What Data Should Be Utilized?
To more efficiently promote GTM strategy planning and customer engagement, it is important to supplement existing customer data with the following types of data obtained from data providers:
1. Industry Data
Based on the Japan Standard Industrial Classification and proprietary classifications from corporate data providers, we segment target companies and define clusters that have high affinity with our products and services.
2. Sales/Profit-Related Data
We assess whether a company is in a financial position to invest by tracking trends in their revenue and profit growth or decline. We also group data based on investment areas mentioned in documents such as medium-term management plans.
3. Corporate Scale Data
By tracking the number of personnel (executives and employees), we identify the scale and location of offices beyond the headquarters. Furthermore, by analyzing publicly available information, we identify areas where the company intends to allocate human resources.
4. Technographic Data
We identify tools implemented on websites to evaluate a company's progress in digital transformation. Marketing-related tools, in particular, can be used to research competitor trends and evaluate the likelihood of successful business negotiations.
5. Intent Data
We visualize the interests of companies and key personnel based on their behavioral trends on media sites. This also provides information relevant to prioritizing approaches, such as whether interest in competitor services is increasing.
6. Affiliation Data
We clearly define and classify relationships between companies, branches, and organizations based on capital and other criteria. This allows us to identify group companies that likely face similar challenges and consider horizontal expansion of B2B sales approaches.
By utilizing multiple data providers that possess the data mentioned above, it becomes possible to understand customers from various perspectives and refine tactics.
What Can Be Achieved by Utilizing Data?
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So, how exactly should data be utilized?
While there are various success stories, here are three of the most common data utilization policies.
Deepening Customer Understanding by Appending "Supplementary Information" to Companies
Corporate research via desk research allows you to grasp a company's "current position," such as its company profile, history, and related news. However, it is difficult to understand the background leading to the present, the connection from the "past" to the present, and the management's "future" aspirations. Consequently, you are often forced to simply keep making appointments to infer BANT criteria.
By identifying in advance which departments have potential needs related to your company and what kind of investments those departments are making, B2B sales efficiency can be dramatically improved.
By aggregating various information released by the target company, connecting highly relevant data, and interpreting the context of their corporate activities, it is possible to infer the nature and urgency of their needs.
Increasing the accuracy of these inferences and enhancing customer resolution is the primary benefit of utilizing the data mentioned earlier.
Optimizing Customer Approaches Using "Fresh Supplementary Information"
Traditional, long-established data providers have built their businesses primarily through manual data collection and verification. While this method ensures data accuracy and comprehensiveness, it often lacks "freshness" (real-time capability).
Generally, data providers that also offer online data are considered to provide higher information freshness while also improving accuracy and comprehensiveness.
By utilizing data providers that incorporate online data and digital technology while retaining the strengths of offline data collection, you can establish an environment where you can access a vast amount of corporate data while ensuring "freshness." This allows you to grasp information faster than competitors and consider ways to advance negotiations advantageously.
Reducing Time Costs by Utilizing "More Information Sources"
Information from a single data provider cannot satisfy all needs.
However, when utilizing multiple data providers, integration is often considered difficult due to the aforementioned differences in "freshness."
By integrating multiple data sources and centralizing the flow of information into a single data management system, you can eliminate data-related tasks previously performed manually using CRM tools, allowing more time for strategic discussions.
