New Resource to Enhance Value of List Management

National Marketing Services Inc., in conjunction with ProgramBusiness.com announced the release of a new resource that aims to increase marketing effectiveness in list purchase and management. The Attractiveness Rating Model (ARM), or “risk-scored business names” will provide agencies and companies with commercial database lists that have pre-scored on a two dimensional basis to more closely align with the needs of the purchaser.

ARM begins with a master commercial database of 16 million business names (8 million branch locations have been eliminated) with accurate employee counts and no branch inclusion. Utilizing an Internet-based screening system, ARM purchasers can clean up their lists with two-dimensional scoring based on intrinsic and geographic attractiveness. Intrinsic factors include the age of the business, OSHA violations, injury rates, business lifecycle, market area growth, bankruptcy risk, transportation risk, government contract status and RCRA. Geographic attractiveness includes such factors as the distance to police and fire stations, flood plains, crime rates, earthquake potential, air pollution and TRIS.

“List vendors don’t necessarily understand the insurance business and are primarily interested in selling as many names as possible. Plus, insurance agents – and even companies – generally do not buy lists frequently enough to become experts,” said Larry Neilson, president of National Marketing Services. Neilson explained that ARM helps to better define lists to provide greater value for the purchaser.

Risk-Scored Names is available via Internet access to both the National Marketing and ProgramBusiness Web sites. Users can define their list search by geographic, industry classification and demographic filters. The number of businesses matching the selection criteria is continually updated and displayed. Once the user is satisfied with the results and the size of the list, they can purchase their specific list online.

The final list will contain the business name, complete address, key contact name and title, phone number, primary, secondary and tertiary SIC codes, primary business description, number of employees at specific location, annual sales and ratings by intrinsic, geographic and total attractiveness.