Sales and marketing without good data is like going on a trip without a road map. You have an idea of where you want to go, but the route to your destination is unclear. The result: campaigns that don't land well, leads that don't match, and a sales funnel that runs poorly.
What you're missing is focus. And you can only achieve that focus with a clear customer profile. Not based on assumptions or old lists, but with up-to-date and reliable customer data that shows who actually is relevant. That is the foundation of targeted, effective B2B marketing and data-driven sales.
Not every customer is equally as valuable
Many organizations focus primarily on revenue or customer size while determining their target audience. That makes sense, but it doesn't tell all the story. A customer who orders a lot, but consistently pays late or requires a lot of time and support is not necessarily valuable to your business.
That's why it's smart to take a broader view: who are your most profitable customers? Which customers best fit your strategy? And who has the potential to grow with your organization?
If you only work with data from your CRM, you often miss important signals. Think of changing ownership structures, credit risks, growth signals, or links with other companies within a group. Only when you take all these layers into account will you obtain a complete and reliable customer profile.
External data to enhance CRM data
Internal data (i.e., customer data and data you have collected yourself over time about a customer) is a good start, but often one-sided. External data provides context and helps you deepen your customer insights. This gives you a better understanding of industry developments, financial health, structural changes, and other factors that influence customer value and risk.
Data-driven segmentation allows you to identify companies that resemble your best-performing customers. You discover connections within business groups and spot new commercial opportunities sooner. This results in sharper targeting, better timing of your marketing campaigns, and greater impact in your lead generation.
Interesting read: The new realities of the B2B market require a smarter way of looking at prospects
Keeping customer data up to date is crucial
A customer profile is not a snapshot in time. Companies grow, shrink, change ownership, or merge. If you miss these signals, you will be working with outdated insights and falling behind on the facts.
By regularly enriching and monitoring your data, you stay sharp. Think of changes in ownership, payment behaviour, or company structure. This helps you determine whether a customer still falls within your focus and whether a prospect actually has potential.
What this means for sales and marketing
With up-to-date and complete data, you can use your sales funnel and marketing campaigns in a much more targeted way. You prevent wasting budget and help your commercial teams to prioritize effectively. This allows you to work effectively on growth instead of shooting in the dark.
Read more about our Sales & Marketing solutions here.
Conclusion: from a broad target audience to targeted sales and marketing
Effective B2B sales and marketing starts with a clear picture of who your ideal customer is. Not based on gut feeling, but on current and enriched customer data. By continuously improving your customer profiles and keeping them up to date, you gain control over your target audience and growth potential. This prevents you from investing time and money in the wrong companies. You focus on customers who are truly valuable to your organization.
