| Startups Need List Brokers, Too! By Denny Hatch Anybody with a product or service who wants to get into direct marketing and does not have a competent list broker or consultant, can kiss the investment good-bye. Absolutely. If lists are the most important element in direct marketing, then the broker/consultant is the key player. In the November 2001 issue, I lamented that it was difficult to find a list broker who would take the time to work with marketers just starting up in the business. The small commissions on small tests were not worth the time spent, even though a payout may come down the line as the marketer gets bigger, mails more and, eventually, has a nice fat list to manage. I was dead wrong. Lots of brokers are delighted to provide their expertise to startups. Here is the e-mail blitz that came. AccuData America (s.lucas@accudata.com) Shelly Lucas Premier Division 1625 Cape Coral Parkway Cape Coral, FL 33904 (941) 549-1111 ph. www.accudata.com I'm responding to your call for startup-friendly list brokers in the November issue of Target magazine. AccuData America, based in Cape Coral, Fla., would like to be listed in the January 2002 issue of Target. We specialize in developing data strategies that help our clients meet their marketing goals; if our clients need help defining those marketing goals--or even developing strategies--we assist them in those areas as well. For our larger clients, we have data consulting teams dedicated to particular industries--e.g., insurance, cable/broadband and telecommunications. Pat Patten Alan Drey Company 266 Mobil Ave., Suite 205 Camarillo, CA 93010 805-987-3466 805-987-3522 fax ppatten@adcdirect.com As the Alan Drey company celebrates its 50th anniversary, I look at our client roster and find quite a few startups who have mailed millions of pieces to lists handled by our company. We also have worked with many more who have not made a success. But we do know that being in on the ground floor of a successful operation usually leads to a long-term customer with great lifetime value for our company. So rather than assume our company does not want to work with startups, include us in your listing. On occasion we will turn someone down - if the product or offer is immoral or illegal - or if the chemistry to do business is just not there. More often we will save that company considerable time and money in learning the basics and getting their first program successfully executed. American Direct Marketing Services contact: Rob Weaver (rob@dmlist.com) 1120 Empire Central Place, Suite 110 Dallas, TX 75247 (800) 527-5080 ph. (214) 905-3829 fx. www.dmlist.com Our company, American Direct Marketing Services, located in Dallas, TX, specializes in lists of wealthy, affluent investors and consumers of all types of financial products and services. You can see our lists at www.dmlist.com. Some of our past continuation clients include: The Wall Street Journal, Forbes Magazine, Texas Motor Speedway, Dallas National Bank, Hilton Hotels, Salvation Army, Dick Armey Campaign, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, Professional Seminars, Council of Indian Nations, Hampton Inn, Merrill Lynch, Winchester Hospital Foundation, Prudential Securities, Sacred Heart Foundation, Hartman Management. American List Counsel 4300 US Highway 1 CN 5219 Princeton, NJ 08543 (609) 580-2977 Bliss Direct Media contact: Joe Leach (joe@blissdirect.com) 710 Sundial Dr. Waite Park, MN 56387 (320) 203-1354 ph. (320) 251-6755 fx. www.blissdirect.com Saw your call for brokers that will deal with start ups. Though we are not a brokerage firm, I do want to make you aware of our willingness and capabilities to work with start ups from a printing and mailing standpoint. I started this company two years ago after working at a very large direct mail printing company for eight years. We have grown quite quickly because we have been willing to deal with small jobs and unconventional customers. My pledge to each of my customers is this- "If you have a direct mail question on any campaign whether we are involved or not at all, please call. I will answer your question or find someone that can.” We also take credit cards which tends to help from a financial standpoint. Please let me know if this would be helpful as well as anything else I might be able to do for you. Creative Mailers contact: Jack Engelmohr (jengelmohr@aol.com) 2275 Cassens St. Suite 128 Fenton, MI 63026 (800)943.8882 ph. (636)343-4871 fx. In the November issue of Target Marketing you discussed compiling a directory of list brokers who deal with startups. Creative Mailers would like to be considered for inclusion. We have been in business for 9 years and specialize in direct mail advertising (list acquisition, design and layout, printing and lettershop). Our clients include retail businesses and manufacturers in addition to nonprofit organizations such as charities, schools and religious entities. I am the owner of the business and previously, I served as vice president of marketing and sales for 12 years at two different Fortune 500 firms. I am familiar with all types of advertising and sales methods and now I enjoy working with startup clients who often need advice on marketing in general and for whom direct mail may or may not be the best choice. CSMI (Contact Marketing Solutions, Inc) contact: Joe Cavanaugh (joec@csmionline.com) (402) 934-4081 ph. (402) 934-4058 fx. www.csmionline.com We service companies of all sizes, types, and knowledge levels. While the large mailers certainly of great