A topic that many sales professionals keep going back to these days, especially in the construction industry, is data enrichment. At its core, data enrichment is the process of taking raw, sometimes incomplete or outdated data and adding more relevant or new information from trusted sources.
In this article we’ll take a look at how data enrichment applies to construction leads, explore best practices for using it and explain why it matters more than ever.
What is Data Enrichment in the Context of Construction?
When it comes to construction, data enrichment involves taking a lead or existing project data (maybe a contact name, contractor requirement or planning notice) and enhancing it by adding more attributes. These can be things like firm or project size, decision maker roles, location, timeline or previous similar projects. For B2B companies looking for quality contractor leads, this can be combining first-party data with third-party behavioural data.
In the construction industry, one of the most important original sources is planning system data, as nearly every new building project in the UK has been documented in a planning system. But raw data doesn’t always tell you everything you need to understand whether a lead will be a good fit for your business.
How Does Data Enrichment Make a Difference?
There are several different reasons how data enrichment can make a difference when it comes to construction prospecting. The first is the ways that it can improve your lead qualification. For example, rather than having to chase every planning notice in a particular region, you can use data enrichment to prioritise only those that match the ones that are right for you, whether that be based on project size, location, value or client type.
Another benefit to data enrichment is it supports personalised outreach. If you know the client company, role of the contact and their recent projects, your approach suddenly becomes much more credible. Many of us are sceptical of sales calls, but if we know the caller has taken the time to get to know us, it can create a sense of trust.
Finally, data enrichment can save you time and money by helping to reduce or eliminate low value leads. This is especially important for the construction industry, as firms often have limited capacity for business development.
Our Best Practices for Construction Data Enrichment
Want to get the most out of data enrichment for construction prospecting? Here are some best practices you should consider adopting:
1. Before you start, make sure that your lead database is clean. You should remove duplicates, verify key fields and standardise formats to lay the foundation for the most effective enrichment.
2. Decide what makes a ‘good’ project for your firm, as this can help you to avoid overload and only enrich what matters to your company. A sensible way to start is to narrow down the right sorts of jobs in locations that work best for you.
3. Only use trusted external data sources, as you’ll be merging your data with external databases.
4. When enriching, make sure that you link accurately including email, company domain and project reference, so as not to corrupt your database with the wrong info.
5. Keep things updated. As data degrades overtime, enrichment should be part of your regular workflow to ensure you’re getting the most out of it.
6. Segment and prioritise your lead through enriched attributes.
7. Integrate enrichment into your tech stack so that it’s automated (or at least semi-automated) and always accessible to your business development team for whenever they need it.
The Data Enrichment Advantage
Construction is a crowded market, but enriched data can give you a real competitive advantage. The firms that treat lead generation as a ‘bonus’ as opposed to a ‘must have’ will always be behind those who embrace enriched intelligence; especially as the industry becomes more digital and data-driven.
For construction firms who take their growth seriously, data enrichment is worth spending some time and resources on, as the benefits will come back to you with elevated lead generation.
Holding a Master’s in Construction Management from Purdue University, William Ray has dedicated more than two decades to studying and applying construction principles. His professional journey includes a tenure with a prominent construction firm, where he specialized in project management and building technologies. William brought his knowledge to our team, providing in-depth insights into practical construction techniques. As the leader of our beginner’s guide to building since 2019, he has a knack for breaking down intricate processes into easily digestible content. When not involved in writing or onsite consultations, William enjoys woodworking and volunteering in community building projects, which aligns with his passion for hands-on construction and community service.
