Business database marketing was introduced in the mid 1980s. The reason for its rise to prominence was that computers and any related software had become economical and quite sophisticated. It was easy to store customer information and also use the data for database marketing. Because of this, the results are able to increase sales and profits by:

· Addressing buying behavior of customers
· Creating repeat customers through cross selling and special offers
· Creating customer support long term and referrals

The major hurdle was that very few businesses achieved one to one direct marketing. They used business models to put togehther preference groups, customer profiles, grouping clients into profitability, creating different strategies for each group. But, when devising a different strategy for each client, it was really too much to take on for most small businesses.

Then came the web, it was the most massive business database marketing vehicle the world ever saw. Direct marketers had seen the large potential of the web. Theese days few businesses personalize or customize their each customer.

The largest change in business database marketing because of the Internet is in the area of customer service. The idea of Toll free numbers that rang to CSRs or customer service reps has really been quite an advance. All CSRs are fully equipped with computers & headphones so that they can access the business database and related topics when requested. They get the requested data on the screen and convey the answer over the phone to the customer. Then they type notes in customer database to record the subject matter of the conversation.

In today’s market, businesses are also providing customer’s web access to the same screens that the CSRs see. Customers can now create their own searches to get related data without the need to contact CSR for getting that same data.

Businesses are pouring page after page of data related to product specifications, technical descriptions, and other details on their web sites so that every customer can access all the data they want. Marketing has veered course for the masses, but today we see a pull back to traditional database marketing. With a Phone number database, individuals are again picking up the phone, or using an autodialer to market the database direct (and the results can be great).

In these days of auotomated marketing, it’s nice when you can speak with someone instead of dealing with a website. One on one marketing is making a comeback, and those businesses who can figure out how to use the information available today with personal marketing will reap the benefits.