Multichannel retailers operating in the business-to-business space are all too familiar with the inherent flaws of applying a simple name-and-address matching logic when conducting response matchbacks.
The biggest concern is the accelerated decay of business contact data, in comparison to its residential equivalent. B-to-b marketers report that up to 70% of their contact information changes in any given year—not only do people switch companies, but they also accept new titles within an organization.
Another concern relates to the pass-along effect – individuals within companies are a lot more likely to share marketing materials than those within residential households. When the time comes to run a response matchback, how have traditional b-to-b marketers solved the problem? They conduct matchbacks at multiple levels.
For those of you operating in both the business-to-consumer and b-to-b space (hybrids), take note: if you are running your matchbacks only at the individual level, you may be underestimating your results.
We at Lenser suggest inquiring with those responsible for running your matchbacks as to what level you are currently running them at. If, historically, you have only run individual level matchbacks, consider running another one at the site/building/company level, and compare the results side-by-side. We believe the results will be enlightening.
Todd Miller is director of circulation, business-to-business markets, for San Rafael, CA-based consultancy Lenser.