Data "surface mining" can yield helpful information.We're all familiar with "data mining"--sophisticated software programs that can dig deep into company records to reveal previously undiscovered trends. While this sort of intensive "mining" is not feasible for most newsletter companies--especially business-to-business publishers--there are simple things any company can do to learn more about its market. B-to-b publishers can "surface mine" their subscriber data. By simply sitting down with your subscriber list, you can discover obvious trends and infer others. Here are a few of the things you can uncover. Hidden markets. You know the primary audience for your newsletter, but are there secondary markets you may be overlooking o·ver·look tr.v. o·ver·looked, o·ver·look·ing, o·ver·looks 1. a. To look over or at from a higher place. b. ? It's common for law firms This list of the world's largest law firms by revenue is taken from The Lawyer and The American Lawyer and is ordered by 2006 revenue:[1]
subscribe, take buy, purchase - obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction; "The family purchased a new car"; "The conglomerate acquired a new company"; publications in the industries they cover. Do you have a number of them on your subscriber list? If so, consider renting a nonvertical list--especially if the file features a select in your industry (environmental lawyers on a bar association list, or ad agencies with food industry clients, to give two examples). Dominant states. Review your subscriber list to see if certain states are disproportionately dis·pro·por·tion·ate adj. Out of proportion, as in size, shape, or amount. dis  pro·por represented. Perhaps a state has more
stringent regulations than its neighbors, or a state court decision has
imposed more requirements on the field you cover. If this is the case,
you can target list selections from larger files to focus on bellweather
states (and ask the list manager to waive To intentionally or voluntarily relinquish a known right or engage in conduct warranting an inference that a right has been surrendered.For example, an individual is said to waive the right to bring a tort action when he or she renounces the remedy provided by law for such the minimum). You can also direct your editors to ramp up Ramp Up To increase a company's operations in anticipation of increased demand. Notes: A company might 'ramp up' operations if they just signed a contract creating substantially more demand for their product. See also: Demand, Economies of Scale their coverage in these states, and offer affinity deals through state and regional associations. Multiple subscriptions. Pore over your list to see if a certain company has multiple subscriptions to one newsletter. Then approach them for a site license sale. Many publishers already do this. If you don't, start today. Renewals by source. This requires mining a little below the surface, but it can be very helpful in calculating lifetime value of a subscriber. Look at your renewal reports and determine if subscribers derived from certain lists convert and renew at an appreciably ap·pre·cia·ble adj. Possible to estimate, measure, or perceive: appreciable changes in temperature. See Synonyms at perceptible. higher rate. If these lists provide below-average response rates, they still may be worth mailing due to their higher lifetime value. "Surface mining" of subscriber data is an easy way to pick up valuable information about your current readers--and can lead to more effective marketing for new subscribers. Plus, you don't have to wear one of those helmets with the little lights on it--unless you want to. Adam P. Goldstein, principal, MarketSmart, 10504 Great Arbor arbor Garden shelter providing privacy and partial protection from the weather, most commonly a lightweight, latticed framework (trellis) of wood or metal with interlaced branches of vines or climbing shrubs trained over it. Drive, Potomac, MD 20854, 301-765-0402, mrktsmart@aol.com |
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