B-to-B Prospecting: Dig Deeper for Better Names
Though there may be a minor dispute over who gets the lion’s share of the prospecting, few marketers deny the value of using multiple sources for prospect names. The smart marketer now can shop — or test — around to determine which lists from various sources produce the best results.
Of course, amidst all of these techniques remains the tried-and-true list rental and exchange. It may seem quaint compared to sophisticated database modeling, but it still works. One maxim typically reigns supreme for B-to-B mailers: The right list rental will produce the best results. The challenge is that those types of lists are limited and hard to find. Companies looking for solid growth will continue to mail and test from multiple sources.
A columnist for Retail Online Integration, George founded HAGUEdirect, a marketing agency. Previously he was a member of the Shawnee Mission, Kan.-based consulting and creative agency J. Schmid & Assoc. He has more than 10 years of experience in circulation, advertising, consulting and financial strategy in the catalog/retail industry. George's expertise includes circulation strategy, mailing execution, response analysis and financial planning. Before joining J. Schmid, George worked as catalog marketing director at Dynamic Resource Group, where he was responsible for marketing and merchandising for the Annie's Attic Needlecraft catalog, the Clotilde Sewing Notions catalog, the House of White Birches Quilter's catalog and three book clubs. George also worked on corporate acquisitions.
