What do you actually buy when you buy B2B leads?
You buy a finished file containing companies from your target group. Which companies are included and which details you receive depend on your criteria and planned use. A qualified lead arises only when a suitable company shows interest and agrees to a meaningful next step.
Terms such as “buy B2B leads”, “buy B2B contacts” and “buy business addresses” therefore often refer to a researched selection of companies. Our guide to B2B lead generation in Switzerland explains how this working basis can lead to genuine sales opportunities.
What should you consider before ordering?
Three questions matter most: Which companies belong to your target group, how do you want to contact them and which details does your team need? Only then can you assess data fields, quality, price and scope of delivery properly.
Describe the target group precisely
“All SMEs in Switzerland” is almost never a usable target group. According to the University of St. Gallen’s 2026 SME study, 99.7% of market-oriented companies in Switzerland are SMEs. The term therefore covers very different companies and says nothing about the quality of a file being offered.
Describe your target group by industry or freely chosen search terms, geographic area and, where needed, other company characteristics. “Fiduciary firms and property management companies in the cantons of Zurich, Aargau and Lucerne” is considerably clearer than “SMEs in German-speaking Switzerland”.
Decide on the contact channel and level of detail
The right data depends on how marketing and sales intend to approach the companies. A letter requires different details from a direct call to the relevant person. More data fields are not automatically better. They should make the planned first contact easier.
| Planned use | Useful data fields | Important decision |
|---|---|---|
| Calls via the main number | Company name, main number, industry, region, website | Can your sales team ask to be connected to the relevant person? |
| Direct calls to decision-makers | Name, role and, where available, direct number | Is the greater level of detail worth the additional research? |
| Addressed direct mailing | Company name, street, postcode, town and, where needed, contact person | Should the letter be addressed to the company, a role or a specific person? |
| CRM enrichment | UID, company name, address, website and industry | Which details does your CRM need for reliable matching? |
Main numbers are more widely available and less expensive to research than direct numbers. The sales team must then ask to be connected to the right person. Direct numbers shorten this route, but they are not publicly available for every decision-maker. Clarify the level of contact detail you genuinely need before ordering.
The fictional SwissB2B delivery example shows which fields may be available in each package.
A personally addressed direct mailing is another suitable channel for an initial B2B contact. It requires neither a personal email address nor a direct telephone number. SwissB2B can research the appropriate companies and, if required, handle personalisation, printing and dispatch.
Check data quality, currency and sources
Ask how the companies are selected and how the ordered details are checked. With an existing database, it matters when and from which sources it is updated. With research carried out for a specific assignment, what matters is which criteria and fields are checked for your delivery.
Zefix can confirm register details for a legal entity entered in the Commercial Register. It does not reliably show whether a company is operationally active or whether its website, telephone number and activity profile are current. Registers, company websites and directories serve different purposes. Claims such as “millions of contacts” are no substitute for a clear explanation of how companies are selected and checked.
Compare price and scope of service
The lowest price per row is not automatically the least expensive solution. Unsuitable companies, missing details and outdated contacts create additional work for marketing and sales. Compare the same service: target-group selection, included data fields, level of contact detail, checks, usage rights, corrections and support.
A smaller, carefully researched company selection can be more valuable than a large file your team must clean first. The SwissB2B packages and prices show which data fields and services are included.
Clarify delivery format, duplicates and corrections
Before buying, clarify the format in which you will receive the data and how it may be reused. Unique fields such as the UID, company name and address are particularly useful for importing data into a CRM.
You should be able to compare the delivery with existing customers and known companies before importing it. The offer should also state how unsuitable or incorrect entries can be reported and which corrections are included.
When is in-house research worthwhile, and when should you outsource it?
Whether in-house research is worthwhile depends mainly on whether your team has the time, capacity and experience and wants to carry out the work itself.
| Situation | Sensible approach | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Your team already knows a small number of strategic target companies | In-house research | The individual companies can be checked and prepared directly. |
| Your team wants to carry out the research and has enough capacity | Database access | Selection, checking and exports remain entirely within your team. |
| The target group is clear, but research takes too much time | Outsource the research | Marketing and sales can focus on the offer, outreach and conversations. |
| The target group or planned use is still unclear | Do not order yet | First decide whom you want to reach, why and through which channel. |
For many companies, outsourcing the research is more efficient. Employees do not have to search sources, check details and clean lists. They can focus on their core business and on turning the target group into an effective campaign and genuine sales opportunities.
The same division of work can continue with direct mailing: you define the target group and offer, while SwissB2B researches the recipients and, if required, handles the entire process through to dispatch.
What information belongs in your order?
Five details are enough for a clear quotation and suitable delivery:
- Your offer and intended target group
- Industries or freely chosen search terms
- Cantons, regions or towns
- The planned contact channel
- The required data fields and level of contact detail
Example of a clear brief
“We are looking for fiduciary firms, property management companies and insurance brokers in the cantons of Zurich, Aargau and Lucerne. The companies should have their own website and a business telephone number.”
This defines the target group, area and required contact details. Whether contact persons or direct numbers should also be researched depends on the planned contact channel.
What applies to personal data and subsequent outreach?
The Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection protects personal data relating to natural persons. Business details are also covered when they identify or make a person identifiable, such as a name, direct number or personal email address. With a sole proprietorship, the company name and business details may already identify the owner.
Buying or publishing contact details is not blanket permission for every form of outreach. Different rules apply to telephone calls, email, post and platforms. Our guide to cold outreach in Switzerland provides an overview of the contact channels and applicable Swiss rules.
Conclusion: Give marketing and sales the right foundation
You ultimately buy a finished file. Its value comes from selecting the right companies from your target group and providing the contact details that suit your outreach.
When you outsource the research, marketing and sales can focus on their real task: developing persuasive outreach, building relationships and pursuing sales opportunities. Once your criteria are set, we will be happy to research suitable company addresses for you.