Custom-Built B2B Contact Databases:
A Case Study in Transforming Email Campaign Effectiveness
B2B Contact Lists
In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, the success of email campaigns hinges on the precision and relevance of the b2b contacts sourced. When a contact database is stale, incomplete, or filled with irrelevant profiles, the ripple effects can be devastating: decreased open rates, poor engagement, and ultimately, a negative impact on ROI.
This case study explores how Ascentrik Research, a leading firm in data solutions, helped a prominent company overcome these challenges by delivering a meticulously curated and accurate b2b contact list. The results were transformative, illustrating the profound impact that high-quality data can have on email marketing effectiveness.
The Client: Company Overview
Our client, a prominent player in the niche industrial equipment sector, had been experiencing declining performance in their email marketing campaigns. The company specialises in high-end machinery and technical solutions for manufacturing industries. They serve a highly specialised market with a diverse range of products and services.
The Problem: Contact Data Quality
Our client’s marketing team faced a significant challenge with their email campaigns. Despite their best efforts to craft compelling messages and design engaging content, they were seeing persistently low open and click-through rates. Upon investigating, it became evident that the core issue was the quality of their b2b contact database.
- Stale Data: Many of the b2b contacts in the database were outdated, leading to high bounce rates and undelivered emails.
- Incomplete Profiles: Numerous entries lacked crucial information such as job titles, company size, and industry details, rendering the contact list ineffective for targeted marketing.
- Irrelevant Contacts: The b2b contact database contained profiles that were no longer relevant to our client’s current offerings, diluting the effectiveness of their campaigns.
These issues were not just hampering their email campaigns but were also affecting overall marketing ROI and customer engagement.
Solution Strategy: Ascentrik Research’s Approach
Understanding the Client’s Needs
Ascentrik Research began by conducting a thorough analysis of our client’s existing contact database. This involved:
- Contact Data Audit: Reviewing the existing b2b contact list to identify gaps and areas for improvement.
- Campaign Analysis: Assessing previous email campaigns to understand the relationship between contact data quality and campaign performance.
- Client Consultation: Engaging with the client’s marketing team to understand their target audience, key industry segments, and specific needs.
Custom Contact Database Development
- Data Collection and Verification: Ascentrik Research initiated a comprehensive data collection process. This involved:
- Industry-Specific Research: Gathering information from a variety of sources to ensure relevance and accuracy, including industry reports, trade publications, and business directories.
- Quality Check: Conducting quality checks to validate and update contact information, ensuring that each entry was current and accurate.
- Segmentation and Customization: To address the need for targeted marketing, Ascentrik Research customised the b2b contact list by:
- Segmenting by Industry: Creating detailed profiles based on specific industries within the manufacturing sector, such as automotive, aerospace, and electronics.
- Job Function and Role: Including detailed job titles and functions to ensure that messages reached the appropriate decision-makers.
- Data Enrichment: Enhancing the database with additional details such as:
- Company Size: Including metrics on company size to tailor messages to businesses of different scales
- Geographic Location: Adding location data to target regional markets effectively.
- Quality Assurance: Ensuring the contact database’s accuracy through:
- Regular Updates: Implementing a schedule for periodic updates and verifications to maintain data quality.
- Validation Tools: Using advanced data validation tools to cross-check and confirm the accuracy of contact data.
Implementation and Integration
Once the custom b2b contact list was ready, Ascentrik Research worked closely with our client to integrate it into their existing CRM and email marketing platforms. This included:
- CRM Integration: Ensuring seamless integration with our client’s CRM system for efficient data management and utilisation.
- Training and Support: Providing training sessions for the client’s marketing team to maximise the use of the new database and tools.
Results: Transforming Email Campaign Performance
The impact of Ascentrik’s contact data on our client’s email campaigns was profound and multifaceted.
Improved Deliverability and Open Rates
With a clean and accurate b2b contact list, our client experienced:
- Reduced Bounce Rates: A significant decrease in email bounce rates as outdated or invalid addresses were removed.
- Increased Open Rates: A notable improvement in open rates as emails reached relevant and engaged recipients.
Enhanced Targeting and Engagement
The custom segmentation and enrichment led to:
- Higher Click-Through Rates: More targeted messages resulted in higher engagement, with recipients finding content more relevant to their interests and needs.
- Better Conversion Rates: Improved targeting and personalized content contributed to increased conversions and a higher return on investment.
Long-Term Benefits
Beyond immediate campaign improvements, the new b2b contact database provided long-term benefits:
- Sustained Data Quality: Ongoing updates and maintenance ensured that the contact database remained current and valuable for future campaigns.
- Strategic Insights: The enriched data offered valuable insights into market trends and customer behavior, helping our client refine their marketing strategies.
Lessons Learned
The Importance of Data Quality
This case study underscores the critical role that contact data and company database quality plays in the success of email marketing campaigns. A well-maintained and accurate contact database can significantly enhance campaign effectiveness and overall marketing performance.
Customization and Segmentation
Tailoring the b2b contact database to specific industry segments and roles proved to be a game-changer. Customization allows for more relevant and targeted messaging, which is crucial in niche markets.
Ongoing Data Management
Maintaining contact data quality is not a one-time task but an ongoing process. Regular updates and validations are essential to ensure that the contact database remains accurate and effective over time.
Conclusion
Ascentrik Research’s work with our client demonstrates the transformative power of accurate and customized contact databases. By addressing issues of stale, incomplete, and irrelevant data, Ascentrik not only revitalized our client’s email campaigns but also provided a strategic advantage in their marketing efforts. This case study highlights the value of investing in high-quality data solutions and the positive impact they can have on marketing performance and ROI.
Features and Benefits of Ascentrik’s Custom B2B Contact Lists, to Empower Lead Generation
Since our b2b contact lists are freshly built for each client, and not stored in databases, our b2b contacts are always 100% fresh and accurate. They do not face the disadvantage of getting stale as they are refreshed by our team for your current email campaign. In the rare event that a b2b contact turns out to be stale, we give you a replacement contact.
We are among the few providers of contact data, who offer data for consent marketing, which includes single and double opt-ins. Because of our bespoke research and full-time team of researchers, we can provide data for highly targeted and niche industries and job roles. Since these categories are not broad, they are not found and updated in general contact databases.
Since our b2b contact databases come with the highest accuracy levels, it saves your email marketing spend, enables personalisation of messages and improves your lead generation efforts. You will be targeting the right prospects with the right marketing messages, creating a greater likelihood of a response from those on your list.
If you have an existing database, our b2b contact list enrichment features will enable you to keep your contact database clean and ready for your next campaign. Many sellers of contact databases claim to offer real-time updates of b2b contacts, yet many users complain of inaccurate data and email bounces. Our solution to this problem is building fresh contact databases for your campaigns, so that b2b contacts are always up-to-date.
Our contact data is fully compliant with data protection regulations like GDPR. Many organisations are concerned about how sensitive data is handled, and can be assured that our data and processes are completely trustworthy.
Pricing Models for B2B Contact Databases
Many data companies function on subscription plans and credit systems. Some companies have a large upfront annual payment against which you get a certain number of credits to use. This means you are locked with a company for one year, or you’ll be paying a higher monthly subscription cost.
We offer a very convenient and customised pricing solution to meet every organisation’s varied needs. Our pricing is based on the volume and type of b2b contacts you are looking for. Data that belongs to niche job categories and titles, and data that contains opt-ins comes at a higher price because of its premium nature.