Sourcing: Definition, challenges, and explanations

Sourcing refers to the process of searching for and identifying potential prospects or suppliers as part of a sales or procurement initiative. In prospecting, this involves collecting data on qualified contacts who may be interested in an offer or product.

This step usually precedes the first commercial contact and is crucial for building a reliable and relevant database. Sourcing can be done using various methods: online searches, professional databases, social networks, events, etc.

It covers both passive sourcing via data analysis and active sourcing through direct information gathering from various sources.

Using sourcing is a fundamental lever for improving a company's commercial performance. It allows you to accurately target prospects that match specific criteria, thereby optimizing the conversion rate during prospecting campaigns.

Sourcing helps avoid dispersion and focus efforts on high-potential contacts, which improves the return on investment of sales activities.

In addition, this approach helps to enrich market knowledge and anticipate customer needs, providing a significant competitive advantage in a competitive business environment.

Sourcing generally begins with a precise definition of the typical profile of the prospect or supplier sought, based on criteria such as industry, company size, or position held.

Next, various techniques are used to gather information: searching professional databases, using professional social networks such as LinkedIn, attending trade shows or industry events, and monitoring public information.

The collected data is then qualified and verified to ensure its relevance and timeliness. This qualification is essential to ensure that the final contact matches the defined business objectives.

Among the advantages of sourcing is the improvement in the quality of prospects contacted thanks to better qualification.

This method reduces the time spent approaching unsuitable contacts and increases the conversion rate of sales transactions.

Sourcing also makes it possible to anticipate market trends by gathering relevant information about the competition and customer needs.

On the other hand, sourcing can be time-consuming, requiring dedicated resources to maintain an up-to-date and reliable database.

In addition, there is a risk of inaccurate or outdated information if the qualification process is not rigorous, which can compromise business results.

Finally, compliance with personal data protection regulations (such as the GDPR) must be strictly observed during sourcing.

Sourcing is commonly used in B2B sectors to identify and segment prospects according to detailed criteria prior to a telephone or email prospecting campaign.

For example, a software company can source IT managers in medium-sized companies to offer them a tailored solution.

In another case, a recruitment agency may source candidates matching a specific job profile using specialized networks and CV databases.

In distribution, sourcing also makes it possible to identify suppliers that meet quality or price criteria in order to optimize purchasing.

• LinkedIn: the essential professional social network for sourcing prospects and suppliers.
• Crunchbase: a database of companies for identifying prospects and partners.
• Salesforce: Comprehensive CRM with lead sourcing and qualification features.
• Hunter.io: a tool for finding and verifying professional email addresses.
• Data.gouv.fr: official portal for French public data, useful for monitoring and passive sourcing.