For those direct mail marketers, or those who offer services to support this industry, you may benefit from a variety of new online sites specifically designed to serve those businesses in need of an “acquisition” mailing list.  BBDirectLeads.com (now located at www.mailinglistorders.com) provides users with immediate access to a host of quality compiled mailing lists.  Not only can you view the available selects from each of the databases on the site, but you can run counts to determine how many names and address are available within a given market.  Should you want to purchase the right to mail to those individuals, you can have that data available to you within minutes with just a click of a button.  Ordering mailing list data has never been easier, but what’s more, doing the work online saves money for everyone, and especially for you.

The types of files available on BB Direct Leads.com are compiled Consumer Database, Property Mortgage Database, Business to Business Database, Resident Occupant Database, New Mover Database (both weekly and monthly), as well as a database of Bankruptcy filings.  This system is an online vending machine of sorts in which you can see everything available with no need for consultants to call, talk to, makes requests, leave a voicemail with, and wait for them to call you back.

Can’t quite figure out how to use the system?  No problem, BB Direct’s video tutorial library makes it easy for you to watch how to perform various functions in a snap.  The video is available online, supported by YouTube, and what’s great it they’re free.  No need to register, just click on the video link and begin watching.  All the video’s are between 2 and 5 minutes in length so you’re time is never wasted.  At BB Direct, we appreciate the value of your time.

And like all good websites, the entire site is supported by people.  Real people who understand direct mail and mailing list data.  They are located in the states and speak English.  When you call (866) -501-6273, you get a human, not a series of telephone prompts.  They are available for you and want to help.

The next time you have a need to purchase a mailing list, try BB Direct’s self-serve data vending machine.  You’ll be glad you did.

This post is one of those that promotes our newest product.  It’s an advertisement, not a blog post.  I don’t normally blog in the fashion but figured the 172 “comments” made in the past 4 weeks that were caught in the blog’s spam filter gives me the right to throw one in myself.  So……here it is.

We now are able to offer an Affiliate Count & Order system for clients promoting mailing lists where their clients want the ability to run their own counts and place their own orders.  The Affiliate site program allows partners to add our count & order system to their web presence.

So what is an affiliate site?
Basically, the count & order system we’re talking about here is, in essence, an online mailing list vending machine.  Your clients visit your site, link to the mailing list site enabling them to produce their own customized mailing list on the fly.  The “anytime available” access allows your clients to focus on creating their mailing list on their schedule.  It also gives your clients the power to learn how mailing lists are created, and to realized their limitations.

Is it right for you?
This is a great questions…when does it make sense to add such a link to your site?  Well, let me tell you that for starters, adding a site such as this doesn’t immediately increase web traffic to your site.  The affiliate site would contain your logo, and give your site visitors the ability to order mailing list products.  But, you should understand that  just because you have this system, doesn’t mean people will flock to your site and start buying.  Sites that benefit most include one or more of the following:

• You you currently offer mailing lists to your customers.

• Most of your website visitors purchase mailing lists or related services such at direct mail or lettershop services.

• You are planning on expanding your services to include and plan to make mailing lists an important component of these new services.

• You are a mailing list broker.

• You currently purchase a high degree of mailing lists for your own mailing needs.

If your business does not include any of the following, but you still feel your business would benefit from incorporating an online mailing list component to your website, please call us to discuss other possible system functionalities that may be of interest.  You can find an example of our affiliate site by clicking here.

In relative terms, people do not change much.  We buy some of the same foods and wear some of the same cloths as we did 10 years ago.  So unless there’s physical relocation of your residence, or a life change event that occurs in your life, generally speaking, you’re probably the same person you were the last time you checked.  What has changed is a direct mail marketer’s ability to access mailing lists.

In the last 10 years, the internet has enabled businesses create new tools for building a custom mailing list.  Not only has targeted mailing lists gotten better, but the delivery of mailing lists has also become easier.  Just 15 years ago, only 5% to 10% of the mailing lists were transmitted to the customer via the internet.  The other 90% was mailed to them on a disk, magnetic tape, or printed label.  Today, well over 99% of all mailing lists are provided via the internet.  Data is simply attached to an email and off it goes.  If the file is too large for email, the file is uploaded to an ftp site and sent out.

With the advent of the concept of Web 2.0, direct mail marketers can now easily visit a website, and for no charge, run their own counts.  Because they are doing the work of running the count themselves, a price discount is usually provided for online orders.

Running your own counts and placing your own orders is a relatively simple process.  Once issued a login and password, you can simply choose the criteria by selecting geography, and whatever select filters you wish to create their list.  The results are nearly immediate in that the count is emailed to your inbox.  If the count quantity is to your liking, the list can be purchased on the same site and the order is emailed to you immediately.  The interactive tool is available 24/7 and the online systems are getting smarter and smarter as the need requires.

If you’re thinking about utilizing this type of technology, be sure your online mailing list site provides support consultation.  It’s important to be sure you’re familiar with what you’re ordering.  This technology is so easy to use that it’s very easy to order something you may not want.  If the online count & order site isn’t supported by a live help, look for another one.  Not only should the support be familiar with the functionality of the site, they should also have intimate knowledge of the databases they host.

It is strongly recommended that if you’re new at direct mail and still learning your way.  Be sure you discuss your objectives with a direct mail consultant.  Mailing to the wrong audience can turn a potentially successful direct mail campaign into a costly disaster.

If you’d like to talk with a direct mail professional about your upcoming campaign, visit www.bbdirect.com.  BB Direct has an excellent online count & order system that’s fully supported by a team of experienced direct mail professionals.  You can find it at www.bbdirectleads.com.