| ©2004 Jeffrey DobkinThere are two types of | | | | exceptionally easy to use. These reference tools are |
| lists, determined by their origin: compiled lists | | | | each about the |
| and response lists.Compiled lists are a common | | | | size of the Manhattan phone book and contain |
| source of names and records that have | | | | nothing but list data: who |
| been gathered, collected, and entered into a | | | | owns what list, number of records in each, source |
| database. The names may | | | | of names and, list |
| have been acquired through public records such as | | | | pricing. Both tools are available in major libraries.List |
| vehicle owner | | | | brokers are found in the phone book in every major |
| registrations or high school teachers. Directories, | | | | city. They can |
| such as a directory of | | | | be heaven, supplying incredible information, or hell, |
| plant maintenance engineers, are usually compiled | | | | looking for that fast |
| lists. Many lists are | | | | buck. Make sure you ask tons of questions before |
| compiled from categories in phone books across the | | | | handing over any |
| U.S. Examples | | | | money. While you pay the broker, he actually works |
| would be all the photography shops or all the | | | | for the list owner - |
| luggage dealers in the | | | | so take that into consideration when you ask |
| United States. Or all the plumbing supply dealers.Keep | | | | questions and negotiate |
| in mind that compiled information - like fish - gets old | | | | price.A plethora of list managers of mailing lists can |
| rather | | | | be found in the direct |
| quickly and doesn't age particularly well.Response lists | | | | mail trade magazines such as Catalog Age & Direct |
| are data from people who have responded to an ad | | | | Magazines: 203/ |
| or | | | | 358-9900, Target Marketing: 215/238-5300, Direct |
| who have purchased from a catalog, direct mail | | | | Marketing: 516/746- |
| package, TV ad,or other | | | | 6700, and DM News: 212/741-2095.Some list brokers |
| offer.With any mailing you are considering, first ask | | | | sell through their own catalog of mailing lists. These |
| precisely what groups or | | | | handy reference tools will give you an idea of just |
| what characteristics make up the perfect audience. | | | | what's out there - |
| Then try to find a list | | | | what kind of lists are available and counts of how |
| that matches these definable characteristics | | | | many records exist in |
| closely.Good delivery percentages of your mailing | | | | the thousands of different list categories. Want to |
| piece to a specific audience | | | | know how many |
| can usually be found in lists of magazine subscribers. | | | | dentists there are? It's a piece of cake: 190,168 are |
| These lists are | | | | members of the |
| usually very targeted to their audience, and good | | | | ADA. Want to know if there is a list of picky ale |
| because most | | | | drinkers? Find the list of |
| publishers are extremely prompt with their name and | | | | "Ale in the Mail-Continuity Members:" 70,973 of them. |
| address | | | | Selling an |
| corrections. Call a magazine publisher and ask if their | | | | accounting product? Try the list of Accounting |
| subscriber list is | | | | Institute Seminar |
| for sale, then ask for the name of their list | | | | Attendees - all 78,634 of them. Looking for college |
| broker.There are over 10,000 magazines published so | | | | professors? Did you |
| you can probably get a | | | | want the 43,347 who teach English, or the 18,184 |
| magazine subscription list that goes straight to your | | | | who teach history, or |
| perfectly targeted | | | | the 8,477 in marketing, or the 9,194 philosophy |
| buyers. If you're not sure what magazines would be | | | | teachers, or the...If you need additional information - |
| best, there are | | | | like how many doctors who |
| some easy-to-use periodical directories found in | | | | specialize in allergies and are the head of their |
| most reference | | | | practice with four or |
| libraries. The best directories of magazines are | | | | more employees can be found in Pennsylvania - call |
| Burrelle's Directory of | | | | any of these |
| Magazines (800-USMEDIA), Bacons (800-621-0561), | | | | catalog houses and ask them to run a count. You'll |
| SRDS (800-851- | | | | be able to get that |
| SRDS), and Oxbridge Communications Standard | | | | information in about ten minutes. Hugo Dunhill: 800 |
| Periodical Directory | | | | 223-6454, |
| (800-955-0231). If you can't find the exact targeted | | | | American Business Lists: 800/555-5335, Best Mailing |
| magazine filled with | | | | Lists: 800/692- |
| the eager-to-buy-your-product subscribers you are | | | | 2378, CompilersPlus: 800/431-2914, and Edith Roman: |
| looking for in any of | | | | 800/223-2194 |
| these directories, the publication doesn't exist. You | | | | to name just a few. More phone numbers can be |
| can find any | | | | found in my books |
| industry - and all the magazines that are sent to that | | | | Uncommon Marketing Techniques and How To |
| industry - in under | | | | Market A Product For |
| 10 minutes in these useful directories.Catalog houses | | | | Under $500!Several companies now offer lists of |
