Marketers today are looking for strong acquisition strategies that drive conversions. This typically involves regularly purchasing or renting prospect data.
And while it is of course important to know who is on the list, it is equally important (or perhaps more important) to know where the list came from.
Ask your provider:
- Where did this list come from?
- Have these contacts opted into email?
- How recently was this list updated?
Knowing where your data comes from is crucial for knowing if you have the right permission to contact them, especially with email. You need to know if the contacts have opted into email because otherwise you risk violating CAN-SPAM or GDPR policy. You can work with your provider to send third-party emails to contacts that have previously opted into marketing messages. (We can help you get started with that.)
It’s important to understand how recently the list was updated as well. You want to make sure that your list is accurate and up to date, not containing errors or missing important information.Related: How to Use Data to Power Up Your Customer Acquisition
You want to make sure that your list is accurate and up to date, not containing errors or missing important information. Every prospect list contains people who have moved away (and in many cases passed away) that need to be accounted for.
Otherwise, you risk mailing to people who will never see your message (or worse, risk offending the person that does receive it.) A printed error may appear more obvious or noticeable than one you might see online, with a stronger negative impact on the recipient.
The Bottom Line
Taking the time to understand your data and remaining vigilant about where it comes from will benefit you in the long run and lead to more accurate and relevant campaigns.
