Quantity is never better than quality, and quality goes above anything else. This is true in many life and business situations, but it couldn't be more true for databases. Having a database with thousands of emails sounds like a paradise for prospecting and growth. However, this is an illusion.
While every company aims to increase its databases and increase the number of records in its CRM, the truth is that a bad capture or the wrong data can be more costly than not having it in the first place.
Think of all your campaigns that have been sent to mailboxes and not opened by anyone, or how frustrating it can be to have a prospect interested in your product, giving them the incorrect follow-up and having them work with a competitor.
The integrity of your database is defined as the accuracy, usefulness, and consistency of the data you store. Integrity benefits from constant updates and backups.
A complete database is a pillar in every growth strategy as it will help you:
- Trust the results of your team
- Offer a better experience to your customers
- Create additional sources of income and sales
- Align your sales, marketing, and customer service teams
- Make better strategic decisions
- Save on storage, administration, and operation
Now that you know how important it is to keep your data as clean and complete as possible, you may be wondering how to do it. Here are 10 tips we recommend:
1. Remove Duplicates
One of the most frequent problems found in databases is duplicate records. There are many reasons why this can happen. For example, a salesperson who doesn't check the information before entering it could add a customer already registered in the CRM. Or, the same client could enter the CRM through different contact points, giving slightly different information, meaning the same person would have 2, 3, or more records within the system. This creates unnecessary storage costs and results in the same customer being contacted multiple times, giving them a poor experience.
Duplicate data can be cleaned manually, but the best alternative is to use automated tools with artificial intelligence as they do most of the work.
2. Use Enrichment Tools
Another thing you can do to create a reliable database is to take advantage of data enrichment tools. This tool can shorten the forms you use, requesting only a couple of pieces of information from a customer, with the rest completed by your CRM. This prevents the same user from entering the same information into distinct records. These tools use public databases and can be monumental in organizing information.
3. Interact With Your Audience
To know if your customer base is healthy, analyzing interaction is key. A low Open Rate can be a red flag in terms of the integrity of your database since it means the several records you have are not being of much use. To solve this, offer different content that invites the client/prospect to interact with you, such as webinars, articles, and whitepapers.
4. Use Validation Tools
One of the simplest methods to considerably improve the data that enters your CRM is using a tool that validates the email addresses and telephone numbers you receive by checking that they are real and working. These tools range from basic (public accounts) to advanced services with public and private records. Furthermore, strategies that lead the user to personally validate their data, like requesting authentication or sending the content directly to their email account, ensure that their information is valid.
5. Let Your Users Update Information Themselves
Who better to validate the data of your contacts than the contacts themselves? An efficient strategy is to encourage your customers and prospects to update their data. It can be done through a pop-up on your website or through offering an incentive to do so. Some companies offer a personalized experience to their customers. In the process, they collect additional information, such as the size of your company and the number of weekly communications you wish to receive. If you allow your users to customize their experience, they will offer you valuable information.
6. Standardize
The more precise you are with the data you request from your customers and prospects, the better the results tend to be. It's important to define what type of data you need and what its purpose will be. For example, it is of little use to know how many employees your contact's company has if you do not have a strategy designed based on this information. Another drawback of not standardizing your procedures is requesting different data repeatedly, leading to duplicate contacts and poor-quality leads.
7. Highlight the Importance of Better Data
On many occasions, those who operate the CRM do not emphasize how costly it can be to have poor-quality data. If you accentuate the significance of data-driven decisions and integrate these actions as a core part of your processes, you will have better data in the short and long term.
8. Secure Data
One of the main fears of any company that works with data is its vulnerability. That is why you must have trustworthy, secure systems. Check the encryption and security parameters of the tool you use and store the data in that system in the most contained way. When the data begins to migrate from one platform to another, the dangers of leaks and misconfigurations arise, so you must ensure that the connections you have are safe and efficient. Defining the purpose and worth of your data is crucial. You may have several contacts that are currently unused, but they don't have to be removed. Instead, they could be stored until the right moment arrives.
9. Audit Constantly
How often you do this depends on the amount of data in your database, but auditing your data is vital. Look at whether the information is correct, and take advantage of these reviews you receive. The goal is to analyze what data is used, what is collected without any use, and what else could be useful. For example, it may be that the number of employees a company has was not relevant data when you started your business. However, it could become data that will give you better direction and promising results. Auditing constantly ensures that your processes are as smooth and streamlined as possible.
10. Automate
The fewer manual processes you have to obtain data and revenue within your CRM, the greater your chances of success. Humans are far from perfect for autonomous and repetitive tasks, and to be honest, nobody has time to update information, ensuring that it is constantly entered correctly. Artificial intelligence tools and automated flows make these monotonous tasks a thing of the past and help keep your data up-to-date.
Keeping your data as up-to-date and clean as possible should be one of your company's top priorities. Although it seems like that only applies to large companies with infrastructure, the truth is that cleansing data benefits all companies regardless of size. If you have any doubts, feel free to schedule a call with me, and we'll analyze what we can do for you and your company to keep your data up-to-date and grow your business.
