West List Co. - Direct Marketing Expertise

www.westlists.com - new site is launched

2009-11-23T09:37:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys,

Give us your feedback on the new site.

Lots of work went into it. But we can always use constructive critiques.

Thanks,

T

InfoCanada on the block - Along with InfoGroup

2009-11-09T15:10:00.001-08:00

It appaars that InfoGroup - Database Marketing powerhouse that most DM professionals are familiar with has been getting ready to receive offers for their business.

In a recent article - it was discovered that 33 groups had requested access to the books in order to make an offer for the business.

InfoGroup has purchased many of their competitors in recent years - they now have Walter Karl, YesMail, Edith Roman as part of there stable.

Canadian Consumer Mailing Lists

2009-10-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

The challenge to get more out of your mailings has never been greater. The debate over whether to us Addressed or Unaddressed Admail still rages. Canada Post seems to be moving ahead. Addressed admail will outperform Unaddressed day in and day out.

As a huge proponent of Addressed admail - marketers have gotten lazier than ever. The lure of unaddressed admail has created shift from marketers being niche and message specific; to pushing out far and wide their message to any and all who will listen.

Examples of Lazy marketing used by Unaddressed Admail -
Condo/Apartment Dwellers don't need Roofing/Reno services
Single Men don't need Feminine products

The open and recognition rates for Addressed Admail are much higher than Unaddressed. Marketers need to ensure more of their pieces get openned.

Consumer Lists - Residential

Job Risk and Income Risk Analytics

2009-09-04T14:48:00.000-07:00

West List Co. is proud announce a new marketing partnership with Scorelogix.

Scorelogix, a pioneer in job risk and income risk analytics, Income Stability Score™ (ISS) and segmentation grades derived from our Job Security Index (JSI), and the Local Economic Health Index (LEHI), and the JSI, LEHI and Unemployment Risk for your reference. Their prospect scores and segmentation grades are very useful to marketers who want lists that reflect the economic characteristics of their lists’ members. Using their score and grades individuals, from those with the financial ability to purchase goods and services to those with essential needs such as catastrophic health insurance or mortgage assistance can all be targeted more effectively.

The kind of value enhancement they offer is even more important today, when purchasing capacity is down, and should be a real asset that can only enhance lists and improve ROI.

We are excited about what Scorelogix will bring to some of our larger mailers and will continue to present them at every opportunity. If you have any questions or would like to review how this may benefit you, please give me a call.

Regards,

Troy

Green Tips for Marketers

2009-06-17T06:29:00.001-07:00

As we all know, it's really important to protect the environment. Here are some great tips from the CMA.

http://www.the-cma.org/?WCE=C=32|K=s227458

DNC - Do Not Call to easily accessible

2009-06-11T19:27:00.001-07:00

For years now Canadians have been eagerly awaiting the dnc or do not call list. Having had numerous evenings interrupted by a nice gentleman inquiring if I need a way weight loss solution or if I would like to subscribe to a newspaper? So the dnc has been a welcome coming for my household or so I thought. Recent tv reports detailing the ease
that nefarious individuals can download all the people wishing to not receive telemarketing calls and use it for their own marketing. Has created a dangerous loophole for everyone involved with the dnc and all the people who have signed up to hopefully prevent the unwanted phone calls. The ease of pulling down what is essentially an excellent target audience list, is far to easy and needs to be addressed.

As we all know, the people who are being pestered by so many calls are the ones who have responded and therefore qualifying them for future offers or calls. The biggest issue is how to prevent just anyone from gaining access to this information. It is after-all something that all telemarketing list owners should have access to make it effective. The distribution of this list is incredibly easy – in a recent Global News Story, I watched as the reporter using his credit card was able to download the entire Ontario list.

This situation must be addressed.

www.westlists.com

Adwords Tips from the pros

2009-05-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

The current economy has been tough on businesses and customers alike, and it can be a lot harder these days to connect with more price-conscious customers. To reach these customers, our internal team of AdWords optimizers has come up with 6 tactics that will help your AdWords campaigns be more relevant to your customers.

