How to Generate New B2B Customers: WHY RENT A DATABASE?
When using direct mail to generate new business-to-business customers, a quality database is essential to a successful campaign. However, a database is only as good as the sources from which its names were taken. The best list sources for building high-response business-to-business databases are ABC or BPA-audited trade publication subscribers, seminar attendees, catalog buyers, book buyers, and association members.
There are several functions you can target within a business-to-business database, each again with its own nuances:
CFOs are economical buyers, and your marketing must prove to them that your product gives a quick return on investment (ROI). CFOs are extremely responsive to offers for time management, business management, insurance, training, and financial products.
CEOs are “big picture” buyers.
Their primary concern is whether yours is a reputable, stable organization.
They are not interested in nuts-and-bolts details, leaving that to their
direct reports. Products and services they buy include financial, office,
insurance, education, travel, cellular, incentives, and time management.
Managers buy products and services
that help solve business problems and are focused
on helping the company reduce costs, improve quality,
or increase profits. Offers that work well to this
segment include time management, managerial publications,
training, office products and services, cellular,
continuing education, and operational products.
Engineers research, evaluate, and recommend the purchase of raw materials, chemicals, equipment, components, and other products to management based on their technical merits. Engineers also buy computers, software, equipment, continuing education, tools, training, association memberships, and educational materials.
IT (Information Technology) professionals build tomorrow’s infrastructure, and recommend computers, software, and systems to upper management. Offers that work well to this segment include hardware, software, security, networking, storage, training, and educational materials.
Sales and marketing professionals are enthused seekers of information on sales, marketing, and business communication topics as well as market intelligence in their company’s industry. They tend to be aggressive and ambitious, and can make big decisions swiftly. These professionals are responsive to offers for time management, cellular, management publications, travel, and incentives.
HR and Training professionals are also avid information seekers, looking for guidance on such topics as employment law, hiring, employee recruitment and retention, and management, as well as skills in which they need to train company employees (e.g., safety, regulatory requirements, leadership). Extremely responsive to offers for compliance, risk management, employment law, insurance, training, management, travel, educational materials, office products and services, and continuing education.
