Quality Above Quantity: Debunking Data Myths: The Big List

[Doha]

All kinds of contact lists and databases are available online, promising to do the work for you by providing you a huge list of data to prospect. This is one case where quality over quantity matters- and if you've been hunting for the "quantity", take a look again at what you're getting for your investment.

Just who are you reaching with these blasts from data lists? Is it the kind of customers you want? Most likely not. Your emails can go out to everyone in a company, including administrative assistants and part-time telecommute staff who have no say in the budget. Not only are these people not the right target for your message, but they are very unlikely to pass your message on to those you might want to reach.

The majority of targeted lists only reach small businesses. While that might be helpful if the only group you're aiming at is small business, this limits your potential and might be a waste of time. In order to make the most of the data, you might have to spend time ensuring that these lists include the people you want to market to. Who are you trying to reach? What would that target audience most likely respond to? How will you cater your services or product towards those top tier clients? How do you plan to follow up with them throughout the process? Answering these questions in a plan will help you use data in a meaningful way.

The upside of technology these days is that you're no longer limited by geography. Your clients can live on the other side of the country and still see a benefit from doing business with you. Making that personal connection is far important that geographic location, but this also means you're competing against everyone else nationwide, too. It's going to be the little touches and personalization you provide that set you apart from your peers.

Hunting for data that maximizes quality, not quantity, will make the most of your B2B sales time and efforts. The "big list" might seem appealing at first, but it might not be reaching who you want and a more targeted approach will give you the most bang for your buck.