A city directory contains public information about a city and surrounding areas. The city directory is usually arranged in different residential and business categories and contains valuable marketing information, including names, addresses and phone numbers, occupations and places of employment, "standard industrial codes" for businesses, and street descriptions.

Try this! Here are a few ways city directories can help:

• Use your city directory to identify target market suspects (occupational groups, geographic areas, etc.).
• City directories can provide names for mail lists.
• Check the city directory before a sales or service call. Then, "feed" these names to your prospects and clients to jog their memories for on-profile referrals and introductions.
• Complete some of the information on a fact-finder before meeting with prospects, using information from the city directory.
• The city directory can tell you where a prospect is employed. Use this information to ask for on-profile referrals to the person's employer and associates at work.

Source: E-Mail and/or Direct Mail

E-mail and/or direct mail letters are sent to largely unqualified names in hopes of generating activity. They typically address a specific product or service. A reply link or form is usually included with the letter.

Try this! "Suspect" lists can be developed from city directories, but commercial list houses sell on-profile lists for individuals and business in your area using a wide-range of marketing criteria, including occupation, income level, age, zip code, standard industrial code, e-mail address and telephone number. Additional names for your efforts can come from many other sources, including employee lists, club or association rosters, local newspapers and magazines, and personal observation prospecting.