Black Book Data Resources

Since we do not charge for our time, we have come to realize that the time we spend with our customers is the biggest deciding difference between a potential client choosing our firm and the next sales leads company. That is why we take extra care to hone and build our resources and knowledge as it pertains to direct marketing.  We have broken this page up into sections to include both regulation resources as well as idea resources to help you achieve success.  Best of luck and remember to give us a call, we are here to help!

Researching direct mail strategies is very important.  You must have a winning package, letter, offer, and traceable response vehicle (telephone and website) – we recommend many books including Duct Tape Marketing by John Jantsch, Million Dollar Mailings by Dension Hatch, and Designing Mail that Sells by Sandra Blum as a few must reads for direct mail marketers.

Telemarketing and Predictive Dialing

For anyone that is calling customers without a prior business relationship or through a verified 3^rd party relationship, the FTC requires a SAN (Subscriber Access Number) to be completed.  We have created a PDF to help you complete the subscription. 

If you encounter a person that wishes to register on the Do not Call list, make sure to give them this website, www.donotcall.gov. 

Email and Mobile Marketing

Black Book Data has traditionally stayed out of email and mobile marketing because of the controversial nature and regulations surrounding spam and the cost to consumers of an unsolicited text message.  We have compiled both a summary of the CAN-SPAM act and a 9^th Circuit ruling on Text Message Marketing for your review.

Marketing online can be a very lucrative channel if done properly.  We recommend PPC or paid click marketing as well as SEO marketing (our SEO company of choice - click here) if you can afford the time spent waiting for a page to develop a natural ranking.  Email and text marketing have not been accepted by most and SPAM is considered brand damaging.

Marketing Associations & Publications

Both the DMA (Direct Marketing Association) and the AMA (American Marketing Association) offer excellent opportunities for marketers to learn more about what the current and future trends are for marketing, award winning advertising campaigns, and general up to date information on all things direct marketing related.  One thing we love about these organizations is that they span across all media so you as a subscriber are able to see what is going on with direct mail, telemarketing, social, mobile, tv/radio, all at once and compare and contrast.

Credit Bureau Marketing

All consumers can have their information removed from the marketing lists of the credit bureaus by simply going to https://www.optoutprescreen.com.  This is a simple way to opt out of all 3 major credit bureaus for all of the marketing data they offer to 3^rd party lenders.  When marketing offers with credit bureau data it is important to  include the correct disclaimer information as well as to avoid using specific information on the consumer's credit file in the marketing piece. The biggest problem we see is marketers that overstep their boundaries with consumer information. Remember the golden rule when designing your credit marketing offer and make sure your firm offer includes the max dollar amount of the loan, term, APR, and conditions for the loan.  Consult your own counsel when designing letters for credit bureau sourced data. Dialing manually is a big waste for any marketer serious about success. We recommend the BBD Predictive Dialer and Voice Broadcasting service if you need predictive dialing solutions.