With so many marketers and businesses working on discovering that next revolutionary way for dominating the market, the focus is constantly pointed forward. However, sometimes you need to take a few steps back before leaping forward. So, instead of focusing on the next marketing strategy, start from the basics. And among those basics is the simple aspect of building a marketing database. In this article, we explore this process as one of the fundamental starting points for any marketer. Enrich your moving company marketing with a proper foundation and build from there.
The importance of having a marketing database
As we mentioned earlier, this is one of the first steps that companies need to take care of – the basics. So, when you start a moving company, you need to make sure to add “marketing database” to the list of priorities. Otherwise, you can have the best services or products in the world – nobody will be there to witness them.
Knowing your initial audience and having a means of getting through to them paves the path for your marketing strategy moving forward. And with so many different ways to advertise a business out there, you can’t afford to let a lack of contacts stand in your way of growing your business. That is why creating a marketing database should always be among those first steps. From it, you can learn a lot:
- How your typical customer thinks;
- Who you won’t be able to target with your approach;
- Whether or not a certain audience is worth the investments;
- What other types of audiences you can target;
- etc.
The larger the database you create is, the more material you have to work with and shape your digital marketing approach. Once you have a decent number of people in the database you can start communicating your message to them, with a view to initially creating brand awareness, and then generating prospects for your sales team.
5 steps to building a marketing database for your company
As more marketing channels emerge over the years, creating a database has become a very challenging task. And there are a lot of marketers out there that overthink the initial approach, and they end up wasting a lot of time and resources trying to find a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, you need to take it one step at a time. Choose your channels, define your goals, and focus on building the foundation before you start adding floors to the structure. But rather than jumping from one tip to another, let’s just go at it systematically, with these five steps to building a marketing database:
1. Define and set measurable objectives
If you don’t have clearly defined goals, then you have no direction in which to point your marketing efforts. You need to sit down and explore what it is that you want out of your marketing activities. You need to set very transparent and realistic goals that you can not only track but also measure. So, here are some fundamental questions to ask yourself:
- Are you building a database for customers, prospects, or both?
- Will you be looking to use your database for analysis, campaign management, or both?
- What kind of reporting is required?
- Who will be using the marketing database you build?
- What programs does your database need to support?
2. Start simple
We already mentioned the common mistakes of overthinking matters and complicating the entire process unnecessarily. So, instead of taking this road, focus on a more simplistic one. When you start off with a simple approach in building your marketing database, you open up more room to focus on multiple channels right off the bat. And as your database grows, you can ease into using it and making it more complex. But no matter what, you should always stay in control – that means keeping your database readable and easy to navigate through.
3. Normalize your data
Proper organization can be found in the core of every good database. When you lack a proper system or focus on the wrong data, you risk creating a chaos of redundant data that you have no use for at the end of the day. By normalizing your data input through clear and relevant input fields, you can create a proper marketing database. And by doing that, you make it easier for your team to go through the data and make the best use of it. Some initial areas to focus your data on would be:
- Code fields;
- Common output structures;
- Address data;
- Contact info.
4. Create an accurate budget
Like all other processes, building a marketing database will require funding. And the volume of resources you spend on it will determine its overall efficiency compared to its overall costs. So, take the time to do your research when it comes to building and maintaining your database. A good starting point would be to explore fundamental questions such as the:
- The platform you would use. After all, there are many different solutions out there, especially when we look at tailored CRM software.
- The overall estimate of the records you plan on incorporating. A simple matter of maintaining sustainability based on initial predictions.
- Update capacities for your database. Maintenance will be essential as you expand your marketing database over time.
5. Set checkpoints for your database development process
Businesses have different reasons for building a marketing database. Some use it to track prospects and customers while others use it to expand their customer base. And then, you have those that use it to improve their ability to manage ad campaign budgets. Once you go through the first four steps we mentioned here, you will need to structure out your database growth process. And the best way to accomplish that is through setting up very clear checkpoints that you want to pass on the way.
Segmenting your database – Prospects & Suspects
As your marketing database grows and becomes more complex, you will want to make it more sophisticated. And one of the best ways to accomplish that is to segment it to adapt to the diverse needs of your audiences. By defining your target audiences, you are in a better position to create a personalized approach that will strike at the core of their needs and expectations.
A good way to get started on this path is to separate your existing customers into prospects and suspects. Prospects would be the people your sales team has already engaged with. Suspects would be all those names in your database that you have had no contact with thus far, but still show promise.
Do your homework and start today
In all honesty, building a marketing database will take time and energy. However, so long as you take a systematic approach to it and not overreach from the start, you should be able to avoid any unwated complications or expenses. Set your expectations low and simply work your way from the ground up. As months pass and your database grows, you will see a steady flow of leads that will confirm your brand awareness and online presence growth. For any additional insight, feel free to reach out to Movers Development and consult with our team!
