Microsoft bets on offline direct ; Tech giant's deal with direct mail company zairmail emphasizes small-business focus.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

B to B, January, 2002 by Clark, Philip B.

In a bid to extend its presence in offline direct mail, Microsoft Corp. has entered a broad-ranging small-business deal with Portland, Ore.-based Zairmail Inc. The pact underscores not only Microsoft's expanding focus on the potentially lucrative small-business market but also both companies' commitment to offline direct mail.

Microsoft will begin marketing Zairmail's services-which allow marketers to create and execute offline direct mail campaigns entirely online-to users of bCentral, Microsoft's small-business portal. BCentral's users will be able to access a Zairmail section of the site to design and mail letters, postcards and fliers.

Zairmail paid Microsoft a one-time fee for representation on the U.S. version of bCentral, said Wilson Zehr, CEO...

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