So, you saw a cheap data list and you thought to yourself “What’s the harm? It’s not expensive – no great risk. Besides, how bad can it be?” Now you’ve ordered it and want to know what it’s really worth. Here we give you three points with which you can measure the value of any data list.
How relevant is your data?
A quality data list will contain only the details of businesses that have the potential to become customers; not those that don’t. How many of the businesses on your list actually have a need for your product or service? There is no point in having a data list with tens of thousands of contacts when only a fraction of those are likely to be interested. You may think that there is bound to be some other potentials in there and that there is no harm in spreading the net a little wider, but this approach can actually be counterproductive.
When used in an email marketing campaign, such data results in thousands of irrelevant messages that only irritate people and damage your brand image. And when used in a telemarketing campaign, it results in a huge number of rejections and great inefficiency. Is it cost-effective to spend less on a data list, only to waste the time of your sales team – your biggest expense – on calls that only have the smallest chance of resulting in a sale?
How accurate is your data?
Data ages. There is no avoiding it. People frequently change positions and even jobs, rendering certain data useless until it is updated. A reputable data provider will update their data regularly, checking it against live databases and verifying the accuracy of data by telephone and DNS email. If you suspect that your data provider is anything less than stellar, test a sample of your data list for accuracy.
Be aware that an inaccurate data list won’t only frustrate your salespeople. A high email bounce rate will also get you flagged by ISPs and email protection services that set thresholds for email bounce rates. A good data list is an asset, not a liability.
How much depth is there to your data?
Consumers don’t have time for even half of the marketing messages they’re bombarded with every day. As a result, they discard any messages that don’t seem relevant. To connect with your audiences, you need to produce messages that immediately seem interesting or important. That means first understanding your consumers and then tailoring your messages specifically for them.
Your data needs to contain the fields that give you a better picture of your audience and allow for more accurate segmentation. Only then can you boost engagement rates with tailored and relevant messages. Now take a look at that new data list. Does it contain the depth of information needed to make this happen?
As a telemarketing and data business with over 30 years of experience in the industry, we understand the importance of quality data like few others do. To ensure that our data lists deliver real ROI for our clients, we build our bespoke databases with only relevant data from trusted data partners, and then we use our 50-seat call centre to tele-verify its accuracy every six to twelve months. If you’ve discovered that your current data list is lacking and would like to know more about how our data sourcing ensures high-quality databases, visit our website for more information.
