Making database marketing work

Abstract

This article examines the use of marketing databases and the issues encountered in making then work effectively. The first part of the paper examines the history of database marketing and the development of two different approaches. In the first approach, the database is used tactically as a high quality mailing list. In the second approach, the database is used strategically, to re-engineer the sales and marketing process. The second part of the paper looks at the practical issues in implementing the strategic approach. Risk management rules are proposed to deal with these implementation problems, and sources of advice and assistance described.