Yes, this statement is true when you have a marketing
campaign launch round the corner and all you need is a targeted list that
covers your target audience. You finally make a purchase with renowned list
company and all you get is irrelevant contacts or industries that does not
match your objectives and turns out be a waste of time and money!
With tons of campaigns launched every hour, all demand gen
and marketing professionals hunt for best business list company that can
offer lists that are cost effective, accurate and 100% based on their target
definition or criteria. The cycle involved in a list purchase includes 3 things
that are most common:
- Identifying
a list company that understands your marketing objective
- The
list company offers best in the industry cost and delivery turn around
- List
is purchased and the campaign is finally all set to launch
The #4 step is what you discover later!
4. The list was not based on their target criteria and is
finally turning out to be a sheer waste of money and hence, time. So originally
when a list should have cost only few thousand dollars, it costs you all a
fortune and most importantly your campaign gets delayed!
What is the solution?
The solution is simple yet tricky! You need to follow simple
due-diligence and opt for the companies that have a proven track record in
providing what you want! There are 3 simple steps you can follow to be sure of
getting a business list that is targeted, accurate and completely matches your
criteria:
- Samples
can be Illusive: I
know samples help a lot but Never fall for samples. If a company offers
you the samples that are not based on your target audience always try to
see the flip-side of the coin. Ask yourself whether the company was able
to understand your specific requirements while providing you with the
samples. If the samples are not provided correctly at the very first
instance and all you hear is excuses, you are in the wrong hands dear!
Strike out that company from your list and search for a good and reliable
option.
2.
You get what you pay for: When many list
vendors/brokers offering cheap lists you are sure to hurt your pocket and
campaign with irrelevant records. I come across several posts on LinkedIn where
people report many list brokers and companies who never show up after the
payment. Here is a golden rule to be safe. Always look for data companies
that require no/minimum upfront payments. There are many companies that offer
you database with minimum or
NO UPFRONT PAYMENTS. If you are
successful in finding one, trust me you are safe!
3.
Read The Fine Prints: Be sure to check
with your data companies about their accuracies and guarantees. Where some
companies offer accuracies to only limited fields that include connectivity or
emails, always ensure that you get a clear understanding of what is being
included. A database that has all the fields covered is great buy and there are
many list companies that will offer you guarantees on all the filters.
