An effective B2B marketing strategy uses not just intent data but also fit data. Whereas intent measures another company’s interest in your products or services, B2B fit data identifies companies that need your products or services.
Sources of this data are technographic, employee and firmographic data on companies within your total addressable market (TAM).
Data scientists present this data as segments for marketing departments’ ideal customer profile (ICP). These segments and profiles note company technographics, market share, and location as well as employee contact information and job title. The best b2b marketing fit data also identifies company buying triggers and pain points.
Fit data is used to improve marketing and promotional campaigns, in addition to the overall improvement of B2B sales.
The first place to check to determine whether your B2b fit data provides quality information, is the dataset’s depth and timeliness. The best B2B fitness datasets incorporate a lot of company and intent data. They also must provide the most up-to-date information possible; sales, especially for businesses that need your products and services right away, go very quickly.
Secondly, the true test of quality B2B marketing fit data is the successful conversion rate. Ultimately, this is the best test of quality sales-generation data. It does not show results until after use, however, it does allow for sales and marketing teams to refine the dataset if it doesn’t generate as many leads as desired; in this way, it is more flexible and forgoing than many other types of data you may encounter.
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3. Do the companies within your ICP have an urgent problem you can solve?
Urgency doesn’t mean market your product today, sell tomorrow. The average B2B sales cycle for 75% of new customers is at least four months. When developing your ICP, urgency simply refers to the actual need for your product. These customers are aware of their pain points and know something needs to be done to solve them. Having this information about a target account ensures you aren’t wasting marketing dollars on those companies who might be the perfect fit, but they just signed a two-year contract with one of your competitors. It also contributes to an overall shorter sales cycle (there’s no need to spend time convincing these accounts they need you), saving your marketing team money and your sales team time.
Entrepreneur: 5 Questions to Ask When Creating Your Ideal Customer Profile