Spring Cleaning Your Data

Last weekend was so beautiful outside, it energized me to start some spring cleaning in my house. Windows thrown open, the warm breeze blowing, it was the perfect time to dig in and conquer the dust and dirt that accumulated during our winter hibernation.

As I was washing windows, it made me think, “I wonder if companies are starting spring cleaning of their data?” Just like homeowners take care of their homes, data also needs to be cared for and cleaned up from time-to-time to ensure it can be used the most effectively and efficiently.

There are two types of organizations – those who keep tidy data, ready at their fingertips when needed to execute data-driven marketing campaigns….and then there are those who don’t. If you’re an organization constantly cleaning data campaign by campaign, instead of dealing with the overall issue head-on, it’s time to consider a full data cleaning project. Here are some of the reasons why.

Missing data = missing revenue.

Why do we care about missing data? Well, it depends on what you’re missing. Are you missing a billing address? That could make a huge impact to your business when it comes time to collect payment. Are you missing date of purchase? That could impact future renewal campaigns.

Missing data is just not good. The information you’re missing today, could cost you dollars tomorrow. Find the data you are missing, or find someone who can help you get it – don’t miss out on opportunity because of missing information.

Duplicate data = duplicate cost.

If you have duplicate customer data in your system, it’s time to get the vacuum. Duplicate data can result in double the work and, in some instances, double the cost. Are you billed for each record in your email database? No need to pay for a person twice!

Duplicate data is one trouble area I often see companies fix with a one-time-use band-aid. Each campaign they will go through a cleaning effort, rather than fix the root problem. Save yourself some time for future marketing efforts by eliminating this time-consuming process.

Inconsistent data = personalization roadblocks.

If your marketing team is working toward enhanced personalization for marketing efforts, having inconsistent data formatting in your database can cause major headaches. The best way to move past this is to bite the bullet and clean the whole database up. But, don’t let your clean-up efforts be for nothing. Be sure to clearly document the formatting of each data field and provide training to anyone manually keying in data.

I hope these spring data cleaning tips are helpful to anyone dealing with a data mess. If you’re in need of a professional cleaning service, be sure to call us at B2E! We clean data, not so much windows… : )