Where to Find New Customers Using B2B Direct Mail

The challenge in business-to-business direct mail is knowing where to look for new business. You need a source of potential new clients that is reliable and affordable. A source that will give you the contact information you need to send a direct mail package to prospective customers who need, want and can afford what you offer.

At a minimum, any source of names should supply the following for each lead:

First name, last name
Job title
Company name
Address (sometimes on two lines)
City
Province or state
Postal code or zip code

Other details that are nice to know:
SIC Code (Standard Industry Classification)
Industry by name
Size of company (in number of employees or sales volume)
Telephone number
Email address
Business type (manufacturing, services, consulting)
Job function (engineer, owner, purchasing, management)
Purchasing authority
Budget
Geographic region (international region, country, state)

Where to find names of potential customers:

Associations
There is an Association of Legal Administrators. There is an association for social workers who specialize in helping people with cancer (Association of Oncology Social Work). There is an association for manufacturers of fasteners in the mid-west of the United States (The Mid-West Fastener Association).

If your target audiences is a niche market, the first place to look for potential customers is trade associations. These associations (local, regional, national, international) often rent lists of names of their members.

Trade publications
Most industries have a trade journal. You are familiar, of course, with Frozen Food Age, Industrial Hygiene News, Eyecare Business and Waste News. These trade publications and most others also rent the names of their subscribers.

Trade directories
You could look in the phone book. Or you could look in the Organic Export Directory, a compilation of contact names for companies that export organic food products. The more narrow the field, the more likely it is to have its own directory of companies in the industry. Some of these directories are in print, and some are online as well.

Trade shows and conferences
Another excellent source of names is industry events. These are usually hosted by trade publications and associations, but independent events also exist. Event organizers rent or sell the names of event attendees and exhibitors.

List brokers
List brokers are specialists who help one company use the list of another company. Their services include research, selection and recommendation of lists. A list broker, for example, would search on your behalf for lists that meet your unique criteria. There is a Hospitality/Travel Professionals list. And a Firefighters Bookstore list (people who have purchased from Firefighters Bookstore). And a Federal Student Aid Schools list (28,994 schools that provide federally financed aid to their attendees).

House list
Your best source of new business is your database of current and lapsed customers, otherwise known as your house list. Getting business from a current customer is always less expensive than getting business from a new customer.

Government
For some products and services, another excellent source of potential clients is the government. I have a number of clients who buy mailing lists from their state governments and use them to mail offers to businesses that are in their target audience. One client buys the names of dentists and dental hygienists whose licenses are about to expire, and mails those prospects a direct mail piece that promotes the client's continuing education courses (which prospects need to take and pass to renew their licenses). Another client buys the names of garages in his state who conduct state-mandated vehicle safety inspections. He mails them direct mail pieces that promote his software product, which is designed specifically for these inspection stations.

Keep in mind that the most important part of any business-to-business direct mail lead generation campaign is the list. You can have a great product, a terrific offer and the best timing, but if you mail to the wrong people, well, you know what happens. So make sure you get the best list you can.

Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter, lead generation specialist and publisher of "Sharpe & Direct: The B2B direct mail marketing e-newsletter." Receive a free report when you sign up at http://www.sharpecopy.com

---

Develop Your Curiosity And Increase Profits

If anyone was to ask me what my greatest strength... Read More

Helping Your Prospects Overcome ?Buying Fears? By Using Testimonials

You DO use direct marketing for your small business? right?... Read More

Where to Find Cheap Brochure Printing

Whether it is for is a real estate listing, a... Read More

Is Your 4X4 Trail Rated?

"Traction. Articulation. Ground Clearance. Maneuverability. Water Fording. We've put your... Read More

Tie-In With Others To Maximize Your Business Leverage

One of the most rewarding, inexpensive, under-used, and effective methods... Read More

How Well Do You Know Your Prospects? Find Out With This 10-Point Quiz

It's crucial to know your prospects if you want to... Read More

Blowing Your Own Horn

Opportunity Assistance Business Resource Center At first you must think... Read More

Identifying, Creating and Using Your USP?

What's your USP? Don't know, or worse still, you've never... Read More

Alarming Marketing Trend

One key discipline of successful direct marketing has been to... Read More

Top 5 Design Tips to Create Eye-Catching Marketing Materials

Great graphic design looks effortless, but it requires lots of... Read More

Mortgage Marketing - How to Earn More Business From Realtors®

Is your marketing strategy getting the results you desire?Mailing postcards,... Read More

Funnel Your Way to Marketing Success

A funnel is a good way to think of the... Read More

How to Connect Features and Values

"Buy this magazine or we'll shoot the dog," went a... Read More

How to Protect Yourself Against the Hidden Cost of Shipping to Trade Shows

Trade Shows are lots of work, but they can generate... Read More

Attracting Clients With Ease

Whether you are already running your own business, or still... Read More

Too Much To Do: Four Keys to Effective Delegating

Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what... Read More

Marketing with Special Reports. 5 Ways to Develop Content Your Prospects Cant Wait to Read

So you've decided to start publishing an e-newsletter, or you'd... Read More

Your Elevator Speech ? Have You Updated Yours Recently?

Do you have an elevator speech? Does it get people's... Read More

Digital Printing vs. Press Printing ? A Comparison Guide

When it comes time to print your brand identity materials,... Read More

Are Keywords Destroying the Flow of Your SEO Copy?

With all the shuffling that's been seen in the search... Read More

How To Be A First Class Marketer?

Did you now how to follow up a new customer... Read More

5 Great Ways to Reach Your Target Market

There are many ways to reach out and find the... Read More

Cook Up Something Special: How To Create A WOW Experience For Your Clients

My niece recently graduated from high school, and my family... Read More

Trigger Button Marketing

Sometimes, experiencing bleak sales is a matter of failing to... Read More

A Creative RIOT

Relevant, original and impactful: that's what my friend Creative Director... Read More

Increase Sales With Travel Incentives

Today's business environment has changed dramatically over the past 10... Read More

The Fine Art of Relationship Marketing

The buzzword these days is "relationship" marketing. Just what is... Read More

Writing A Marketing Strategy

It is my belief that if anyone is to suceed... Read More

Why You Buy, Part Two

More of the findings of the recent studies in behavioral... Read More

Marketing to Success on a ZERO Budget

TOP 10 TIPS TO GET YOU MARKETING TO SUCCESS ON... Read More

Inform vs. Excite

excite v. 1 a: to call to activity b: to... Read More

4 Easy Ways to Get Free Marketing Exposure

Are there really ways you can get valuable marketing exposure... Read More

Business Cards That do the Business

A business card makes a statement about who you are... Read More