When you go to the doctor you expect careful examination of
your specific ailments, right? You have
no interest in a template response that doesn’t evaluate your pain points or symptoms. You do not want to be treated like a
textbook. So, why are there so many
sales and marketers treating their leads and prospects like data and not like companies
with individual needs?
If your doctor measured your weight, height and then
factored your age to spit out a remedy for your problem, you’d probably be
dissatisfied with that visit and quickly look for a new physician. Let’s call those measurements, firmographic
data. On the other hand, if your physician
sat you down and listened to some of your symptoms and engaged in a
conversation that allowed he/she to understand why you are having the symptoms,
they would much more likely be able to make an accurate assessment and provide
you with helpful remedies. Let’s call these symptoms, triggers. Sales and Marketing is no
different.
This is not to say that at the doctor’s office they
shouldn’t measure your height, weight and age.
It is a necessary starting point.
In sales and marketing, firmographic data is important. We need it in order to begin the segmentation
process, but you can’t stop there; there are other symptoms to consider. We
like to call these symptoms event triggers.
What events have occurred that could factor into your leads buying
process? Did they just have an M&A? Did the VP step down? Did they just publish their earnings? These are important questions to help decide
what your next move will be. Think of
yourself as the doctor – how are you prepared to best help your prospects’ and
leads’ pain points? Firmographic data will only get you so far; you need
dynamic data to make an accurate assessment of your patient. You need to research and listen to their
needs to find the best remedy that your leads and prospects deserve.
How do you find that data?
Finding
dynamic event data is much simpler now that there are automated solutions to
help you discover which companies need your services. Not taking advantage of
these services is like a doctor only looking at weight, height and age and
prescribing you medicine that you might not need when you might not need it.
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