| Take a look at your prospecting list, if you | | | | The library is another place to look for |
| have one. Where did all those names come | | | | lists. In addition to my "sure mailers," I |
| from? | | | | added the world's most profitable software |
| | | | companies to my list, tracked down at the |
| Most likely they're a hodge podge of names | | | | local library in the Computer and Software |
| from a hodge podge of sources...with few | | | | section of the Dunn and Bradstreet Gale |
| added to your list solely on the criteria | | | | Industries Handbook. |
| that they're especially good leads. | | | | |
| | | | I completed my goal of assembling 500 strong |
| Now ask yourself how successful your clients | | | | names by surfing the Internet in search of |
| would be if their lists were compiled in such | | | | newsletters, Web sites, and publications that |
| an unscientific manner? | | | | serve the software market. There I found |
| | | | lists like "The Top 50 Software Venture |
| When you consider that the single most | | | | Capital Investments," which listed software |
| important element of a direct mail campaign | | | | companies that had recently been infused with |
| is the list (followed closely by the offer, | | | | millions of dollars each, in venture capital. |
| and THEN the copy), it becomes painfully | | | | |
| apparent that a sloppy list is a liability | | | | SOME STRONG SOURCES FOR GENERALISTS |
| indeed! | | | | |
| | | | Although I believe that every business |
| So how do you go about creating a solid list | | | | freelancer should carve out a niche for him |
| of quality prospects that you can mine for | | | | or herself, many start out as generalists. If |
| years to come? | | | | you fit this category, you'll find some |
| | | | excellent list-building sources at the |
| There are some methods you can use and | | | | library. |
| sources you can tap, and I reveal a few of | | | | |
| the best here. However, It always boils down | | | | Chuck Thompson, one of my early coaching |
| to looking in the right places for your | | | | students, discovered the "Mail Order Business |
| particular specialty. | | | | Directory" at his Chicago-area library. It |
| | | | lists over 5,000 names, addresses, and basic |
| MY FAVORITE STARTING PLACE | | | | facts about U.S. firms doing business by |
| | | | mail. |
| Roughly half of my coaching students are new | | | | |
| copywriters and when it's time to share my | | | | Library sources I used in my early days of |
| list building strategies with them, I always | | | | freelancing included the "Standard Directory |
| introduce them to Who's Mailing What, a rich | | | | of Advertisers" and "Standard Directory of |
| online archive of more than 130,000 direct | | | | Advertising Agencies." Also known as "the |
| mail packages collected from more than 7,000 | | | | Red Books" by industry insiders, you should |
| companies since 1994. | | | | be able to find them at any main library; |
| | | | I've had less luck finding them at the local |
| For about $30 per year, you can go into the | | | | level (and they're too expensive for most |
| archive and literally see "who's been mailing | | | | freelancers to buy). |
| what," which can be a real boon for | | | | |
| copywriters who specialize in the dozens of | | | | The "Standard Directory of Advertisers" |
| categories - publishing, financial, | | | | contains information on over 24,000 U.S. and |
| collectibles, technology, and more - covered | | | | international advertisers who each spend more |
| by WMW. | | | | than $200,000 annually on advertising. Each |
| | | | listing includes advertising expenditures by |
| For instance, I specialize in software. And | | | | media, contact information, address, and |
| while there are more than 7,300 software | | | | more. |
| companies in the U.S., I need only 500 to | | | | |
| keep busy. So which 500 should they be? Well, | | | | The "Standard Directory of Advertising |
| the BEST 500 of course...the 500 that I know | | | | Agencies" contains detailed profiles of |
| are direct mailers...the 500 that I know are | | | | nearly 13,500 U.S. and international |
| financially stable...the 500 that I know are | | | | advertising agencies, including accounts |
| well respected and trustworthy. | | | | represented by each agency, fields of |
| | | | specialization, contact information, and much |
| When I started compiling my list, I mined | | | | more. These directories are truly exciting |
| Who's Mailing What to discover the names of | | | | sources of information for the freelancer who |
| software companies that had mailed over the | | | | recognizes the value of smart targeting. |
| past two years. As "sure mailers," these | | | | |
| companies became the richest names on my | | | | Finally, you never know what you'll come up |
| list, and remain so today. | | | | with while searching the Internet. After |
| | | | helping dozens of coaching students build |
| OTHER GREAT PLACES TO LOOK | | | | their niche market list, I have a folder full |
| | | | of rich places to look for high quality |
| Nearly every large industry has an | | | | names. |
| association, and most associations have | | | | |
| member lists. To get your hands on the list | | | | Compiling your own personal prospect list is |
| you often need to join the association, but | | | | never fast or easy, but there is a silver |
| unless the price is really exorbitant, it's | | | | lining. And that is that no other copywriter |
| usually worth it. Remember, time is money in | | | | will be marketing to the same exact list that |
| the freelancer's world, so the faster you can | | | | you are. So do your homework and make your |
| put together your list, the faster you can | | | | list as strong as it can be. Because most of |
| market to it. | | | | your success will flow from your list, it |
| | | | pays to make it as powerful as it can be. |