value to the bottom line, it is the customers newer to the world of list information that inspire thought and creativity, and challenge the minds of our account managers. There is much more joy in consulting with a new client trying to educate them as to their options as you begin to understand their needs and expectations than simply entering demographics to reach quantity for a mail drop. I am not saying that we do not enjoy our established clients as they bring challenging and often multi-dimensional projects to us but there is always adventure, usually enjoyable, with the new prospects. In short, we would anxiously welcome the opportunity to offer ourassistance to start-ups as well as those who are just entering the world of data purchase. D.J. Associates contact: Alexa Kimberley-Bryant (akb@nh.adelphia.net) P.O. Box 1640/Route 16 Conway, NH 03818 (603)447-3893 ph. (603)447-1920 fx. www.djassoc.com I am raising my hand. I work with a LOT of startups and frankly most of them are really great to work with. So put me down as a list broker who will happily work with startups of any size and I'll do a great job. Dunhill International List Co. 1951 NW 19thStreet, Boca Raton, FL 33431 contact: Cindy Dunhill 561-347-0200 ext. 121 Fax 561-347-0400 cindy@dunhills.com www.dunhills.com For sales leads, go to www.dunhillonline.com for instant countsand prices for business and consumer lists. Let us append e-mail addresses to your existing customer database. For more information, call 1-800-DUNHILL (386-4455). Estee Marketing Group, Inc. contact: Geoffrey Batrouney (gbatrouney@esteemarketing.com) 270 North Avenue, Suite 805 New Rochelle, NY 10801 (914) 235-7080 ph. (914) 235-6518 fx. I salute your request because it is very different handling a start up than inheriting (say) LL Bean! I have been an employee/owner on starting three direct mail companies: The Company Store in 1982; No nonsense direct in 1985; The Coca-Cola Catalog in 1993; and as a broker I have handled a score of startups. After a while one can smell the winner! And also have a great sense of when a mailer might not be ready or long for this world. I really admire anyone with the guts to attempt a startup. I feel almost a bit obliged to offer to help! Nancy Hubbard, President Hubbard Marketing Group www.hubbardmarketinggroup.com **Partners in Success** 703-742-6226 Fax: 703-742-7094 Ever since I started my company in 1983, I have been working very well with startup businesses and find it exciting and challenging and very rewarding. We have provided not only list brokerage services, but also fundraising consultation, creativity and production coordination services. I've learned so much from these startups as it teaches me the importance of clear communication -- and I think I'm a natural-born teacher! Some of the clients we've worked with from their beginnings are U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation -- non-profit fundraising -- to Women's Golf Company -- consumer catalog. We just started last year working with Women's World of Golf, a new publication. Even though catalogs and publications are having difficult economic times right now, we have stuck by them in looking at various avenues to improve their revenue. A large percentage of our work since I began has been political fundraising -- on the Republican side -- as well as helping non-profits raise money. We would be happy to talk to startups to see if our team can be of support for their team. Bob Portner , Senior Account. Executive Kroll Direct Marketing 609-275-2900 ext.111 Fax 609-275-6606 bob@krolldirect.com Just began my 24th year in our business and pride myself in the service I give all my clients both large and small. some of my clients have been with me from the very beginning. my specialty has always been in the b-to-b arena with considerable experience working with conference mailers, as well as publishers, both here in the states as well as abroad. I also do a sizeable amount of work with consumer mailers in the health area. my clients are turning to me more and more for ideas on e-mail files as well as postal, and have been successful incorporating both. Leon Henry Inc. contact: Cheryl Bagdan (cherylb@leonhenryinc.com) 455 Central Avenue Scarsdale, NY 10583 (914) 723-3176 (914) 723-0205 www.leonhenryinc.com We always welcome working with new mailers! We have nine brokers, any of whom will be delighted to work with startups. We have a history of some of the biggest companies that started small with and through us using inserts or lists. List Services Corporation contact: Elaine Zito (ezito@listserv.com) 6 Trowbridge Dr. Bethel, CT 06801-0561 (203) 743-2600 (203) 743-0042 www.listservices.com List Services Corporation has provided expert brokerage services to the direct marketing industry since 1981. LSC is a full-service brokerage company with specialists who are experienced in Publishing, Continuity, General Merchandise, E-Commerce, Fundraising, Opportunities, Financial, Databases and Alternate Media. We serve both consumer and business-to-business clients in the U.S., Canada and International markets. Our new Interactive Division specializes in all aspects of e-commerce including brokerage. We encourage all new business.With regard to new startups, as a first time mailer we will analyze the market, make recommendations, do price negotiations, consult on merges, and back-end analysis as part of our service. We typically will make financial arrangements with a new mailer until a credit history is established. List Strategies