Data Decay
Data decay describes the deterioration of B2B contact and account data quality over time — primarily through job changes, company changes, and information staleness — requiring continuous data refresh investment to maintain database utility.
Why This Matters
Data decay rates: contact-level data degrades 20-30% annually (job changes, role transitions, company exits), email addresses degrade 15-25% annually (domain changes, account closures), phone numbers degrade 25-35% annually (number changes, role-related extension changes), and firmographic data degrades 10-15% annually (company changes, M&A activity). Compounding effect: 3-year-old database without refresh has 50%+ inaccurate contact data. Data refresh strategies: continuous verification services, periodic re-purchase from vendors, and integration with active databases (Salesforce, HubSpot) enabling crowdsourced accuracy improvements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast does B2B contact data decay?
20-30% annually overall. Higher decay rates in tech sectors (mobility), startups (frequent changes), and senior roles (career transitions). Lower decay in stable industries and middle management.
What's the cost of data decay?
Outreach to bad contacts wastes SDR time, damages email sender reputation (high bounce rates), creates compliance issues (CAN-SPAM violations from unsubscribed re-contacts), and reduces campaign effectiveness. Cumulative impact substantial.