1. Focus your ads on low prices and savings.

2. Use value-related keywords.

3. Make sure your ad groups are targeted and relevant.

4. Don't waste money on irrelevant clicks.

5. Make it easy for customers to buy.

6. Focus your money on your high-performers.

You can read more about each of these tips including examples and instructions at www.google.com/adwords/tactics and you can also view these tactics in a pdf format at www.google.com/adwords/tactics/top_tactics.pdf. We hope these tactics will help you continue to see good returns from your AdWords investment.

Posted by Amanda Kelly, Inside AdWords crew

Expected click and open rates for Email Blasts

2009-04-04T06:28:00.000-07:00

A question that we seem to get alot in regards to email marketing is what kind of open rates we should expect with our email blast. Also, what is a good range and how do we determine if it is successful. Here are some rules to live by to help you determine the success of your next email program. For B2B email marketing the open rates are often lower than consumer blasts. An average open rate will be 10-18%, anywhere in this range should be thought of as successful. If it is lower you may want to work harder to target the right individuals. Business to Consumer email broadcasts are often higher on the open rates, usually 15-25%. The challenge with consumers is on the conversions. Consumers have become very guarded with their information and as a result will not respond to even the most intriguing offers. Consumers focused emails work best to create buzz for an event, send out a printable coupon or just communicate with a niche.

A business contact is often less likely to be sent spam. Hotmail, Yahoo and MSN accounts are often the most likely to be spammed. This makes it difficult to get through the gate keepers and present your offer as a trustworthy individual.

www.westlists.com

Building an Effective Email Marketing Program

2009-03-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

What makes an effective email marketing program? So many marketers think they can throw some code together, rent a list and bingo - financial fortunes.

Sorry folks - it really isn't that easy. When you buy something - what is the first thing you need to have before you shell out the dough to pick up that new shock absorber or sofa? Trust. You need to have trust that the merchant is who they say they are. In creating your email marketing program, put yourself in the position of the prospect and ask yourself. "Self, would I respond to this offer or mail piece?" If not, then you are wasting your time and your prospects. Further, you're doing more damage than good.

Work on growing your relationship with your prospect. Be the authority for you product or service and you will gain the trust of your group. Just like any other offer, you need to communicate why what you have to say is important to the prospect. Marketers have made the mistake, that email marketing is the quickest way to sales in any niche group. This may be true when done correctly, but you still need to grow your relationship.

Best of luck,

Troy

West List Co. now managing - 160 Mailing Files

2009-01-19T09:05:00.001-08:00

We will have more on this development shortly. Our list of lists will be increase 10 fold from our current offering. This continues our strategy to grow West List Co. into Canada's largest list brokerage/list manager.

www.westlists.com

Kim Young Joins West List Co.

2008-12-30T18:18:00.000-08:00

We are extremely excited to bring Kim Young - formerly of Resolve to West List Co. Her abilities in the brokerage department will be a huge benefit to our clients. We continue to strive to deliver better and better service to our clients. The addition of Kim will ensure that large mailers get the best brokerage support anywhere in the industry. Kim began her career at Watts/Resolve, working for DM visionary Linda Trauzzi. Her 17 years will be a great resource to draw on for any of our brokerage business.

Welcome aboard Kim!

How does Addressed Mail work??

2008-12-26T10:52:00.001-08:00

Today is all about what is new and cool - and is anyone else doing it. My friends now is the time to ensure that your doing programs that are guaranteed to work and have been working for over 100 years.

Direct Mail, when done correctly is the best way to grow your business. There are two types of DM, the first being addressed direct mail and the second being unaddressed ad mail. Often called 'Householder' direct mail.

Addressed Mail - Traditional Package

- This is where it all begins with your DM efforts. If you haven't done the basic format, you may be missing out on higher conversions with lower printing costs. The package consists of an envelope, a brochure, a letter, an order form(optional) and a reply envelope. The reply envelope should have your indicia on it for return.

A few thoughts to keep in mind about the envelopes. Before you start using oversized envelopes, keep in mind that the cost of postage will increase with the oversized envelope. If you haven't tried the traditional format - don't just do what the printer/lettershop suggests. This isn't going to guarantee increased customer acquisition.

