|

Turn Your Customer Database Into a Lead Generation Machine

Bylori

The basic information you maintain on your customers is extremely useful, but a well-managed customer database can be much more than a simple repository of customer data. You can also use it as an effective lead generation tool that lets you find additional ways to serve existing customers, as well as new clients who have a connection to your existing customer base.

  • Update your database – Customer databases can go out of date very quickly as clients move, or change phone numbers or email addresses. Before you can use your existing database for lead generation, make sure that the contact information it contains is valid and current.
  • Enhance your list – The more details you have about your customers, the better you’ll be able to serve them. Make sure you are capturing as many details as possible about each customer and what products/services they purchased. As you interact with customers, ask for additional information such as future plans for your products/services, and comments. You can even ask directly for referrals to their friends and acquaintances. Customer surveys or opinion forms can also be a good source of additional data. When you have more information on what your customers want and need, you’ll be better able to focus marketing campaigns on serving those needs.
  • Divide and segment your list – A vast and detailed customer database is a wonderful thing to have, but without some segmentation, it’s an ocean of information with no way to navigate it. Divide your larger database into categories such as types of products purchased, customer interests and even geographical area. With a segmented list, you’ll be able to target particular categories of customers who are likely to be interested in new or enhanced products and services. You’ll also be able to use specialized marketing techniques such as radius marketing, which consists of marketing to customers in the same geographical area as your customers, under the assumption that people in your existing customers’ neighborhoods will have similar personal characteristics, economic status and product needs.

What sorts of hidden opportunities are waiting in your customer database? What can you do to find and apply these opportunities to effective lead generation?

Image via Shutterstock.com