On Wages & Wagers

Roy Schwedelson, CEO of Boca Raton, Florida-based Worldata, weighed in after the original conference. By and large, Schwedelson feels, the direct response industry is reformatting itself, becoming less list-intensive and more media intensive.

"Our position at Worldata is that we are brokers in direct response media. We have our Worldata Interactive company, in which we view the Internet itself as a direct response medium." Schwedelson holds that most players within the list industry still think of themselves simply as list brokers. The industry, though, is moving toward general media brokerage, such as selling banner space on Web sites.

As for pricing of lists within the industry, Schwedelson says that market forces still rule.

"There are certain types of lists that have traditionally gotten a higher price - there is a higher perceived value. Certain database prices have risen - this goes along with the comments the others have made. High-tech and business-to-business list prices remain high."

One area Schwedelson feels was overlooked was the role controlled circulation lists play in the market. Such lists are garnered through rigorous qualifying cards, allowing high levels of selectability.

In closing, Schwedelson offered comments on his associates within the industry. "All those guys in the industry are lucky - luck comes through hard work, and they all have worked very hard." "With controlled circulation lists, the more mailers test those lists, the more they use them."

"[The other participants] talk about the need for lower prices in the industry. Mailers don't need better cost per thousand - if they are going to spend the money, they want quality." Schwedelson says that mailers who are willing to spend $125 per thousand for 10,000 names are just as willing to spend $135 per thousand for 5,000 names, if they get names which through selects are better targets for mailings.

The role of e-mail lists, he says, is going to grow. He foresees electronic lists being - conservatively - 20% of all business is done within three years. But this is not the only change he sees in the future.

"There are bright people behind all of us. In the discussion, somebody said that 15 to 20 years ago the focus of the industry was on knowledge. Now it is on technology. But the technology in the hands of someone who is not knowledgeable is dangerous. I still think that basic knowledge of the industry remains paramount. The more knowledgeable and responsive you are to a client's needs, the more you are going to succeed."
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