Lead generation is undoubtedly a priority for every business; no matter the size of your company or the industry you’re in, having access to a steady stream of potential customers is vital. This is where list building comes in; putting together a collection of contacts that you can target through marketing campaigns, most notably via email.
Having a relevant list of prospects to reach out to in this way should certainly not be underestimated; research from McKinsey found that email is 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers than Facebook or Twitter, and with this in mind it is not surprising that the majority of B2B marketers state that email is their most important form of content marketing, as the graph below from the Content Marketing Institute shows. By far the quickest and easiest solution to list building is to use a business directory, though there are a number of factors to consider when choosing this option, which we’ll guide you through in this article.
Why Use a Contact Directory?
According to HubSpot’s 2017 State of the Inbound report, 63% of marketers say generating traffic and leads is their number one challenge. Making use of a B2B contact database solves many of the issues encountered when list building, thanks to the many benefits they offer, including:
Instant Access – Some experts suggest that the golden number of contacts for successful email campaigns is at least 1000. This can take a long time to achieve via traditional, particularly for companies that are new and/or on the smaller side. Using a database means you can hit the ground running and have immediate access to thousands of potential customers from the get-go.
Qualified Leads – One essential aspect to generate leads is not only ensuring that there are enough of them, but that they are of a high quality. When using a database like Global Database, you can filter your search based on demographic data in order create lists targeting only qualified leads.
Automated – Another way that contact directories save you time and resources is due to the fact that they are automated; there’s no need for you or your employees to manually add or update the records; it’s all done for you. This is great news for most businesses, considering the amount of time that is currently wasted on data entry tasks, as is shown in the graph from HubSpot below.
When it comes to finding a reputable business directory, things can get tricky. Today, more data is available than ever before and there are numerous providers to choose from. In order to decide which B2B database is likely to be the most beneficial for your campaigns, there are a number of factors you should keep in mind that will make the process of list building easier:
Direct Contact Details – If you’re in B2B, you know how important it is to reach the right people. Sending emails to generic addresses e.g. info@ or office@ is usually fruitless; you need direct email addresses and phone numbers to avoid gatekeepers and get straight through to the decision makers that have real power to make buying choices for their company.
Data Accuracy – Having accurate contact details is essential to the success of your campaigns; after all, if your email addresses are incorrect then your messages simply become redundant. This can also cost your business big financially; according to research by ReachForce, unclean data costs a business $83 for every 100 records in a database, and Internet Retailer states that 29% of companies have lost buyers thanks to inaccurate data in the email management services. Despite these figures, a shocking 94% of businesses suspect that their customer data is wrong or incomplete, according to Dynamic Markets. Clearly, finding a business database that prioritizes data accuracy is imperative to the success of your marketing efforts.
Regular Updates – A study by StartUp Britain found that in the UK alone there are currently 80 new businesses being set up every hour, and Target Marketing research notes that over 70% of businesspeople had made some type of change within 12 months. This could include names changes, location, number of employees or location; all essential details to both qualifying leads and contacting them. Therefore you should always opt for a provider that guarantees regular and consistent updates to their records, such as Global Database.
Filter Options – Personalisation has become increasingly important in many kinds of marketing efforts – just look at the image below from the 2017 SalesForce State of Marketing report; customers expect businesses to cater to their needs directly when targeting them. You should, therefore, aim to learn as much about your leads as possible before starting your campaign. Global Database provides the ideal solution for this; not only does our database contain substantial information about each individual and organization, but also a large range of filtering options so that you can easily create highly targeted lists.
In addition to regular updates and validations, free unlimited Excel exports and one of the highest accuracy ratings on the market, here is what Global Data can offer your business:
Global Data – With business contacts across 190 countries worldwide, our directory can provide a truly global lead generation solution.
18 Million Company Profiles – No matter which industry you are targeting, you’re sure to find a wealth of companies in your niche, with each record detailing their revenue, office locations, and credit trustworthiness.
64 Million Contacts – With such a huge number of potential leads at your fingertips, you have more than enough contacts to build a sustainable business, even if you begin with just a list.
Using a business directory to build your marketing lists is a quick and cost-efficient way to give your campaigns a serious boost, regardless if it’s your first or your 100th. As with any business service, however, it is essential to find a reputable provider that can offer a complete solution to the challenges associated with B2B prospecting.
To learn more about what Global Database can do for your business visit us at www.GlobalDatabase.com.
