What’s More Important: Accounts or Contacts?
Tough one! Like “the chicken or the egg” question, yes?
As we all know, both account and contact data are important. You sell to accounts. And you sell to accounts by working with contacts.
But right now as you read this, an important fleet account in your target market is likely getting thrown out.
We just tipped our hand to our vote.
Here’s the problem: Entire accounts are too often tossed out when there’s a small thing wrong with a contact at the account.
Maybe there’s no valid email. Maybe there’s no mobile phone. Maybe after a multi-touch sequence, there was no connect.
Should an entire account get overlooked because of this? Especially if it’s a bigger fleet with many contacts?
Fleet suppliers with high growth and momentum do something really well: They operate as if their target market is finite.
Treat your market with great care. You can do that by not treating data like a “throwaway lead list.” Instead, treat your data as the investment it is, and build a strong prospect database.
What’s the difference between lead lists and a database?
Lists are often treated like data dumps into CRM. Then you run mass dials and emails to the lists.
And if a contact name, phone number or email is not valid, the entire account is tossed out.
But, the account is in your market! They have the vehicles for which you sell products or services. That does not change.
And if you sell to larger fleets, there’s precious few of them.
When accounts are eliminated so easily, your usable data shrinks. Your reachable market shrinks.
Here’s what the fast-growing companies tend to do:
Take great care of the fleet accounts in CRM. This data is gold. Maintain the account data, and the contacts at the accounts, over the long haul. Yes, there are challenges. Yes, data can change fast. But tracking the changes and updating your data is an investment in your growth.
If you’ve ever struggled with not knowing what companies have the fleet size or types of vehicles you seek … if you’ve suspected there are fleet prospects out there that you’re not aware of … well, that market knowledge comes from fleet account data. When you acquire that data, you grow the account intelligence in your CRM. This is your advantage.
Don’t let reps throw out accounts due to lack of a mobile phone, or an email.
Contacts will always be changing jobs. Valid emails and phone numbers come and go. If a contact leaves a target account and goes to an industry outside your market, don’t throw the account out. Find other contacts there.
Update rather than toss the accounts.
Now, your usable data grows. The market that you can reach and sell to grows.
One more key to success: track and update this data in a CRM like Salesforce or HubSpot.
Related articles:
- What to do when your sales reps think good leads are bad
- Caution: Leads may be hot. Handle with care.
Director of Marketing & Customer Success at Valgen
Grew up by the Motor City. A spelling nerd, I wrote Chevrolet in chalk on our driveway. Thought I was a big kid writing a big word. Didn’t stray far from cars: worked in transportation and fleet safety, preventing distracted driving. Now working with marketers and sales teams to connect with their next fleet customers.
