It’s that time of year again, and the “new year, new me” attitude will be in full effect for at least another few weeks or so. It doesn’t hurt to also start developing steps to improve and enhance your performance at work to make this year even better than the last. One way to improve in the New Year is to start at the foundation, and for many of us B2B sales development reps, that means cleaning up the database. After all, quality data is the key to success in inside sales. Here are 3 steps to B2B data management:
1. Become familiar with your database system and its capabilities.
A huge overhaul of your entire database is both unnecessary and unrealistic as you start off the New Year. Just because you have a new goal to improve your organization and clean up your data does not mean you suddenly have all the extra time to do so. In order to effectively clean up your data, you have to start small and ensure that the process does not become overwhelming. No matter what system you use to organize your data, it is imperative that you become familiar with just what your system is capable of and develop a consistent method to use these features.
2. Create a process and stick with it.
Once you have a better understanding of what your database system is capable of, start creating a simple, easy-to-follow strategy to clean up your data in conjunction with performing your normal, daily tasks. Creating just one extra task a day can save you from having to perform multiple tasks later on. Upon opening a record, take the extra time to ensure your contact’s professional information is correct and that the company information is up-to-date. If you make any changes, make sure you make changes to all associated records so that you are saving future steps. Be sure to check that these fields are being entered correctly by running a periodic scan as a failsafe. If you share a database with others, creating a simple process that works for everyone will improve efficiency throughout your organization. Once this process has been established, be sure to get in the habit of following it. It’s easy to slip back into old routines, so don’t just use the new process for a few months and then stop. Consistency is key!
3. Take more notes and create meaningful fields.
Have you ever come across old data and found notes that are incomplete or just don’t make any sense at all? When this is the case, how do you proceed? Do you try to make use of the information gathered thus far? Or do you start from scratch – losing all the progress that past effort had achieved? Clear, concise, and meaningful notes are imperative, especially when an account must be continually nurtured and is not ready to move on to the next step right away. Make sure that you are utilizing fields that make the most sense for recording data that aids in achieving your end goals.
The cleaner your data, the easier and more successful your prospecting efforts will be. Happy sales prospecting!
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