A Lead Generation program is a selection system that generates responses for the participating branches or dealers of the client company. A Lead Generation program is sometimes referred to as a Dealer System.

Many program parameters need to be considered in order to tailor the program to the specific client. The industry of the client, the competition, the structure of the client company, the level of target marketing, and the participation and expectation of the dealers or branches enter into the setup design of the lead generation program.

For example, a financial institution that is mailing loan offers to homeowners in order to drive leads into the regional branches will need a different system than that of a copier manufacturer that wants to alert its authorized dealers of potential copier buyers. Both systems are lead generation in nature, however the universes of the two systems are quite different: one will need a consumer database, and the other a business database. The first may want to do a centralized, periodic mailing, and the second may decide to allow the dealers to directly place orders for leads and do their own mail or telemarketing campaigns.

The following parameters define the scope of the Lead Generation program:

Universe

Will the targeted prospects be business and/or consumers? Will the client use a National Database, such as Dun & Bradstreet, Donnelley, InfoUSA, or use a client compiled database? In addition to the database, the selections can be supplemented by customer file records.

Program Size

How many dealers/branches will participate? What quantity will be ordered by each dealer/branch?

Territory Assignment

Do the dealers/branches have pre-defined geography? Do the geographies overlap? Geography can be defined using one or more of the following descriptors: ZIP code, county code, census tract, ZIP+4, state code or abbreviation, or MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area).

Dealer Interface

Who will be the main contact for the dealers? Who will answer their questions, receive their orders, and provide them with counts? Usually, a dedicated group of people in the head office of the dealers, or at the agency handling the account will provide the support center role, performing any authorizing of orders that may need to be done, and providing a universally known point of contact for the Lead Generation Program.

An online system can be setup into which the dealers can logon and obtain counts or list selections. An online system can reside on the Internet or on a company Intranet for further security.

Selections

Will the select criteria be pre-defined or will each order contain select criteria? Finite options of select criteria can be pre-defined as letter codes, making the selection process easier for the dealers. For example, dealers may have four demographic selection options that are pre-defined as:

A) financial institutions
B) professionals
C) large manufacturing
D) small manufacturing

The dealer does not have to remember what the select criteria may be, only a selection code to identify the target audience.

Some selection systems rely on a scored universe, where the score is a result of a statistical modeling of previous responses to similar offers. MSC is very capable of applying any formula to a universe in order to apply a score to each record. The universe can then be segmented into quintiles or deciles based on the score, for ease in processing selections against the universe.

Protection

Selected names may be "protected" from selection in future orders via a protection system. Protection can be set up one of two ways:

• Setting a Protection Period: A pre-defined period of time can be set that defines how long a record will be "at rest" or not available for selection after it has been selected. Protection can be defined as intra-dealer, where the record is protected from being selected by the same dealer more than once during a pre-defined length of time, or inter-dealer, that is the record is protected from being selected by any other dealer for a pre-defined length of time. The intra-dealer protection period may be set at a different length of time from the inter-dealer.
• Top through the Universe: Records are selected in a particular sequence, over time, until all records have been selected, and then the selection begins at the beginning of the universe again. In this way, a record is "protected" from re-selection until all other records in the universe have been selected.

Suppression

It may be desired that an outside file, such as a customer file or a "Do Not Solicit" file, be suppressed from all list selections. To efficiently perform this task, MSC will first match the outside file to the database, and output a suppression file of unique database record numbers on the matching records. Then, this suppress file will be used to drop the unwanted records during a selection. Using unique database record numbers as a suppress file eliminates the need for a name and address purge for every order, which would add considerable time and cost to the selection process.

Frequency

Lead Generation programs can process orders as frequently as needed (quarterly, monthly, weekly, daily, etc). Savings can be achieved by batching daily orders into a weekly run. Frequency of order processing is very flexible. If the dealer orders online then orders can be delivered via ftp at the time the order is placed.

Short Orders

How will orders be handled in a situation in which the quantity ordered is not available for selection? Obviously the short can be reported and the client or support center can make a decision. However, an automated alternative can be implemented. A rule can be instituted that states that if an order is at least xx% complete, then ship. The percentage amount can be pre-determined and can eliminate delays in processing orders. At the extreme, the rule can be made that all orders ship, whether or not the ordered quantity is met.

Continuing Orders

Most orders are stand-alone orders, which means that the order is placed, fulfilled, and completed. If desired, a more complicated type of order processing can be used that involves orders of the form "select 400 records per month over the next four months." The continuous orders require MSC to keep track of which orders need to be processed, so that some of the responsibility is shifted from the support center to MSC.

History

Processed orders can be maintained in a history file so that the selected records can be suppressed for future orders, if desired. The length of time that orders are kept in the history file is pre-determined.

Response Processing

Response pieces may be pre-printed with a centralized location for response processing, or may take variable input to print each dealer/branch address. MSC will maintain a dealer/branch file and append the dealer/branch address at the end of each record that goes to the lettershop.

Counts

The support center is usually the focal point for the dealers/branches to obtain count information. The support center will usually specify to MSC exactly what kind of reporting will satisfy their need to provide counts to the dealers/branches. The type of reports can vary widely and be customized as needed. The frequency of reporting is also flexible. On-line counts are an option or individual count requests can be provided prior to placing an order.

Output Options

The output options are many: Cartridge, magnetic tape, diskette, galley, Cheshire labels, pressure sensitive labels, telemarketing cards, customized reports, etc. Online orders can be sent via ftp.

Ship To

Usually MSC will ship directly to the support center to allow the support center to audit the output. If necessary, MSC can ship directly to the various dealers/branches. Or output can be shipped to a lettershop for centralized mailings on behalf of the dealers.