Mailing List Service for Small Businesses Proves Highly Successful

Lookupbook Publishing's list of new business startups has been a mainstay of high volume nationwide business to business mailers. Mailing list companies maintain a minimum order requirement of five thousand listings to compensate for the costs inherent to order fulfillment. In August the company began offering an online list service for small businesses which can't meet that minimum order requirement.

Client Services Manager Richard Draucker said the online service was created because "we received a significant number of calls from small business owners requesting only a few hundred to a few thousand listings. Offering the service online reduces the overhead related to fulfillment allowing us to service smaller clients."

To use the online service the customer submits a target ZIP code in a search box. The site then displays a list of new business startups located within that target ZIP code. The system offers the option of viewing listings for only the target ZIP code or including the surrounding area. Listings are formatted onscreen for easy cut and paste into a word processor for label printing.

The service is available to both members and non-members. In fact, anyone visiting the Lookupbook Web site may view the most recent ten listings within any ZIP code. Draucker said, "The decision to openly publish the most recent ten listings was made to ensure prospective members fully understand what they are getting for their money. It presents something of a try-before-you-buy opportunity. However, we're also seeing substantial usage from smaller businesses who's needs are satisfied by just those free listings. We think that's great because there simply isn't any other way for a business with such limited needs to afford high quality new business leads."

In addition to being able to search and view listings online, subscribers have the option to download their list in a single file that can be opened in a spreadsheet. Subscribers printing more than a few hundred labels per month have found that to be a real time saver.

Mailing list owners seldom hear from their clients. They know their clients are satisfied because they continue ordering. When a client does call, it usually means there's a serious problem with an order. That hasn't been the case with online subscribers. Draucker said, "A consequence to offering the online service that I didn't expect was the phone calls from members who simply want to tell me what a difference it has made to their small business."

With a strong presence in the corporate list market and the success of the online service, Lookupbook Publishing is reviewing ways to expand the online service to reach mid-tier businesses, those that can meet minimum order requirements but don't have a list broker or regular mailing schedule.