Are you going to use a lot of color? It will definitely increase your costs - but it is important to have some color/colour in the piece.

Ted Rogers - A great Canadian

2008-12-03T11:38:00.000-08:00

I worked for Ted in what most would call Middle Management for 9 years. I shook his hand once. And watch him stand so close to BBQ at a company get together, that I would swear his synthetic suit was melting. Until his final days he took a brown paper bag lunch everyday. He never bought new clothing - and you could still catch him wearing the John Stockton high cut Adidas shorts every now and then. (True Story)

He was a true capitalist and a true Canadian. Think about how much Bell would be charging for your cellular minutes if there wasn't a better solution? Same thing with Cable and Internet. He saved Maclean Hunter from bankruptcy and kept alive Chatelaine, Macleans and many other mags that would have been discontinued if he hadn't agreed to fund their existence. A lot of this is considered Canadiana - He gave alot more than he took.

Business Mailing Lists

2008-11-20T19:10:00.001-08:00

I continue to push my clients to think more about profiling and less about a customers past habits. Are you looking to get a list of people who might buy a retirement property or need business insurance? Or perhaps you want to sell Mortgage related services? Instead of looking to buy/rent a list that has been heavily used and thus depleated of its value. Look at getting a list of individuals who are most likely to need your service at some point or currently need your service if you make the right offer.

Reach a group of people who are influencers and prospects, this will ensure that you grow your business. Keep mailing and don't be fooled by looking for THE QUICK buck as many do who use direct mail. Through frequency and communication you can show that you are a reliable and stable business. Here for the long haul! Remember - if you wouldn't respond to the offer, why would anyone else??

RMT Database - Mailing List for Massage Therapists

2008-10-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

We have just come out with a new list. RMT Pro Database is the only file which will help you reach this group of practitioners. The ability to target professionals who work in the art of health and wellness, rehabilitation, Acupressure, Ashiatsu, Ayurvedic, Bowen therapy, Breema, Cachunga Massage, Champissage, Esalen Massage, Hilot, Lomilomi, Medical massage, Myofascial release, Anma, Reflexology massage, Shiatsu, Stone massage, Structural Integration, Swedish massage, Thai massage, Traditional Chinese massage, Trager Approach, Trigger point therapy, Visceral manipulation and Watsu.

www.westlists.com

Data Mining - Path to Riches

2008-09-22T16:00:00.000-07:00

Are you maximizing your data? Do you know what your data is worth to you and your operations?? Most business have spent the last few years, diligently compiling data and unfortunately this is where it ends. I am not going to recommend a particular software or provider as I sometimes. What I am going to do is suggest that you look at your list of past customers and start asking questions like> What commonalities do these groups have? Are there other services that we offer that may make sense for this group? What more can give them that we are not currently.

This is such a huge part of my business - I am confident that any time you put into this will come back to you 10 fold.

Hyper Segmentation in Social Network Marketing

2008-09-04T19:48:00.000-07:00

The advent of social networks like MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn has brought with it the incredible power to segment the audience you want to reach and do so at a price not offered on such a wide scale. These new offers include geo, income, age, sex, groups and interests; to name just a few. What this means in layment terms is that if you want to reach 40+ mothers in Portland, Oregon, who make like to cook. MySpace.com could be the place for you.

Things to remember on this side of things is that with each slice of the pie, it becomes a little bit smaller. This makes getting enough impressions a challenge for programs to have the desired effects. But as our knowledge of online users grows, this will increase the audiences for all offers. Now true this isn't a traditional DM offer, but I think it is increasingly part of the DIRECT side of our business.

Keep learning and Keep Reading.

www.westlists.com

Guide to Finding a DM Print Provider

2008-08-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

Here is an extensive list of DM Print Companies. As we get asked numerous times who can help with printing and getting a mail-piece in the mail. Here is a list of DM Providers for you consideration.