contact: Douglas von Hassel (Doug@ListStrategies.com) 141 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10010 (212) 767-1000 ext. 106 ph. (212) 541-4408 fx. I have been a list broker with List Strategies for over nine years. Some of my clients include: Cahners Business Information, Primedia Business, Putman, Thomson Financial Media, Commerce Clearing House, Oceana Publications, Jupiter Communications, McGraw Hill, Business News Publishing, Wunderman, FCB, and Draft Worldwide. I specialize in business to business brokerage with publishers, seminar companies, and some Advertising Agencies. I look forward to business opportunities with startups. Loring Direct Response contact: Bart Loring (loringdr@aol.com) 5 Tioga Court New City, NY 10956 (845) 708-0100 ph. (845) 708-2290 fx. I have been a list professional for 30 years. Two years ago I got tired of running large impersonal list companies (TLS, Generation Maketing, CMT Data Corp.-Behaviorbank, etc.), and opened my own shop. The purpose, or goal, was to bring back some of the hands-on entrepreneurial spirit that our industry has lost. I specialize mostly in consumer list and alternative media brokerage and management. My clientele currently includes both small startups like Candytree USA, Fitness Systems, VNF Nutrition, as well as larger mailers such as Swanson Health Products and Globe Life. I would welcome the chance to meet and work with owners of startup businesses. After all that's where this entire industry came from. LZL, Inc. contact: Ann Zinser (lzlists-az@juno.com) 5 West Gate Drive Bow, NH 03304 (603) 226-3811 ph. (603) 226-3767 fx. We are a small list brokerage and management company in New Hampshire, and we love startups. In fact, when Millard Company has small clients they send them to us, so we are more than happy to help small companies grow. We do both business-to-business and Consumer; we specialize in travel, human resource, business books, business technical mailing and publications, and all types of catalogs. Some of our clients include: Gillette Advertising Agency, Mountain Naturals, Ramada Plaza Resorts, Personnel Policy Services Contact East- Stanley, Alexander Hamilton, AT&T, IBM, Fidelity Investments, International Lottery, Fire Mountain Gems, The Agile Manager, Direct Merchants Bank-Metris, North American Affinity Group - PGA, and many others. Startups that we worked with include: Ramada Plaza Resorts - First mailings 5,000 names per week, Now mailing 1 million pieces per week. The Agile Manager- 5,000 per quarter now 25,000 per quarter and growing. Personnel Policy Service - 10,000 per quarter, now 50,000 per quarter. Direct Merchants Bank - Metris first mailing Fraud Alert Offer- 50,000 last year - This year 150,000 November mailing, project to go to 250,000 per month in January 2002. We love working with new companies, and helping them with the direct mail business. We have 30 years+ experience in the list business, but LZL, Inc., is only five years old. Carl Landon and I started it after each leaving positions with other companies. Carl has work for S&H Marketing, Inc., General Foods, Lee Wards while I had previously been with Listworks for 15 years. Thanks for the opportunity. Mal Dunn Associates contact: Russell Dunn(russelld@dunndirect.com) 2 Hardscrabble Rd. Croton Falls, NY 10519 (845)278-1230 ph. (914)277-8311 fx. www.dunndirect.com I was intrigued by your piece in Target Marketing on startups’ need for list brokerage. I have been in the list business for over 20 years and have spent most of that time in list brokerage. It is true that usually startups tend to be a lot of work for little or no return. However, there are some very real benefits to the broker that come from this kind of work. First and foremost is the fact that you can learn a lot by working with new mailers. When working with a startup I will inevitably learn about some new aspect of direct mail. Established brokers usually have a stable of major clients that they have worked with for years. As a result, you tend to get a little set in your ways as far as what makes up a "good" list based on your experience with your small group of client/mailers. Working with startups gives you an opportunity to test your assumptions regarding lists, and more importantly, develop new approaches to reach a target audience. Another benefit to working with startups is just plain FUN. Let's face it, list brokerage isn't rocket science and after working with clients for several years it can even become a little mundane. Working with startups on the other hand is exciting. You are dealing with new ideas, and sometimes, new markets. Everything is riding on a handful of lists so the stakes are high. Many times in my career a startup relationship has recharged my list broker batteries and reminded me of the excitement that is to be found in direct mail marketing. As a seasoned list broker, startups will keep you fresh and open your eyes to new possibilities. Finally, lest we forget big success. Aside from the fact that you can generate some nice revenue from this, there is nothing that compares to being part of the original team that puts together a mail plan that is a home run. All that being said, I would be happy to be listed on your directory of brokers who are willing to work with startups. I have worked with just about every type of mailer imaginable, both b-to-b and b-to-c. My main client base right now is in consumer and b-to-b publishing. I also do a lot of work in the Teen market and Natural Health/New Age markets. |