-There are 2 easy ways to fill in missing information on your customers once you've downloaded their names and addresses. First, you can send to a list broker who will match names against their existing databases for a nominal fee. They'll send you a file back which includes SIC (standard industry classification) code, company size, and other fields you might request. You can find a list broker via internet or in your local yellow pages, if you don't already work with one. The second is to use a matching program, such as D&B Market Place. You can load your information into this program, and it will match them - again for a nominal fee. In this case you will also have to purchase software for anywhere from $850 - $2,100, depending on specific package, but you will have ability to both profile and buy new lists at your location.

-Whichever method you use, there are likely to be names which aren't matched. In these cases you'll need to manually obtain information - either by knowing that client, or by contacting them and asking.

-Once you've completed your matching process, you can load information into Excel and analyze it, to see what percentage of your customers are in a particular industry, geographic area or company size. You can then tailor your information and marketing programs to reach more companies like those you are already successful with.

Happy selling!

(c) 2002 Carol Woods

Most people who teach find themselves exhausted after even a short class, yet also exhilarated. Teaching can be a high when everything goes well. The secret of successful part-time teaching is to identify your purpose in teaching and fine-tune your skills to your target market. You want to reach students who are also potential customers. If a school features astrology andvisualization, your course on finding lowest mortgage rate won't fit, unless you advise people to consult stars to meet their financial goals.

People who have added teaching to their promotional toolkit report finding success and fun along way. One public relations consultant gets forty percent of her clients from adult education classes. A writer has developed a secondstream of income and a never-ending source of ideas. The opportunities are available to almost anyone, anywhere.