How to Choose the Best B2B Data Provider: 6 Tips from a Top Industry Specialist
As one of the longtime data providers on Datarade Marketplace, we at Salutary Data have been fortunate to receive hundreds of requests from companies looking for data solutions. However, we know that selecting the best data provider for your needs is not always easy. It can be a tricky and sometimes frustrating path to find, evaluate, and trust the right dataset.
There are, however, some tips & suggestions that we can offer to help you in selecting the best data provider for you and your needs.
Just like in selecting a doctor, it’s important to pick a provider that specializes in the type of data that you’re looking for.
For example, my company excels in B2B contact data. That’s our sweet spot. But if you’re looking for intent data, we’re going to refer you to another source. The great thing about Datarade is that it offers a wide selection of data product categories and then rank providers (based on requests and relevancy) by specific category and use case.
Try to avoid the generalists. If you’re searching for location-specific data, find a provider that handles the data that’s most important for you.
It’s important to ask questions about where a provider gets their data. Imagine it as if going to a restaurant and asking where the chef gets their product and fish. Are the ingredients sourced from local farms? Is the salmon farmed or is it fresh and in season? The same approach can work as you search out the right provider.
Unfortunately, scraping data has become a common practice. If you want your data to be compliant and ensure that it’s not just being scraped, you’ll need to ask questions of the providers.
Ask questions like:
Lots of providers will boast about having the largest database – the most contacts, LinkedIn profiles, etc. Some promote their databases as having 2 or 3 billion contacts. And while it’s great to have scope, those numbers will not mean much if they consist of lots of duplicate and incomplete records.
For example, at my company, we rebuild our database every quarter and the total number of records that we publish and make available is always changing. That’s because we’re constantly curating our database – re-verifying records and oftentimes, removing records that we’re not confident about.
The total number of B2B contacts in our latest database (B2B Data | Phone Number Data and B2B Contact Data) actually went down, as we decided to remove records that did not meet our accuracy and completeness standards.
Make sure you ask vendors how many of their records have the data points that you value most. Ask questions like:
If you are in the business of taking in data and then reselling the data to your customers (in the forms of leads or CRM data enrichment), it’s important to know whether your provider gives you the legal right to do so.
Ask questions like:
When evaluating providers, make sure that you ask about and review their current customer list. Oftentimes, the types of customers the provider tells you a lot about their company. Do the customers or partners align with your business needs and type? Are the customers actual leaders in their space?
If a vendor lists several logos on their site or in their listing, be sure to ask the extent of the relationship/partnership. Was it a one-time engagement, or are these companies long-term customers?
Most providers will allow and often encourage you to test out their data. Be sure to take them up on this offer. You can request a random sample file from the provider. As always, it’s important to ask questions along the way and to be clear with the vendor about what elements are most important to you.
You can send them a file and have them provide/fill in the data points that you’re looking for.
Speaking from experience, assembling a world-class database is not easy. It requires both art and science. It requires knowing the sources of data and the suppliers that provide the data and then having a disciplined approach when it comes to the curation of that data. For data buyers, the path to selecting the right data provider is also part of art and science.
The more questions you ask your prospective list of providers the better. Make sure you do the necessary testing of the data and narrow your list to providers that actually specialize in the data fields that are most critical to you.
Thankfully, Datarade gives you the tools to access and review data from hundreds of providers. By following some of the tips we’ve suggested, you will soon be able to find the right data provider for you and your business.
Salutary Data is a boutique provider of B2B contact and company records. Their data is multi-sourced, standardized, de-duped, verified, AI-enhanced, and curated, resulting in a highly accurate database that is used for sales intelligence, lead generation, talent recruitment, identity analysis, and analytics.
If you're looking for more advice on sourcing the right B2B contact data, contact Ryan Quinn. As EVP of Sales and Business Development, Ryan oversees a network of partners and clients, leveraging 20 years of experience in B2B data, lead generation, and sales intelligence. Ryan will recommend top data products tailored to your business needs.
Book a consultation call with Ryan at rq@salutarydata.com.
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