Is the data less than a few days out of date?
This should be one of the first things you clarify with your data supplier. For instance, all our data is checked immediately before dispatch to every client individually and has a maximum data age of 2-3 days. Whereas the current industry standards are 3 months old and the current rate of business change and people moving around in the UK during these 3 months is 17%. Therefore, a list that is 3 months old can already be up to 20% out of date.
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Is the B2B data truly opt-in to receive my marketing?
Permission Marketing (or opt-in marketing) is a term used when marketing to consumers. However, regarding Business Data, this does not need to be opt-in. Therefore, only 2% of the UK market is truly opt-in B2B data.
If your business data provider states they have opt-in B2B data, you can check if a data list is opt-in by asking where and how? Any reputable organisation will give you a website link or send you a magazine subscription that contains a tick box stating clearly that ‘you are opting in for 3rd party marketing’.
Where does your data come from?
There are 3 main sources of data in the UK: companies house, BT, and Royal Mail. With 4Million+ contacts in the UK, the basic data source will have come from one of these. In addition, data companies add their own unique information and contacts, usually through telephone work.
How do you keep the data up-to-date?
The best form of appending data and updating data is by telephone. However, data suppliers are known to use all sorts of methods. This can include research online, updates in trade magazines, and recruitment companies, to name a few. These additional sources work well as long as the telephone element is the most prominent.
Do you give a 100% guarantee with your data?
We have a 100% guarantee on all our data. So always ensure when purchasing B2B data lists that we provide you with a 100% guarantee. That is way above the industry standards and gives you peace of mind to confidently carry out your marketing campaign.
Can I use the data for 12 months to build a relationship (multi-use)?
Data is sold as single-use, 12-month use or eternal. So when purchasing data under licence, always try to purchase on a multi-use licence. This means that the data is available for you to use over a period of 12 months to build relationships. Single-use means just that – you are paying to use the data only once.
Does the data include generic information?
Always ensure that the data you are purchasing is 100% named contacts. So that all the details are personal to an individual, including the email address. We do not recommend purchasing generic details, i.e. info/sales @. These will receive high open rates. But will not necessarily be seen by the correct senior decision-maker in the company.
Who do you work with, and do you have testimonials and case studies?
It is always beneficial to see who else the data supplier has provided information to and that they have plenty of testimonials and case studies to back this up.
What other areas can you help with?
If you are new to direct marketing and using data, it is advisable to work with a company that can provide further services to support your campaign, such as sending out emails, direct mail and assisting you with telephone marketing.
How much is your data, and do you have a minimum order?
Choose the right data company, a genuine data supplier has overheads, huge telephone costs and various licences to pay for, all included in the cost of the data. So be wary of data that is too cheap. This usually coincides with how up-to-date and clean the data will be, and in turn, how successful your campaign will be. To give an approximate rate, you can expect to pay between £200 / £300 per thousand records, with most data companies having a minimum order somewhere over £200.00.
BDP has a selection of up-to-date business lists that you can choose from to find the right one for your business. If you have any questions or want to inquire, please contact us by calling the number above or filling out our contact form to request a call-back. These are just several tips that you should be incorporating into your content strategies.
