Within this article we explore family office databases and what makes them worth getting or not.
Specifically we will provide insights on how to value specific FO lists and directories.
The following are all components of what makes a FO directory worth paying for:

• Does the resource get updated at least twice a year?
• Does the company behind the database work in the industry, consult with FOs, or run a FO association or networking group of some type.
  
• What type of refund policy does the database come with? Make sure you at least get a refund for bad data, the lead firms in the industry will offer 2x and 4x pro-rated refunds.
  
• How much work was put into actually creating the resource? While this is sometimes hard to determine you can look at how professional the website gets, how detailed their FAQ is, how many statistics they have on the resource and get a feel for how seriously the company takes this part of their business.
  
• What format does the database come in? If it is a web-based resource your access could be cut off at any time if the company goes under or after a year if your subscription runs out.
  Some directories come in Excel format and these are the most flexible in terms of being able to upload the data into a customer relationship management (CRM) system of some type.
  

Follow these tips above and it will help you correctly value and assess various competing resources that you can choose from.