If you’re using a bulk data provider like ZoomInfo or Cognism, chances are you’re throwing money down the drain. These platforms promise massive contact lists, but in reality, you end up paying a premium for data that’s often outdated, inaccurate, and riddled with hidden costs. Let’s break it down.

1. Bad Data = Wasted Time and a Damaged Reputation

You think you’re getting a goldmine of contacts, but the data is often messy—wrong email addresses, outdated job titles, and poor categorisation. Worse still, sending emails to bad data can tank your sender reputation, landing your messages in spam folders. That means wasted time, fewer leads, and potential damage to your brand. Not exactly what you signed up for.

Quite often, you don’t see the full extent of the data quality until you’re locked in. This can cause budget waste and impact the rest of your marketing department’s year.

2. Rolling Contracts That Quietly Drain Your Budget

Bulk data providers love sneaky auto-renewals. You sign up thinking it’s a good deal, and before you know it, you’re locked into an expensive contract that keeps charging you—whether you’re using the data or not. Prices creep up, invoices keep rolling in, and suddenly, you realise you’ve been overpaying for months. Wouldn’t it make more sense to only pay for what you actually need?

3. You’re Paying for Data You’ll Never Use

Access to a huge database sounds great—until you realise a huge chunk of it is completely irrelevant to your audience. You’re likely paying for contacts in industries you don’t target, job roles that aren’t decision-makers, or even people who have moved on from their companies. You’re still going to be billed whether you make full use of your credits or not. In some departments, this can impact a tight-knit strategy due to the pressure to make the most use of the data available regardless of whether it’s in line with your marketing strategy. Why waste money on excess data when you could invest in highly targeted, relevant leads instead?

A Smarter Alternative: Bespoke Data Builds

Instead of wasting cash on bulk data that’s hit-or-miss, a bespoke data build gives you exactly what you need—nothing more, nothing less. This approach is:

• More cost-effective – You only pay for the high-quality, targeted data you need.
• Lower risk – No more bad emails harming your sender reputation.
• Higher reward – Every contact is relevant, leading to better engagement and higher ROI.

Stop overpaying for bloated, ineffective marketing data. Switch to a smarter, leaner approach that actually delivers results.