Many people ask me where they should purchase their list of Business-to-Business (B2B) sales prospects. They’re always asking which have the highest-quality prospects, Hoovers or Harte-Hanks? InfoUSA or NetProspex? Jigsaw or Spoke? The short answer, from my perspective, is that there is no single perfect source of raw B2B sales leads. All list sources have their pros and cons and, unfortunately, in most cases, they all will provide a fair amount of stale data.

A few months back, B2B Magazine published an article about a study that was conducted regarding compiled lists. One of the sources quoted in the article concluded that although the information provided in the study was more accurate than initially expected, there was a wide variance between the volume of contacts provided by each list source vendor.

So, what are the best list source options for B2B marketers? My view is that you must take a holistic approach with your list acquisition strategy and map it to your organization’s target industries, goals and budget.

With that in mind, here are my top ten tips to keep in mind when purchasing lists for your B2B marketing communications efforts:

1. Don’t expect a miracle: If you’re expecting upwards of 90% data integrity and accuracy, you’ll be sorely disappointed every time.
2. Look for quality over quantity: Don’t necessarily think that the vendor who can provide the most contacts for the least amount of money is the best, find out how each vendor compiles their lists.
3. Try association lists: Because association members pay for their memberships in trade organizations, and typically consent to the sharing of their information, this is a good route to explore.
4. Start with a purchased list, then cleanse and append: It’s always a good idea to scrub the raw list in order to update contacts and gather new decision makers by phone or through online research. If you need help with this process, I’ve got a great company to recommend!
5. Request a test list: Before purchasing a list from a broker or vendor, request a test list of 100 or so contacts to vet out the quality.
6. See if they have a return policy: Some list vendors will replace a certain percentage of contacts that are determined to be bad.
7. Shy away from lists with e-mail addresses: Purchasing e-mail lists can get you into hot water really quickly.
8. Use web aggregators for database building: Try online web ‘scrapers’ such as SalesView that can plug in directly to your CRM system.
9. Use ‘inbound’ list sources: TechTarget is a great option for list building because it provides information about people who are searching for and interested in particular technologies.
10. Build your own list: The best way to develop a list of sales leads for your B2B organization is to build it yourself using online lead capture forms, trade shows, referrals, teleprospecting activities, etc.

What do you think? Have you experienced success with a particular list source that you can recommend for B2B sales leads? Any horror stories you’d like to share? Do you have any other tips for purchasing lists of B2B sales leads?

To be a good B2B content marketer, it is very important to understand your audience. In addition to understanding their motivations and role in an organization, it is critical to know what information they will seek in each stage of the buying cycle. That’s where content mapping comes in.

Content mapping simply means developing different types of content and delivery mechanisms based on buyer personas and stages in the buying cycle. Because B2B marketers are attempting to connect to multiple decision makers in each organization throughout a long and complex sales cycle, it is of the utmost importance to build a framework that serves up content which meets their needs and appeals to solving their specific pain points.

So, what does an effective content map look like? Well obviously this will vary based on your product or service, industry and a variety of other factors. However, here are a few guidelines:

1. Keep it simple at first, then get more complex: Early in the sales cycle, ‘awareness messages’ delivered in compelling ways, such as video, will work just fine to get attention and draw your prospects in. However, as they move down the purchasing path, you need to provide more complex information, like case studies and white papers.
2. Figure out your buyer personas, then target them with content: You may be marketing to purchasers, users, influencers and gatekeepers, so you must have specific content that appeals to each of them. An easy way to do this is to start with job titles. Put together an e-book or white paper titled ‘5 thing every CFO needs to know about cutting IT costs.’ Another example would be ‘An IT Director’s guide to gaining better efficiency with cloud computing.’
3. Remember to map your delivery mechanisms: It’s also important to map your delivery mechanisms to the buyer personas and stages in the sales cycle. Early stage awareness messages might be delivered by your company blog or online banner ads, but more complex messages should be delivered via nurture e-mails and even direct mail.

Do you have a content mapping strategy for your organization? How many buyer personas are you targeting? What content do you offer during different stages in the sales cycle and what delivery mechanisms do you use?

The Jersey Shore is arguably the most successful reality show in MTV history. With huge ratings, multiple seasons, spin-offs, product endorsements, and even a stint on Dancing with the Stars for Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino, it’s clear that the success of this franchise is unprecedented. But, what does a TV show about twenty-somethings engaging in all sorts of debauchery in New Jersey have to do with B2B marketing? In my view, it all comes down to GTL.

For those familiar with the show, you know that GTL is an acronym for Gym, Tan, Laundry, the daily ritual for the male characters on the show to make sure they look ‘fresh’ at all time. Here are a few ways I think the concept of GTL can apply to your B2B brand.

Photo credit: http://www.gymtanlaundry.com/

Gym: At Canyon, we believe in building all communications programs from a strong brand platform. This involves building your brand using research-based, differentiated positioning and support messages that your target audience will respond to favorably. Just like the Jersey Shore boys pump up their muscles, this is how you beef up your brand.

Tan: Once you have a unique story to tell, it’s all about packaging it well. This is where your brand identity comes in. Having a professional, polished image that mirrors your brand positioning is very important to building credibility with your target audiences. If your brand is fun and irreverent, your visual identity should reflect that. If it’s more conservative and serious, your image should be the same. The Jersey boys always strive to achieve a bronze glow, and as such, your brand should shine in the eyes of your customers and prospects.

Laundry: With B2B branding, I think it’s always important to keep things fresh. That doesn’t necessarily mean redesigning your logo and materials every few years, I’m talking more about content. To achieve optimal results from your content marketing efforts, it is necessary to continuously develop and distribute compelling content. Just like the Jersey Shore cast needs a constant supply of clean clothes, your B2B business needs a constant supply of compelling content.

Does your business participate in the GTL concept? What other lessons from pop culture have you learned that apply to business-to-business marketing?

Is there a sales and marketing lovefest going on at your organization? Do your sales and marketing departments go together like ham and cheese or oil and water? Are you using the perfect combination of technology tools and strategies to find new customers?

If you answered no to any of these questions, please join our strategic partner, Loop Demand Gen, for a Lunch and Learn on Sales and Marketing Alignment presented in conjunction with the Arizona Technology Council on October 12^th. Here’s why you should attend:

1. You’ll learn about the best practices in sales and marketing alignment
2. See why aligning technology tools and strategies are critically important for business growth
3. Learn how to automate lead capture, opportunity scoring, e-mail follow-up and online prospect tracking
4. Experience a live demonstration of marketing automation and CRM technology

Best of all, one lucky attendee who requests and downloads the ‘What is Demand Gen?’ white paper prior to the Lunch and Learn will win an iPod® Shuffle and have the opportunity to participate in the marketing automation technology demonstration.

Click here to find out more and to RSVP. We look forward to looping in with you.