Behind every successful sales/marketing campaign, a well-optimised B2B database acts as a strong foundation. The correct B2B data helps businesses segment and target the right prospects for quick and consistent lead pipeline expansion.
Strategic insights on client behaviour/preferences enhance the CRM experience and amass client loyalty. Data-driven marketing ensures a better understanding of prospects, aids a personalised approach, and enables B2B businesses to outperform competitors.
Optimising Your B2B Contacts Database
Subject to budget and capabilities, businesses can either develop a B2B contacts database in-house or outsource it. Whatever the choice is, ensuring that the data remains up-to-date and well-organised is always a must.
Here are seven ways to optimise a B2B database for maximum sales and marketing productivity:
1. Regular Data Cleaning and Verification: Companies should frame adequate SOPs on the frequency and procedure of database cleaning and verification. Several online data cleansing tools and services are available to verify phone numbers and email IDs. Eliminating incorrect contact details and data cleansing lowers bounce rates and improves cold-calling responses.
2. ICP-based Database Filters and Segmentation: A well-optimised B2B contacts database is synonymous with a well-segmented one. Identifying and targeting specific prospect groups is only possible by setting the right filters. Relevant filters such as industry, company type, size, location, and job title depend on the ICP.
3. Consistent Data Enrichment: Massive competition in almost every B2B sector means that acquiring basic contact details is inadequate. Enriching the B2B database with firmographic, technographic, intent, and engagement data is necessary.
4. Diverse and Authentic Data Sources: B2B data collection requires astute expertise. Regulatory compliance is a must, and equally important is tapping a wide range of legitimate sources like industry events, online forums, and digital channels.
5. AI-driven Tools for Data Optimization: For businesses with no experience in data optimisation, AI-driven tools are extremely helpful. These assist in data compilation, tracking interaction, structuring feedback, and automating follow-ups. Use the right tools and technology to gain maximum ROI from an in-house database.
6. A Holistic Database Maintenance Plan: Even the most accurate/prolific B2B contacts database will become redundant without a sound database management plan. Ideally, this should be the prerogative of the database seller. Merely selling and purchasing B2B data cannot fulfill the business objectives. A database partnership should have sufficient clauses on long-term data accuracy, upgrades, and validation.
7. Systematic CRM Integration: A well-optimised B2B database should smoothly integrate with the organisation’s existing CRM data. Only then will it generate holistic prospecting and qualify leads for the sales and marketing teams accurately. After all, pursuing and nurturing existing clients for repurchases is as important as finding new leads.
Conclusion
Using accurate, outdated, or incomplete B2B data can positively impact sales and marketing ROI. Hence, businesses must devise and implement a strong database optimisation and maintenance plan. For SMEs and start-ups that can develop these in-house capabilities, partnering with a certified database management agency is suggested.
