Building targeted lists for B2B Lead Generation Programs

Would you buy this business card?

Why? Because when you buy a list of names for account-based marketing you are buying business cards on a list.

But there is no such thing as buying the perfect list, especially if you have a complex sale.

A study by John Coe and the Sales & Marketing Institute showed, “70.8% of business people changed one or more elements on their business cards each year.”

My experience has been around 45%. But in either case, it’s a significant number.

Let’s say you want to invite, via e-mail, a specific group of individuals in your database to a webinar or webcast.

Or perhaps you’d like to do a targeted, direct-mail campaign to a select group of people on behalf of their salesperson. Could you do it with confidence? Most of the time, I’ve found the answer is “no.”

Build the most relevant list

The goal is not to try to buy the biggest list possible, but instead, build the most relevant list possible based your ideal customer profile.

The best list is one that you have diligently created and rigorously maintained over time with excellence. So where should you start?

I have found marketers often overlook the lists and data they already have in search of new contacts rather than building upon relevant conversations.

Companies don’t buy; people do. Therefore, the goal of a well-developed lead generation strategy is to build relationships between people. Your contact data represents your relationships.

Get all your contacts and lists in place

Start by collecting all of your existing in-house marketing lists into one place.

These are lists that you may already have on hand, from sources such as:

• Sales team – key accounts and collected business cards
• Strategic partner or pooled lists (cooperative opt-in)
• Inbound phone, email and web inquiries
• Past events – trade show, webinar, and seminar attendees
• Newsletter subscribers
• Marketing campaigns, such as direct mail or teleprospecting lists
• Inactive and past customers

Note:  Bring your database administrator in on the list build project as early as possible.  You will most certainly need their expertise in massaging and de-duping the data.

Review your inactive accounts

Marketing and sales can also work together to build a list of inactive accounts in your sales team’s CRM data and business cards from industry conferences and networking events.

Utilizing existing in-house lists is the best place to start building your framework. Once the in-house lists are collected and combined, they can be evaluated for compliance with your ideal customer profile (target market). You’ll find at this point that your list needs further enhancement.

Make sure account lists fit your ideal customer profile

I recommend you start with a basic list that has the primary attributes of your ideal customer profile and overlay that with internally compiled data. Then use additional third-party list sources to fill in missing companies and contacts.

There are many external list sources available, and each has its benefits and drawbacks. When buying data from an external source, you need to consider the following:

Are you renting or buying a targeted list?

Many list companies only rent a list, which means you are only allowed to use them for a specified time period, a specific number of times, or for a particular marketing campaign, such as a direct mail piece. This type of list does not work well for an ongoing lead generation program.

What data is included in the list?

Lists should include essential demographic data. Some lists, intended for direct mail, do not include phone numbers or contacts. Those lists would have limited value for lead generation.

I’ve found that the best company level data lists come from data companies like Dun & Bradstreet or InfoUSA. These lists include all of the demographic data typically needed, and have extended contact information.

The drawback, however, is that they are general business lists; so in some cases, you’ll need to cast a wide net to get records that fit your ideal customer profile and if your goal is to reach anyone other than top executives you will have to add additional contacts yourself.

Other sources of names or lists

• Trade associations
• Trade shows
• Trade conferences and events
• Standard Rate and Data Service (SRDS)
• Public libraries can often get you access to ReferenceUSA (for free with your library card)
• New social networking or community-based contact information sharing tools such as Spoke, LinkedIn, ZoomInfo, Data.com

Even with these expanding options in list building sources, the drudgery of careful research is still the most productive course of action, because you best understand the nuances of your ideal customer profile.

Treat your database as an asset

Your database will become one of your most valuable assets if you treat it like one. Keep your database it current, and you won’t have to worry about buying more questionable business cards, and you’ll see better ROI from your lead generation investment.

You may also like:

Ideal Customer Profiles: 5 steps to ensure your lead generation stays on target

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