| earn a good portion of their revenue from the sale | | | | every business or every person in |
| of | | | | the U.S. on CD-ROM. These products allow you to |
| their lists. Call the catalog and ask for their business | | | | create your own list |
| office, then ask | | | | criteria and generate your own precisely targeted |
| who handles their list sales. Almost all catalog houses | | | | mailing lists. Some of |
| sell their lists. | | | | the better programs make it easy and fast to use |
| Catalog houses can be found in the Catalog of | | | | their CD-ROM |
| Catalogs from Woodbine | | | | products. Mailing list CDs are available from InfoUSA: |
| House Publications ( 800-843-7323; $28.95 | | | | 800/321-0869, |
| PPD), and The Directory of Mail Order Catalogs from | | | | and Global Business International: 407/568-5037 to |
| Grey House | | | | name but two.One of the best resources for lists is |
| Publishing ( 800-562-2139; $250).Trade associations | | | | the Internet. There's no getting |
| are usually an excellent source of mailing lists. | | | | around it now, the Internet is here to stay - you |
| Better associations always list the industry's major | | | | might as well get on |
| players. Local | | | | and get used to it. It's a great - probably the best - |
| associations like the Chamber of Commerce in your | | | | research tool |
| area are usually | | | | available for almost anything, if you can filter out the |
| good for local business names. You can select by | | | | crap from the good |
| business size, | | | | stuff. But... isn't that the way with all research tools: |
| number of employees, SIC code (the government's | | | | you gotta figure out |
| industry | | | | which is the good stuff that you can use, and which |
| classification of each business), or any of a multitude | | | | is the bad stuff that |
| of other selection | | | | you've just spent the last two hours looking over |
| parameters. Two great sources for finding | | | | and have now figured |
| associations are reference | | | | out is pretty worthless.You'd be surprised how many |
| books from Columbia Books, Inc. (888-265-0600; | | | | of your competitors will sell your their |
| publishers of the State and Regional | | | | customers' names. If not competitors, how about |
| Associations Directory ($79) and The National Trade | | | | asking other |
| and Professional | | | | businesses who serve your market if you can |
| Associations of the United States ($99). Mailing lists | | | | purchase their mailing |
| of the associations | | | | lists.Of course, the best list of all - bar none - is your |
| are $100/M and are available on labels or | | | | own house list of current |
| disk.Association lists and data are also available in the | | | | and past customers. These are the folks that know |
| Encyclopedia of | | | | you and trust you; |
| Associations by The Gale Group (800-877-GALE) on | | | | they've experienced that great customer service |
| disk, CD, and on- | | | | you offer and are now |
| line through Lexis-Nexis. This hardbound, | | | | willing to buy something else from you if you would |
| three-volume set ($505) is | | | | only let them know |
| the motherload of associations - showing detailed | | | | it's available.Spend some extra time in this most |
| information on more | | | | important area - list research: |
| than 23,000 local, state, national, and international | | | | tighten your list criteria, do your homework, spend |
| associations.Trade show lists are also great marketing | | | | time in research, and |
| tools - lists of both attendees | | | | find the best lists you can possibly find. Then test |
| and of exhibitors. Check out two great websites: | | | | several. It's worth the |
| and | | | | extra time and money to target your audience with |
| for trade show information. The Tradeshow | | | | precision and |
| Week Data Book (213-965-5300; $355) is a great | | | | increase the chance you'll come up a winner at the |
| tool published by the | | | | post office. There is |
| editors of Tradeshow Week Magazine. Another | | | | no single more important factor in creating a greater |
| great trade show | | | | response to a |
| directory is the TradeShows and Exhibits Schedule | | | | mailing than mailing to the best possible list. |
| from Bill | | | | Whatever you do, don't |
| Communications (800-266-4712, 856-619-5800) - | | | | settle for a mediocre list unless you want mediocre |
| organized by | | | | results.Jeffrey Dobkin, author of the incredible |
| industry, by location, by date, and in alphabetical | | | | 400-page marketing manual |
| order for fast look-ups.Two excellent resources for | | | | How To Market a Product for Under $500. To place |
| investigating lists at the library are the | | | | an order, or to speak |
| SRDS Direct Marketing List Source (TM) | | | | with Mr. Dobkin call 610/642-1000. Fax 610/642-6832. |
| (800-851-SRDS) and the | | | | From The |
| Oxbridge Communications National Directory of | | | | Danielle Adams Publishing Company, Box 100, Merion |
| Mailing Lists (800-955- | | | | Station, PA |
| 0231). We use both in our own office - they're | | | | 19066. |
| thorough and | | | | |