementation can improve brand recognition, increase email engagement rates, and enhance overall email security by preventing phishing attacks.

Email marketer from SparkPost advises that implementing BIMI requires setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records, as well as obtaining a VMC. This process confirms ownership of the brand logo and domain.

Email marketer from Validity emphasizes that email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is essential for building sender reputation and ensuring that legitimate emails reach the inbox. BIMI builds upon these authentication standards to display brand logos.

Email marketer from Reddit user u/financeguy123 states that AlphaSights is a legitimate expert network firm. They connect businesses with industry experts for short-term consulting projects.

Email marketer from LinkedIn user John Smith mentions that AlphaSights uses various methods, including cold emails, to find experts. Receiving an email from them doesn't automatically indicate a scam, but it's essential to verify the sender's identity and purpose.

Expert from Spam Resource explains that even with authentication and BIMI, cold emails can still be problematic. The blue checkmark indicates authentication, but doesn't guarantee the legitimacy or appropriateness of the sender's outreach methods. He mentions AlphaSights specifically as a company that reaches out with offers that may be seen as unwanted.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that the blue checkmark likely just means the email is authenticated.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that AlphaSights likely contacted the recipient because a company hired them to find people with specific software knowledge for a survey, and they are willing to pay for the recipient's time.

Expert from Word to the Wise indicates that AlphaSights is a legitimate company, though their practices of cold outreach can be disruptive. The presence of a blue checkmark confirms authentication, but the value and relevance of the email still depend on the user's perspective.

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that a blue checkmark in Gmail indicates that the sender has authenticated their email using BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification). This helps recipients identify legitimate messages and differentiate them from spoofs.

Documentation from BIMI Group explains that in order to use a BIMI checkmark, you need to authenticate your email with SPF, DKIM and DMARC. Then you will need to get a verified mark certificate (VMC) to validate your logo.

Documentation from DMARC.org states that DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) helps prevent email spoofing and phishing attacks by allowing domain owners to specify how email receivers should handle unauthenticated emails.

Documentation from DigiCert details how BIMI uses VMCs (Verified Mark Certificates) to visually display a brand's logo alongside authenticated emails. This confirms the sender's identity and increases trust.