Finding the Best B2B Contact Database for Better Cold Outreach

Whether you’re finishing out 2023 with a bang or setting up for a strong start in 2024, the best B2B contact database is going to help you reach your sales goals. You’ve already made a great choice by looking into B2B contact databases, and our goal is for you to make a more informed decision and then get to work.

We’ll cover what B2B databases are, the importance of high-quality data, how you can choose one that works for you, and what to do once you’ve got your database. Let’s get right into it.

Contents:

• What is a B2B contact database?
• Components of a Good B2B Contact Database
• How to Create a B2B Database
• LinkedIn as a B2B Contact Database Source
• Leveraging Wiza for LinkedIn Data Extraction
• Comparing Top B2B Contact Databases
• Conclusion

What is a B2B Contact Database?

A B2B contact database, at its core, is a collection of business-to-business profile data. Rather than just providing basic contact information, a B2B contact database is packed with detailed insights about businesses and their decision-makers. It can be viewed as a wealth of information that assists you in recognizing who to contact and how. 

This isn’t just a list of people and phone numbers or emails – we’re talking about comprehensive profiles on potential clients or partners in business-to-business dealings. Imagine knowing not only someone’s name but also their role in the company, what projects they’re working on, and even what type of coffee they prefer. Well, maybe not the last part.

The magic lies within these details – this valuable info helps tailor your outreach efforts so that you resonate with prospects. Whether it’s sending personalized emails or making focused cold calls – having such targeted knowledge gives you an edge over competitors using more generic approaches.

The Function of a B2B Contact Database

Beyond simply compiling contacts, a good B2B contact database serves multiple purposes. For starters, it makes life easier for sales teams by streamlining prospecting processes.

Salespeople can quickly identify high-value targets based on specific criteria: industry sector size, location, job title etc., all stored neatly inside this digital dossier – goodbye endless internet rabbit holes and hello efficient workflow.

In addition to accelerating sales cycles, these databases are vital tools for marketing departments too. They use them to segment audiences, design tailored campaigns, and nurture leads through content marketing tactics, ultimately driving revenue growth. 

And that’s the gist of it. A B2B contact database is your cheat sheet for understanding and connecting with potential business partners. It gives you a leg up in outreach efforts, allowing for personalized, targeted communication strategies. Now that we’re clear on what it is, we can talk more about what makes for a good B2B contact database.

Components of a Good B2B Contact Database

A robust B2B contact database is like the lifeblood of any business, driving successful outreach and networking. It’s more than just a collection of names and emails – it’s about having high-quality data that can fuel your sales pipeline. 

Data Accuracy

The quality of a B2B contact database hinges primarily on the accuracy of its data. Wrong or outdated information doesn’t help – instead, it might even hinder your progress by wasting time and resources. A top-notch database should have reliable contacts with up-to-date details to ensure you’re reaching out to active prospects. Just like you know when to pursue a good lead vs. wasting time on a bad lead.

Data Relevance

Your ideal customer profile (or ICP – more on this below) serves as an essential guide when compiling relevant data for your target market segment. If you’re selling software solutions for e-commerce businesses, there’s no point in holding onto records from construction companies. Data relevance directly impacts conversion rates. So, even if you have a high degree of accuracy, if it’s data that doesn’t pertain to your product or service, you don’t need it in your database.

Extensive Information Coverage

An effective B2B contact database extends beyond basic info such as name, email address, or phone number. It provides deeper insights into prospect profiles – industry type, company size, and job title – which lets you personalize your outreach efforts further. 

Frequent Updates

The best databases aren’t static—they grow and evolve with changes in the market dynamics or shifts in potential clients’ roles within their organizations. Regular updates are key to maintaining freshness and relevance in a fast-paced business environment where personnel move jobs often. You don’t want to spend 15 minutes personalizing your first cold email to someone who left their position six months ago.

When choosing or building a comprehensive B2B contact list, it’s essential to keep these factors in mind. They will help guide you towards creating a database that doesn’t just exist but performs exceptionally well, driving more meaningful conversations and ultimately leading to conversions.

How to Create a B2B Database

Crafting your own B2B contact database is pretty straightforward as long as you have the necessary components. Before diving into it, though, you have to have a clear idea of who you want to reach.

Establish an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

You probably already have a good idea of what your ICP looks like. You understand your product or service better than anyone else and so, the next most important thing is understanding who buys it. Try to think of as many relevant fields as you can (we’ll come back to this momentarily) and note the common characteristics your buyers share – job title, company size, geographic location, etc. 

The important thing is to get this information actually down on paper so that you have a clear point of reference. Feel free to create more than one, but don’t get carried away or stuck on this step. This is something you can (and should) modify as you go, especially as you learn more via the outreach process.

Gather Essential Information

Now that you’ve established your ICP, your job is to start fleshing out the most important fields to use in your database. The first step is to identify which key details about your prospects are the most important. This includes at least the company name, industry sector, location, job title of the decision-maker and most importantly – their direct contact information such as email addresses or phone numbers.

Data Collection Methods

Now comes the big question: how do we gather these pieces? Manual research is one way but that can be tedious and time-consuming. There are a few different tools available. It depends on what kind of approach you want to take. You could find a service that sells lists or choose a platform that is built around its own database. Or you could use tools that enhance your search either by searching specific domains or by searching the most important data (and professional social media) platform on earth – LinkedIn. 

