Buying decision maker contact details..

[Scott@Tracto]

Hi Guys,

How have you got on with buying contact lists for decision makers for your market?

I am considering doing this in addition to gathering my own contacts on LinkedIn and company websites so I can attempt to tell them more about my company and services we offer that may be beneficial to them.

Some things I am worried about are the age of the records and annoying people by getting in touch out of the blue but I think that's a mindset I need to get out of the sell effectively.

Thanks

Scott

 

[ethical PR]

All depends on the quality of the lists you buy, how recently they have been verified, how many of your competitors have been given their details, what you sell and how you approach your decision makers

 

[Online Digital Coach]

Have you tried the Sales Navigator sales tool on Linkedin? It's about $60 a month but you can get one month's free trial. Definitely worth a go to see if it helps you. You can manage lists, unlock full profiles for leads not in your network and reach out to any Linkedin member.

Worth a trial for that much I'd say!

 

[Ostrich2000]

Like their phone numbers, emails. Firstly, I don't like to email them. It looks spammy. I like to call them (I work with small to medium sized businesses though). Now, what to say depends on your industry and your aim. What I say is different to what you may say, perhaps.

 

[Ashley_Price]

I am considering doing this in addition to gathering my own contacts on LinkedIn and company websites so I can attempt to tell them more about my company and services we offer that may be beneficial to them.

From my own experiences recently, I would strongly suggest you do not rely on Linkedin or even company websites for accuracy.

I phone a lot of firms (to try and speak to the person responsible for purchasing the office supplies) and I used to use details on the company website "Meet the staff" pages. Recently I did 15 phone calls, asking to speak to the relevant person at each firm and in three cases the person I wanted to speak to no longer worked there and their name hadn't yet been removed from the website.

As for Linkedin, so many people put a profile up and then never revisit it. The previous owner of Pavilion Office Products still has her current job as "Founder of Pavilion..." even though I bought it from her last December.

So, if you cannot guarantee the data from even a company's website, how can you be sure that buying from a third party will be any more accurate?

In all honesty, I have found the only way is to phone the firm and ask for the name of the person you need to speak to ("Can I have the name of the person responsible for buying the office supplies, please.") then you call them back a few days later.

 

[Nochexman]

How have you got on with buying contact lists for decision makers for your market?

I am considering doing this in addition to gathering my own contacts on LinkedIn and company websites so I can attempt to tell them more about my company and services we offer that may be beneficial to them.

Would be interested to understand why you arrived at the decision to take this particular approach if you are not already familiar with it?

 

[Ashley_Price]

Would be interested to understand why you arrived at the decision to take this particular approach if you are not already familiar with it?

Well, they haven't said they have made the decision... they are only "considering it" and they are now doing the research before making the decision.

 

[Nic - Attitude]

LinkedIn premium can really help you with this, building lists of key contacts with specific job titles, etc.

 

[Don Smith]

Forget all those social/business media sites, forget the internet altogether. You haven't said what your sector is, unless I missed it, but you need to get out there and meet people in your industry. I'm not talking about BNI and other self-serving local network groups, but trade shows, conferences etc. Trying to meet them one at a time is a fools errand and costly both in time and money. Evey business is in sales, find out where your buyers/decision makers go to purchase your product/service and you'll be halfway there. It'll usually cost a fair amount of cash, at leat at first, but it's the quickest way to get results, by far.

 

[Ashley_Price]

LinkedIn premium can really help you with this, building lists of key contacts with specific job titles, etc.

As I said above, you cannot rely on Linkedin profiles (even if you have a Premium account). Too many people sign up to Linkedin, put their current job role, etc., and then never update it.

The only accurate way of getting the details is by contacting the company and asking for the name of the person in that job role. I do this all the time now and in 7 out of 10 calls I get given the name.