But when you eliminate the requirement for internal lead generation, focus and resources can be shifted to other aspects of the selling process. Used properly, lead lists are powerful resources for B2B accounting firm selling.

How to Recognize High Quality Lead Lists

Not sure what to look for in a great lead list vendor? When we buy lead lists, we look for accuracy, updating and speed.

First-tier list providers like Experian Business Services have created large accounting firm databases to give their clients the most up-to-date leads in the industry.

When choosing a accounting firm list vendor, conversion ability counts. The more accurate and targeted your lead list is, the higher your conversion rate will be. However, you'll also want to consider how long it takes the vendor to fulfill list requests. In today's business climate, even small delays can bring sales and marketing processes to a standstill.

Lead Generation Tactics

As you might expect, accounting firm lead generation strategies are extremely diverse. While some businesses generate leads through industry networking, others conduct formal prospecting campaigns through trade associations, business lists and even online searches. Many businesses mix and match lead generation techniques, but struggle to automate the process.

Lead lists eliminate the unpredictability of lead generation and deliver leads that have been compiled from the best possible sources. Beyond that, the leads obtained from a dependable third-party vendor generally have a higher conversion rate than the ones that are acquired through in-house processes.

Lead List Metrics

Multiple methods exist for measuring the effectiveness of accounting firm lead lists.

For starters, conversion rate (number of sales/number of leads) is essential in measuring lead list success and failure rates. But you may also want to think about integrating a few other metrics into your assessment routine.

A units-per-lead measurement demonstrates the quality of the leads in your lists. When compared to your internal lead generation metrics, a dismal units-per-lead number indicate a provider that isn't performing adequate qualification or lead filtering. Similarly, individual metrics for your sales staff indicate how well each of your team members is using the leads they receive from your vendor.

Typical Lead List Database Fields

In dealing with the biggest lead list companies, you will typically get Company Name, Contact Name, Address and Phone Number. What you actually get depends on which mailing list company you buy from. For some vendors, for example, you will also get fields like Estimated Annual Sales, Company Website and Year Established.