Looking up your own data for prospecting lists...

[senior-advisor-indiana]

I have been calling different list companies looking for telemarketing lists. I asked them how they get thier data. They told me that they get the data from credti bureau's and county records. Has anyone tried getting thier own data this way isntead of paying the money to the list companies for this? If you did it yorself(if it is possible) then you can make sure the info is updated. Anyone tried this?

 

[tommyk]

Don't know how they would access the credit bureau. Don't you need permission to run that????
Here, they post BK's weekly.....
When you find out, let me know.

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

If they can get the info then we should be able to. I just need to know where to look. I know you can go to the court house to get new mortgage records.

 

[Newby]

I have been calling different list companies looking for telemarketing lists. I asked them how they get thier data. They told me that they get the data from credti bureau's and county records. Has anyone tried getting thier own data this way isntead of paying the money to the list companies for this? If you did it yorself(if it is possible) then you can make sure the info is updated. Anyone tried this?

If you're working one town or area, I would use the RL Polk Directory. It's a cross reference phone book that has everyone in town listed 3-ways. Alphebetically (like the regular phone book), by address (so everyone on each particular street is listed in order of house number) and by phone number (only the listed numbers are in this section)

So here is how you use it, select a few streets, mail an intro letter or mail piece to them with reply card, run the leads from the reply cards and door knock the rest to follow-up. Repeat daily.

You can buy the disk version with the book and create unlimited mail lists or import as many as you want to your database. You can sort by income, house values, job type etc.

The R. L. Polk Directory also lists wives names as well as husband's and lists people with unlisted phone numbers (but leaves the phone numbers off the listing for them.) Telemarketers used to actually use this book to call all the unlisted numbers in the old days because they said they were more receptive because they didn't get called often. They just went to the section where everyone was listed in order of phone number and called the missing numbers.

Now the bad news...The R.L. Polk Directory Company has been purchased by the same people who own Info USA. They are basically trying to kill off the book and disc versions and want you to subscribe to the whole nationwide version online. I had to go through a million people to get them to even admit that I could even buy it the old way anymore but was finally successful and got my latest one about 6-months ago.

If you want to see one, your local library should have a copy (they don't loan it out though) and most funeral homes and many other businesses have them. They cost about $350 for the book version and $800 for the disk in my town but it will vary by population.

I don't think they have a web site for this anymore so try going through Info USA first. If you want one but can't find a source, call me and I will look for a phone number on mine next time I'm at the funeral home.

 

[James]

There is several companies that make Criss Cross books, Polk but there is another one out there, can't remember the name, my library has it and while I can't remember the name it is not a Polk one. Plus if you go to your library as for the buisness directories, that is even better! You get all businesses listed plus the owner, size, SIC codes and even in many cases the credit rating of the company plus when they started. Just ask your libarian at the reference section of the library.

Okay, just looked it up, the other books are Hanes and Cole's.