For
what should be a relatively straightforward part of the marketing process,
buying in B2B data can be an absolute minefield. And with finances under
ever-increasing scrutiny, it’s important to squeeze every last drop out of your
resources.
So
how can you improve your data purchasing, and transform it from what can
sometimes seem like a lottery into a strategic pillar of your campaign ROI?
Data
quality is far more important than the quantity of data on offer, as it enables
more accurate targeting than blanket marketing, and means that even small, high
quality databases are well worth considering – especially if they enable you to
access decision makers that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to reach.
2.
Data breadth and coverage:
Because
different suppliers have different ways of collecting and aggregating their
data, coverage is a key aspect of every dataset as you don’t want to choose one
that’s missing a significant part of your potential market, or that doesn’t let
you contact decision makers in the way that suits you best.
3.
Flexible targeting:
Flexible
targeting is all about being able to segment your campaigns based on the
characteristics of the businesses and/or individuals you want to get in touch
with, and the channels through which you want to target them.
4.
Account management:
Effective
account management means far more than giving you someone to speak to. The
reason data is such an issue is that there are so many elements to it, and
these are only going to increase as the focus of marketing turns more and more
towards personalized and one-to-one campaigns.
5.
Value:
What’s
ultimately important is that you derive maximum value from your data – which
may well mean a very different calculation from one based on cost alone.
Get
yours off to the best possible start by reviewing your strategy to ensure the
data you purchase makes a measurable difference to the ROI of your campaigns.
AUTHOR: AUSTIN BICKELL
POSTED IN: TARGETED MARKETING
