Buying an email database - any recommendations?

[Jane Hogan]

Hi,

We need to refresh our database of company owners in the NE. We would like to lease/purchase a contact database, with email addresses included. Does anyone have any recommendations, or any information on which ones to steer clear of?

Thanks!

Jane

[Uel J. Readioff]

www.selectabase.co.uk

[e-mail]

Hi Jane

I have done some work with this company and they have been great for the quality of the leads I have been able to use. There is a 12 month contract, however I have been able to buy a trial 3 months to start. You also get to choose the post code and regions you want to work with.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Uel

[Jane Hogan]

Thanks Uel!

I have them and two others quoting for the work. I will let you know how I get on.

Cheers,

Jane

[Charlotte Stow]

I'd be interested to hear more about this, who else you get to quote and generally what you experience.

Cheers!

Jane Hogan said:

Thanks Uel!

I have them and two others quoting for the work. I will let you know how I get on.

Cheers,

Jane

[Jane Hogan]

Hi Charlotte

Just some feedback on the new database. I selected IntelligentData because they had a double-opt in policy on their data - very important to me. My experience is that I am barely satisfied. I requested NE postcodes and the database they sent was all of Yorshire and Humberside as well. Having complained I got a new set of records. There was a very high percentage of emails that are generic, and not specific to a person, which means they are practically impossible to follow up by telephine, and the results if the campaigns have been very disappointing. Perhaps I have been naive, but I had hoped for better than this.

Lessons learned:
Specify your targets in writing
Complain, as you will get compensation
Build as many contacts as you can yourself (we could not do this as it is a completely new market for my client)
Specify the double opt-in]try to exclude generic addresses such as admin@, sales@ - I was promised these would not be in, they are in!

Cheers,

Jane

[Charlotte Stow]

Thanks for this information Jane, you've given a useful outline for all to consider when looking for databases to purchase.

I'll double check what the current thinking from the Chartered Institute of Marketing is on the subject and let you know if I find anything new.


It would be good to hear from anyone who has had successful experience purchasing databases for business development.


Jane Hogan said:

Hi Charlotte

Just some feedback on the new database. I selected IntelligentData because they had a double-opt in policy on their data - very important to me. My experience is that I am barely satisfied. I requested NE postcodes and the database they sent was all of Yorshire and Humberside as well. Having complained I got a new set of records. There was a very high percentage of emails that are generic, and not specific to a person, which means they are practically impossible to follow up by telephine, and the results if the campaigns have been very disappointing. Perhaps I have been naive, but I had hoped for better than this.

Lessons learned:
Specify your targets in writing
Complain, as you will get compensation
Build as many contacts as you can yourself (we could not do this as it is a completely new market for my client)
Specify the double opt-in]try to exclude generic addresses such as admin@, sales@ - I was promised these would not be in, they are in!

Cheers,

Jane