GORE TOP SPENDER LAST YEAR IN N.H.

CONCORD, N.H. - Although Sen. Albert Gore Jr. of Tennessee has been downplaying his chances in New Hampshire's presidential primary and touting a strategy of concentrating on the South for Super Tuesday, campaign spending figures show that in 1987, Gore spent more money in New Hampshire than any other Democrat. [Arlie Schardt] said one reason Gore's spending figures could be higher was that he spent money on direct-mail advertising last year, aiming at independent voters and residents of southern New Hampshire where he called himself less liberal, particularly in foreign policy, than the other Democrats. Between October and December 1987, FEC figures say, Gore spent $171,066, compared to $107,793 for [Dukakis].

Full text: Boston Globe (pre-1997 Fulltext), Feb 4, 1988
Internet Marketing Tools

The Gift of Hindsight

TCOM Systems Inc., a generator of electronic computer mail service, has learned from the mistakes of the US Postal Service in its attempts to get into the business. Rather than buying in advance the equipment necessary to become established, TCOM has signed on partners such as GTE Data Services for communications/data processing, Pitney Bowes for paper handling, and IBM Corp. for laser printing. A central processing facility run by GTE sorts and transmits mail electronically to 25 regional operating centers where the mail is printed by laser printers. By December 1988, TCOM expects to be mailing 10 million pieces a month by offering its customers speedy service unavailable through advertising agencies' direct mail. While the high price TCOM charges for the mailings -- between 65c and 75c per piece -- could inhibit the company's success, cofounder Robert F. Ryan contends that the real issue is service. The overall impact of TCOM's features can help companies increase their bottom line.

Full text: Venture, Apr 1988
Internet Marketing Tools

How To Build A Simple Sementation System

Segmentation, essential to most direct-mail campaigns can enhance the productivity of a direct-mail program. At the heart of segmentation is the ability to ask different donor groups for different amounts of money at different times. The system proposed hinges on developing a 3-digit code for every record in a file that can be appended to each record and utilized for selection and analysis. The 3 basic pieces of information that are required of every donor are: 1. the original source of the gift, 2. the amount of the highest gift, and 3. the date of the most recent gift. Resulting donor profile codes can be analyzed to segment a list and get the most out of its application to a fund-raising effort. Appropriate segmentation of donors might hinge on such profile factors as: 1. those who have already given to a current campaign, 2. current donors who have not yet given, and 3. one-year-lapsed donors. A copy of the direct-mail piece can be altered to accommodate different groupings.

Full text: Fund Raising Management, May 1988
Internet Marketing Tools

Frequent-flyer credit card hot seller

The card features all the benefits of the premium Royal Trust MasterCard, which includes a $5,000 minimum credit limit, cash advances up to the credit limit, emergency cash advances up to $1,000, emergency airline tickets, card registry for theft protection, free collision damage insurance on rented cars, $500,000 travel life and dismemberment insurance, free American Express travel checks and a message exchange. Royal has launched a direct mail and print media advertising campaign costing between $400,000 and $500,000 for the summer travel season, says [Glenn Hymers]. He hopes to attract 45,000 new cardholders by 1989.

Full text: The Ottawa Citizen, Jun 15, 1988
Internet Marketing Tools

Brown-Forman Adding Lenox Outlets

W.L. Lyons Brown Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Brown-Forman Corp., smiles frequently when he talks about the Lenox Inc. division of the Louisville-based corporation. The operating income of Lenox's home-furnishings division -- china and crystal dinnerware and figurine collection -- increased 42 percent in fiscal year 1988, which ended April 30, to $35 million. The ceramic and crystal figurines, such as birds, dolls and horses, are sold by direct mail. China and crystal dinnerware and the figurine collection represented 19 percent of Brown-Forman's total operating income of $192 million in fiscal year 1988, according to Brown-Forman's annual report. (excerpt)

Full text: Business First, Aug 08, 1988
Internet Marketing Tools