LinkedIn as a B2B Contact Database Source

For an extensive B2B contact database, LinkedIn is the ultimate source. With over 800 million professionals worldwide, it’s like having a vast selection of potential contacts right at your fingertips.

But what makes LinkedIn such a valuable resource? The platform offers in-depth insights into individuals’ professional backgrounds and companies. You can find details about job titles, industries, locations – even specific skills and endorsements. Since it’s the world’s leading professional social media platform, it’s also used by many as a resume. LinkedIn is one of the first things active users update if they’ve gotten a new job, so it can prove to actually be a more reliable source of information than a lot of databases out there. And that’s not even going into what you can do with a premium account like Sales Navigator.

The Power of Sales Navigator

Sales Navigator takes this game up another notch with its advanced search filters and lead recommendation feature. Imagine being able to filter out the exact demographic or industry-specific prospects that you need. Now couple that with Sales Navigator‘s ability to provide real-time updates on those prospects – talk about striking gold. Of course, this does come with a monthly subscription fee, but if you’re a new user, you might be able to use it with a free trial. Tools like these also allow you to segment your outreach based on specific traits. For example, businesses offering modern payment methods in Europe can target prospects who prioritize fast and secure online transactions, helping you align messaging with evolving digital payment preferences.

The Issue – Data Extraction

However, LinkedIn isn’t without its issues. The biggest one being that there is no way to easily build your database by exporting contact info, profile details, etc. There’s no export button, which means you’d have to do it manually. 

Extracting this wealth of information manually from LinkedIn profiles is incredibly time-consuming . Moreover, many profiles don’t readily display email addresses which often puts roadblocks in initiating communication outside LinkedIn. But don’t worry – there is a solution to this.

A Better Way Forward – Wiza

The most efficient way around these hurdles is a platform called Wiza. This Chrome extension seamlessly integrates LinkedIn so that you can either export contact info directly in someone’s LinkedIn profile or use Sales Navigator’s search function to export up to 2500 contacts at once. Not only does it save time, but also ensures smoother outreach efforts by providing reliable direct email addresses alongside other critical contact information.

Leveraging Wiza for LinkedIn Data Extraction

Wiza is a powerful tool designed to extract the valuable information you’re after. As the data is exported, it’s also verified in real-time to ensure you’re getting the highest quality data available. Let’s have a quick look at how we can leverage its power.

Finding Your Prospects with Ease

To get started with Wiza, simply create a free account and install the Chrome extension. This lets you pull relevant prospect data from Sales Navigator searches or individual profiles directly on your browser window.

Verified Email Extraction 

What makes Wiza truly shine is its ability to unearth email addresses quickly, using SMTP validation, and determine whether the email address is live and active. This is important because blasting out emails indiscriminately could lead to bounced emails that damage your sender reputation. 

Integration with Your CRM

If you’re already using a CRM platform such as Salesforce, HubSpot or Pipedrive, Wiza is able to export your contacts either directly to it or through the Zapier integration. This makes it even easier to keep all of your information synced and your workflows more seamless.

So, while mining for B2B contacts on LinkedIn may initially seem like an uphill task, it becomes easy with the right tools at hand (or installed in your browser). Using Wiza not only saves time but also enhances efficiency by ensuring the contact data you get is accurate and useful. The result? More meaningful connections and more potential business opportunities.

Comparing Top B2B Contact Databases

But if you’d like to consider a few other options out there, here are a few B2B contact databases you might consider. Not all are created equal, so here’s a quick overview of some of your options.

Data Cloud: The Seasoned Veteran

Data Cloud, a Salesforce product, is fairly reliable and it’s been around for a while. It offers rich data resources and seamless integration with CRM platforms. But its high cost might be off-putting for startups or small businesses.

ZoomInfo: The Big Shot Player

ZoomInfo is another premium-priced option that’s probably more suited to larger firms. With vast global coverage and detailed firmographic data, you get a lot but the cost reflects that. 

D&B Hoovers: The Sturdy Workhorse

Akin to ZoomInfo in pricing, D&B Hoovers‘ distinguishing feature lies in its industry-specific solutions tailored for vertical markets. This might be an ideal option for a company that is keen on specific industries, or one that relies on the data D&B puts out. 

Hunter.io: For Budget-Conscious Prospects

Among the more budget-friendly options, Hunter.io is easy to use and scale. It also offers a free option so that you can give it a try before investing in the platform. 

Wiza: The Game Changer

Last but certainly not least is Wiza, which is considered to be among the most reliable when it comes to data, thanks to real-time verification. This platform allows you to convert your Sales Navigator searches into ready-to-use lead lists or export from prospect LinkedIn profiles.

If you’re interested in giving Wiza a try, sign up for your free account today and you’ll get 20 free email credits and 5 free phone credits.

Evaluating Options: One Size Doesn’t Fit All

When comparing different platforms for B2B database needs, understand that there’s no universal best option – what works depends on specific requirements. It’s akin to buying shoes: one size doesn’t fit all. Look at features critically while also considering pros and cons before deciding which platform suits your business needs best.

Conclusion

Now you understand a robust B2B contact database is not just about quantity but quality. It’s all about relevant data that matches your target market. This can be a game-changer in your cold outreach strategies, but only if you build a B2B contact database that works for you. 

After all, the most important thing isn’t the database itself, though it does help to know the fundamentals of choosing the right one. The most important thing is that you create a workflow that works for you or your sales team. Something you can reliably access to build and grow your business by making meaningful connections because you put in the time to get your data right the first time around.