Tips For Cleaning Up Your Business-to-Business Sales and Marketing Database

Why waste time ande energy marketing to those who don't receive the message? It's time to tidy up that database to maximize marketing expenditures, as mailing or calling contacts who are not interested in your offerings can be costly.

Some direct marketing solutions for database cleanliness:

Today we can send a marketing message to a potential contact using just an e-mail address or fax number. A name is not even required, although personalization of the message is not possible without it. What is the minimum amount of information you need about a contact to market to him or her?

Do your marketing programs include direct mail sent via the US Postal Service? An updated address list which meets postal standards and qualifies you for discounts on postage is critical.

- Visit USPS at: http://www.usps.gov to learn about cleaning up those address records.

- Also search Internet keywords such as 'list clean up' or 'database clean up,' or Postal Service terms 'NCOA' or 'CASS.'

- Request phone and fax numbers, as well as e-mail addresses, from the same vendors found via the Internet search. This additional service is often provided as a related direct marketing solution.

Many direct marketing magazines publish directories, some of which are printed each year and made available at a reasonable cost. Some are freely available in the back of the magazines or at the publishers' websites.

Do you need more demographic info for your marketing solutions?

- Business database companies Dunn & Bradstreet: http://www.dnb.com could be worth a look
- Also see: InfoUSA http://www.infousa.com
- Contact publishing staff at trade magazines you advertise in, as usually database services are offered to advertisers.

Another good way to gather the correct data - ask your contacts directly.

Use phone, fax, e-mail and post to ask contacts for help in updating records. You'll need to provide a good answer to the question "What's in it for me?" if you seek a response.

The most effective method of maintaining a clean and updated marketing list is regular use in direct marketing. Each time you communicate with your contacts by any method, you'll have a chance to ask a new question, acquire corrected address information and receive news about people who have moved on or changed positions. Mailouts should request that the recipient contact you if informational changes are needed. All calls are an opportunity to verify important information in your contact's file. Enter these techniques into your direct marketing strategy to turn more leads into sales.