Quality control: marketing success is driven by intelligent list selection. But, between agencies and brokers, obtaining quality data is a costly exercise. David Reed asks if marketers are taking the most effective route. (Buying Dm).

Precision Marketing, April, 2003 by David Reed

WITHOUT LISTS AND DATA, there is no direct marketing. Direct mail is the obvious by-product of a database, but it is by no means the only one. Telemarketing and e-marketing both rely on the availability of contact details. And, ultimately, direct marketing depends on being able to profile customers, prospects and respondents.

As such, the list and data sector is central to the industry. The DMA (UK) Census 2001/2002 estimated annual expenditure on database marketing of [pounds sterling]814m, including list rental and related data processing and management costs. Research by Lindsell Marketing also calculated revenues from list rental at around [pounds sterling]270m. Neither figure tells the whole story, as there is no way of tracking what clients spend in this area....