MCH

Institutions are safe havens in today's economic climate for B-to-B marketers. Some of the largest institutions in the U.S. include local governments, schools and health care systems. Although they aren't immune to recessions, they're more resistant than commercial business customers. With this in mind, here are four tips to help your B-to-B organization capitalize on the recent passing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

Every August and September, there is a spike in federal spending. This is the annual “use-it-or-lose-it” period referred to as the “busy season.” Government agencies (federal, state and local) are allocated specific funds each year. If money is left at the end of the fiscal year, the agency doesn’t get to keep it; the money goes back to the Treasury Department. The federal fiscal year (FY) is Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, while most states are on a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year. The question then becomes, how does a company go after that end-of-FY “treasure trove?” Here’s where B-to-B catalogers stand to benefit

At the recent Amtower Summit on Selling Products to the Government held in Baltimore, a panel of multichannel marketing experts provided the audience myriad tips and opinions on how to best find and sell to government employees. The panel consisted of David Powell, vice president of sales and marketing administration at FBC, a company that produces trade show events and conferences at federal government locations throughout the U.S.; Linda Pickering, senior vice president of B-to-B list company MeritDirect; Jim Garlow, director of advertising and marketing operations at computer equipment multichannel marketer CDW; and Peter Long, CEO of MCH, a compiler of business-to-institution (B-to-I) databases

The attraction of the business-to-government (B-to-G) market for B-to-B catalogers is rising. Though some catalogers have experienced little success, others have had tremendous growth in this market even without those hard-to-come-by government contracts. The two keys are education and perseverance. All levels of government (federal, state, local, school districts) buy every type of legitimate business product or service imaginable. Over the years, many catalogers that have grown successful government-business units have done so even without a government contract. Some of these mailers are very significant players in their respective niches. Consider the following stats and factors: 1. GSA SmartPay program. Formerly the IMPAC program, the GSA

About MCH Celebrating: its 75th anniversary this year Headquarters: Sweet Springs, MO Merchandise: institutional lists, sold via catalogs, for the healthcare, education, religion and government markets Annual circulation: 350,000 Size of housefile: 5,000 on the 24-month housefile, and 65,000 to 70,000 on the prospecting list Number of employees: about 100, five of which are responsible for catalog production Market: MCH compiles and rents, via its specialized vertical catalogs, lists of companies and individuals in the education, healthcare and other business-to-institutional markets. It mails two 48-page big books annually. And it sends smaller-sized speciality and prospecting catalogs and mailers throughout the year —