Utilising Email Data Lists – Quality vs Quantity?
An increasing amount of marketing is utilizing email data lists rather than postal mailing. So we are asked more and more for as many email addresses in a sector as possible. After all, many companies think there is only a small cost penalty for adding a few more hundred names to an email. And then sending it out to the maximum number of people. In comparison to the print, post and fulfilment costs of a direct mail piece.
In this blog post, we will be going through the benefits and drawbacks of quality B2B data and both the quality of email data and the quantity and which one is better in the long term.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Loss of credibility
There may be little cost penalty to email marketing. However, there is a credibility and time penalty. For example, substantial amounts of bounces do not impress email delivery services and clog up in-boxes. Also, poorly targeted emails will ensure your domain is registered on spam lists. Before you even get through to the real person, you need to get to.
No anonymous emails
Email lists should be just as tightly targeted as direct mail. Furthermore, an info@ or sales@ email is even less likely to hit any target. Then a “For the attention of the Sales Director” titled postal letter. Whilst we are not recommending a non-named direct mail piece. At least it will arrive in the building!
Out of date more quickly.
In turn, the speed of change with email addresses is frightening. In addition, the accelerating level of personnel change within businesses (right now, who feels safe from redundancy/downsizing?). And the quality and accuracy of an email list are tough to keep on top of. Therefore, you don’t want to be sending emails to an address that is no longer in use as these are not used emails to have. As well as decreases the overall quality of the email data list. Which wastes your time when you are emailing them.
Follow up: you need to be selling, not data cleansing…
Even the most attractive message in an email is implausible these days to get someone replying straight off with an “I’ve not used you before, but here’s an order for your fine product, please ship it immediately”.
Life is more complicated than that. Therefore, having a follow-up on your email campaign is essential. And what is the point of laboriously following up on the emails you sent out if up to 50% of them result in a call all about data cleansing? Rather than the chance to make a sales pitch – “No, he/she isn’t here any more, you need to amend your records [and stop wasting my time…].”
Do the maths
Ensuring that an email address is up-to-date, accurate and relevant to the marketing objective requires time and care. Instead of just supplying any old data list with thousands of names, so, yes, it’s likely to cost a bit more.
However, VALUE is a worthwhile investment if done correctly in terms of VALUE across the entire process, including the likely conversion rate. After all, quality outperforms quantity every time.
Overall, having an up-to-date and higher quality data list that is accurate and relevant to what you are trying to sell or promote is better than having a large list with more names but not relating to the product or your target audience.
Here at BDP, we have an extensive range of up-to-date email data lists and would be happy to help you with any enquiries.
If you have any questions or want to enquire, please contact us by calling the number above or fill out our contact form to request a call-back.
