Know-How Exchange : Other

Hello,

How are you?

Are you looking for a List Manager or data service bureau?

Please email me more details and I will see if I can help you.

[Contact information deleted by staff. This information should be in the Member Profile, not a response.]

Thank you
Tom

Why do you want to outsource and what do you think you would gain from it?

If I were in your shoes and had such a valuable list, I would begin by looking at partners who eventually add value to the list.

I'm sure you can find lists companies who can lend their expertise in selecting names from your list. However, the information might be more valuable and might therefore generate increased revenue if combined with other data. For example, if you could provide the names and addresses as well as Dun & Bradstreet information on the businesses you might increase revenue and profits.

Good luck.

Some of my clients utilise such a service alongside using a CRM system for smaller mailings where high levels of personalisation are required.

Two of them are now contemplating using the SaaS on demand softer Netsuite.

Holding copies of the current data in house is recommended as it will constitute on of your most valuable asset. Local backups of the data are taken so that they have an up-to-date copy of the list should the company fail (Netsuite are very strong, so this is hopefully irrelevant.)

The next thing you need to look at is the danger of being blacklisted by the major ISP’s. Once you’ve been accused of spamming and your account is frozen, it is a hell of a job to get your URL on the white list after a false accusation.

You should get your CRM software suppliers to work with or even to recommend an email service provider.

Part of the cost of hiring an email shot firm is that they know precisely what to do to avoid the blacklist. Another advantage is that they can get some pretty useful statistics on open rates etc

An example is the fast growing company Academy Internet, plc where they email to contacts in-house from Maximizer and they mail suspects from lists with an email service provider which is, if memory serves me correctly, is called Pure. I have a feeling that they will eventually scrap Maximizer and do for the ASP model – such a move frees up the sales staff from managing a data base or even managing the software on a workstation as it all works through a browser.

Steve Alker
Xspirt