As marketing professionals we are all aware of the power of data and its potential when brands harness it effectively. As individuals, we show loyalty to brands who use our data to give us relevant, interesting, targeted content and find out more about us.

Our human desire manifests itself when we want to know who has looked at our profile on LinkedIn and who are our newest followers on Twitter.

When it comes to marketing and new business there are many things agencies can do to market themselves to the masses. But when it comes to targeting we can also use this plethora of online data to really learn about our prospects as professionals.

Start by identifying the key decision makers at the brands and companies you want to work with and then build up a profile of their professional personality and use this to help you identify how best to get in touch when that moment arises.

Follow them on Twitter (or, even better, if your CEO will let you have access to their Twitter feed, have your CEO follow them and you be the monitor – ultimately the new business conversation should come from your CEO, albeit masterminded by you!) Look at who they follow and see whether you have any shared followers. Do they follow The Grocer? Let your PR agency know so they can focus on getting your agency coverage in particularly relevant publications. Look at their LinkedIn profile. What is their career history and who are their connections? What do they post and who are they connecting with?

Follow them in the media and at conferences. What are they speaking about or what conferences do they attend? What agencies have they appointed in the past? Are there any commonalities and do you recognise any in your agency? What is the typical length of agency relationship when they are at the helm?

As you build up a picture of your key decision makers you will begin to recognise opportunities and relevant topics on which to engage. Remember to be cautious about how many times you get in touch and on what basis – think about the most irritating brand that contacts you repeatedly with irrelevant information on a more frequent basis than you welcome – make sure your agency doesn’t become that brand!

Gemma Batterby – 23 Sept 2013

For more tips on New Business, please join us on our NEW BUSINESS SKILLS DAY on 3rd October