Targeting b2b emails by job function: What to consider

Business marketing lists can be very targeted.

One of the ways to reach your exact audience is to be specific about the job function(s) of the people you are looking to talk with – such as the HR Manager or HR Director within the business, or maybe the Head of Finance or IT Director.

Unfortunately, reaching the decision-makers is not always that simple.

Small companies and widely spread job functions

In smaller companies – those with, say, less than 30 employees – there may not be a Director of IT or an HR Manager. Smaller companies often have these areas of responsibility covered by the MD or another senior manager, and you’ll often find that HR falls under the remit of the finance department, or that sales and marketing is a shared responsibility.

In very small companies, like those with less than 10 employees, you’ll find it’s nearly always the owner of the business that has responsibility and authority for all decision-making.

As such, you may not want to focus too closely on job titles when marketing to a smaller business – consider who is likely to have decision-making authority, as well as which other figures in that business might influence the key decision-maker.

If you work with a proactive marketing list provider, they will help you identify the next-best job titles to pursue.

Larger businesses and levels of responsibility

The larger the company is, the more likely there will be individuals with specific job titles, covering their own areas of responsibility and looking after their own budgets.

Generally speaking, we find that companies with £5m+ turnover and/or 50+ employees are the ones that warrant their own heads of department. This is where you’ll start to see specific job titles, each one with a specific, clear function – such as Marketing Manager, IT Director, Head of Finance, CRM Manager, HR Manager.

In any case, your data provider should advise which the most viable positions are, depending on business size, industry and other factors.

The takeaway: Be adaptable – and use high-quality marketing lists

Whatever your offering is, and whichever types of businesses you are targeting, the quality of your data is key.

By sourcing your data from a compliant, ethical data provider like Data HQ, you can ensure that your communications are going to current contacts in relevant businesses.

Find out more about Data HQ’s marketing lists