MSC designs and implements direct marketing databases that are customized to each client. Each client is different based on their industry, their target audience, and their particular product line and marketing methods.

The database design phase will primarily focus on the sources of data that the client will need maintained on the marketing database, and the objectives for the database:

Data Sources

MSC will need to itemize each file that will supply the database with data. MSC will need to know the file layout, the usual file size in terms of number of records, and the file frequency. How is the file itself maintained and where does it come from? Is it a compilation of online software registrations? Or is it purchase line items from an order entry system? This information is critical to the development of the database.

Objectives

Will the database be used primarily for direct mail, or in addition telemarketing? Will the client need online access for counts or for list selections? Is the client targeting businesses or consumers, domestic or international? What demographics are required and what selectors are important to the client?

The above information affects not only the database design, but also the database update processes that need to be developed and implemented. The design of the update process is as important as the design of the database structure itself, for it will provide the method for the data to be maintained in a state that is up to date and usable for the next marketing campaign.

The database update that MSC will design will include many of the list processing services that are described in other sections of this notebook. MSC will need to process the input data files, standardize the addresses, correct the zip codes, append ZIP+4 codes, and convert the file into a standard format. Then MSC will need to run a variation on a merge/purge to identify those individuals on the input files that already exist on the database, and those that don't. Those who already exist on the database will have additional information added to the existing ID. Those that do not will be added as new records to the database.