Supercharge Your B2B Sales Strategy With Technographic Data

Data plays an important role in the operations of most B2B companies. B2B companies are distinguished from B2C companies by their audience. Their audience consists of other business owners and professionals, whereas B2C companies target consumers. With the right data, B2B companies will have an easier time identifying and targeting the right prospects with their sales messages. There are different types of data used in the B2B industry, however. In addition to demographics and firmographics, some B2B companies use technographics.

What Is Technographic Data?

Also known simply as technographics, technographic data consists of technology-related information. If your B2B company sells software, it can probably benefit from technographic data. Many Software-as-a-Sevice (SaaS) B2B companies use technographic data in their sales strategy. They generate technographic data on their target businesses, after which they use that data to optimize their sales approach.

Common examples of technographic data include the following:

• Type of software used by a business
• The version of the software
• Type of hardware used by a business
• How long the business has been using a given software or hardware product
• Technology-related problems or challenges encountered by the business

How to Generate Technographic Data

You can generate technographic data by researching the businesses of your B2B company's audience. Many businesses have an official website. By visiting a business's official website, you can learn more about its technology, including its software and hardware products. And even if a business doesn't have an official website, it may have social media profiles. Most well-known businesses have a Facebook profile and a LinkedIn Company Page. You can check these profiles to research businesses and, thus, generate technographic data.

Another way to generate technographic data is to ask. Many SaaS and other B2B sales reps use cold calling for this purpose. They cold call prospects while inquiring about the technology used by the prospects' businesses. If you're trying to sell a type of software, you may want to inquire about the software currently used by the prospects' businesses. Cold calling can help you form an initial connection with prospects so that you can generate technographic data for your B2B company's sales process.

In Conclusion

Technographic data is information about a business's technology stack. It includes both software and hardware. Nearly all businesses use technology as part of their everyday operations. Depending on what your B2B company sells, it may benefit from this information. You can use technographic data to target the right prospects with the right sales messages.