Basset Direct - www.bassetdirect.ca

Custom Data Imaging - www.customedataimaging.com

DataCore Mail Management - www.datacore-resource.com

DM Graphics - www.dmgraphics.com

Embassy Digital - www.embassydigital.com

Essence Group - www.essencegroup.com

The Helicopter Group - www.thehelicoptergroup.com

Pentagon Graphics - www.pentagon.ca

Pitney Bowes PostLinx - www.postlinx.com

Russell House Marketing - www.RussellHouse.ca

Email Measured Success - Lesson #2

2008-07-11T13:20:00.000-07:00

Are you staying up todate on the laws and recent email legislation for marketing with email? PIPEDA is something that all Canadian Marketers need to adhere to. If you plan on making a common practice of marketing to your customers and past customers, you better know the restrictions facing you.

Email Measured Success - Lesson #1

2008-06-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

As mentioned, here is the first in our effort to de-mistify the process of know where your clicks are going and what people are finding the most interesting. You may be promoting the wrong services or products. I recently input an analytic program for one of my mailers who had know idea where people were clicking on his site or what product they wanted at the outset - or what was the reason they came to the site.
Google Analytics allowed him to get a better understanding of the geo, keywords, pages visited and links clicked. This was implemented at no charge from Google. To this end, providing a specific report for each page you are linking to in your email blast. Yes, most email blast software does tell you which link is the most clicked. But it won't tell you how long the person spent on the site. The bounce rate - where they live, or any other data on these people. Google Analytics will also help Google Crawlers better understand your site and what you have to offer.

Conversions - For ecommerce sites our next lesson will help you better get the most out of your site.

Interview in Direct Magazine

2008-06-20T08:08:00.000-07:00

This week I was featured in Direct Magazine - Jim Emerson asked me some tough questions about where I saw the industry going.

Interview for Meet the Broker

The big question that kept spring to mind was - how to get more information from respondents. More on this topic as I put together a series on this topic.

Direct Mail - Direct Media Database

2008-05-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

Many of the large mailers that work with West List Co. have started using/pulling records from a collective database. The advantages of this list are

1. Cut down on merge purge costs as the data has already been run for you.
2. Opportunities to test smaller volumes to see if a list will work for your offer or not.
3. Lists are usually receptive to DM offers as they have been put in the database for a reason.
4. Continuations are easier - as you will know exactly what you mailed last time.

The Meritbase is another these databases. I have had much better luck with the Direct Media Database and would encourage any large B2B mailer to use it.

Regards,

www.westlists.com

Where are your leads going?? Email Management

2008-05-11T18:47:00.000-07:00

Are you tapping your current customers to build your business? A real adventage to regular communication with your core customers is the opportunity to get referral business. Regular users of your site are your biggest fans and the best people to ask for referrals. They usually run in the same circles - the demographics that brought that customer to you will be similar for their friends and family.

Use a drip method - ask them for additional information about their concerns, challenges and needs. You may find a new opportunity arise. And you may have to look for a new supplier.

DM going mobile - Retailer to Cell Networks

2008-05-08T05:05:00.000-07:00

As text messaging becomes increasingly prevalent in todays urban - need it now culture. Marketers are looking for ways to bring there offers to the mobile consumer. Soon, we as marketers will be able to make special offers to pedestrians as they walk past our store. This presents tremendous opportunities for success in creating a 1 to 1 offer - $0.75 off a Pizza Slice "Right Now"

Now this is probably not going to work for the larger ticket items, trips, cars and furniture. But it will work for retailers that deal in items that have a limited shelf life, pizza, burgers and fast food. The major challenge currently is dealing with the opt-in dilemma - will consumers opt-in to receive these offers.

Loyalty Marketing - Radio Loyalty Programs a Hit!!

2008-04-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

Listening to local radio stations - I hear more and more invitations to enter special codes and be part of special radio clubs. Why are these prize junkies of interest to marketers??

In today's age of marketing, we are bumbarded with offers and messages. Loyalty programs allow marketers to communicate with a smaller targetted group. Where this meets with DM, is the ability to segment and select a certain group. Identifying a particular radio station can be the first move in this direction. A hard rock or sports station will obviously deliver the Male demo better than a soft rock station. Radio continues to provide unique offerings for marketers.

This just brings the thought to mind, that most successful media in this day and age are built around FREE> Radio/Google/Dailies - are all free formats and are having the easiest time in the world of the web.