For your lead generation campaign to bear fruit, it needs to be based on solid data. It all starts with finding and organising the right data for prospective leads, but this is only the first step.
Using service such as data profiling, you can unlock the real value within your data. You’ll be able to run more targeted campaigns, as profiling can help you identify leads most likely to be profitable for your company. This means you can stop wasting time and money on generic marketing efforts.
Data profiling – the basics
Data profiling involves running a series of exercises on your lists. The first stage is a degree of data cleansing (also known as structure or content discovery), to make sure that information is:
- Consistent and correctly formatted – ensuring that the database is easy to use, and that processes can be easily automated if needed
- Accurate – for example, ensuring that phone numbers contain the correct number of digits and correcting typos in email addresses
- Structured in a way that best suits your needs
It’s really easy for an error-strewn list to become unmanageable. Data sets grow and inaccuracies remain unaddressed, which costs your sales team time and money every day. Your data should be a valuable asset. If it isn’t, it’s clearly time to look into data cleansing.
Identifying key relationships and targets
This is where data profiling can really start to boost the value of your data. Data profiling experts run deeper-level analysis of your lists, starting with assessing the age, source and reliability of the information. They can also help to flesh out any data that is missing, filling gaps and making links between contacts.
This means smoother, faster processes for your team, as missing information can often cause delays or obstacles in progressing with a lead.
Data profiling also helps you to develop targeted campaigns, improving the effectiveness of almost every part of your lead generation efforts.
Using your data set, profilers can identify the targets and leads you should be focusing your energies on. So, you can say goodbye to the scattergun marketing approach, instead seeing better results by prioritising a smaller number of targets. These are the contacts most likely to prove profitable for your business.
Understanding your data
Crucially, data profiling helps you to gain a meaningful understanding of your data. So many businesses gather reams of data, but only use a tiny fraction of it to their advantage.
Data profilers can help you gain a real insight into your current and potential customers, as well as the systems, products and technology they use. This insight can be a powerful tool when it comes to lead nurturing, helping you make the right moves at the most opportune moments.
Remember – your data is immensely valuable, but only if you know how to use it.
To find out more about how data profiling could help your business, get in touch with IT Focus. We offer a range of essential data services, from procurement to profiling. Call us on 0330 058 0100 or email info@itfocus-tm.com.
