‘I bought B2B data lists once and it didn’t work so I never bought any again’.

🧐 Does this sound like something you have said? Then read on:

It is so easy to blame the tools around us without looking at how we are using those tools, our internal sales and marketing processes and also of course our strategy! Buying good quality data as part of your strategy can work – as with anything…if it is done correctly!

Read on to discover our top tips to make the most of your data lists.  

  1. Segment your audience
    The days of mass market appeal are long gone for all but a select few products. Segmentation, targeting and positioning are the foundations of every great marketing campaign. Make sure you use accurate data to divide your prospects and clients into meaningful segments that allow you to cater to the specific needs of each group. You need to trial different messages to find out what works. Common segments are based on demographics, behaviour, interests, or purchasing behaviours. Once you’ve identified your key segments you can create targeted and personalised marketing efforts which offer real value. There is no “one size fits all approach”.
  2. Personalise communication
    Use the data you own to personalise your messages and content. Every customer, no matter how small the account, needs to feel valued. Tailor your marketing materials to individual customers. If you know someone’s name, use it. If you know what products/services they are most likely to purchase, use it. This helps to ensure engagement and response rates and help establish your brand as a leader in your sector. 
  1. Upsell and cross-sell opportunities
    Look carefully at the data you already own, and you could find opportunities right under your nose. By analysing the purchasing history and behaviour of your clients and you might find trends or characteristics you didn’t know about. You can use your data to identify potential upselling or cross-selling opportunities. Look for items that are often bought together. Look for complimentary products. Finding patterns in the data means you can offer relevant products or services to maximise customer value.
  2. Customer feedback analysis
    The best source of information about your customers, is the customers themselves. Go ahead and ask them. Offer an incentivised survey. Talk to your sales staff. There are many ways to collect and analyse feedback from your clients. You should be looking to gain insights into their satisfaction, pain points, and suggestions. Use this data to improve your products, services, and customer experience.
  3. A/B testing
    Test and measure everything. Experimentation is key to understanding how to develop a quality sales and marketing strategy. Data-driven A/B testing will help you optimise your campaigns. With digital marketing techniques, there are many ways for you to test different variations of your messages, visuals, or offers to determine what resonates best with your audience.
  4. Customer lifetime value
    Calculate the lifetime value for your clients based on their historical data. This metric helps you determine the long-term value of each customer and allocate resources accordingly. If you know the potential lifetime value of a customer compared to their lifetime value to your organisation, you can work out just how effective your marketing efforts are being and make adjustments accordingly.
  5. Nurture campaigns
    Set up automated nurture campaigns to engage prospects at different stages of the buying process. For this strategy to work you need to use data to deliver relevant content and offers that guide them towards making a purchase. When they are properly executed, a data driven nurture campaign creates very happy customers. This is more than sending a birthday or Christmas card to your clients, it’s about using all the data at your disposal to create a series of highly personalised interactions that offer value and build strong customer relationships.
  6. Continuous analysis and improvement
    What you can’t measure you can’t improve, simple. Regularly monitor and analyse the performance of your sales and marketing strategies. Use data to identify areas for improvement, adjust your approach, and refine your tactics. It’s a never-ending process of measurement and incremental improvements.
  7. Customer lifecycle marketing
    Map out the customer journey and align your marketing efforts with each stage of the lifecycle, from acquisition to retention and loyalty. Leverage data to deliver targeted messages and offers at the right time. The key word here is ‘cycle’. This is not a one-dimensional process. There is not a clearly defined start and finish, rather a happy customer should be in orbit around your organisation returning over and over again because of the broader value you provide. A purchase is just one small phase of a much wider series of interactions.
  8. Predictive analysis
    Utilise predictive analytics to identify trends and patterns in your data. If you’ve got huge data sets going back many years, you’ll find it increasingly difficult to process that data into useful information but the time and effort invested can bring about incredible insights. It can help you anticipate customer behaviour, forecast sales, and optimise your marketing strategies accordingly.

There are so many opportunities to ensure your B2B data lists work for you. You just need a considered data strategy so make sure you’re ahead of the game. With these 10 tips you’ll be making progress but if you want to take things a step further, with more advanced techniques and strategies, we’re on hand to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out with your questions, comments or queries. Our team of data professionals and marketing experts are ready and waiting to help you and your business. 

< back
Related Topics: B2B data lists