Although there are many different ways SIC and NAICS codes can benefit your marketing efforts, there are three basic marketing activities that are especially important:

1. Existing customer analysis

2. New customer sales leads

3. New product or service research

1. Existing customer analysis...

Many companies don't realize the amount of marketing data that can come from their own customer database. This data can be a critical part of their on-going marketing plan and successful sales process, but you must first classify each customer. This classification can be as simple as SIC or NAICS code or you can add information on company size, geographic location, buying habits, etc.

If you haven't yet started classifying your customers, you are just inviting your competitors to "eat-your-lunch". There are several ways you can begin. First, you can start classifying new customers. Have your sales people ask a few basic questions about their business: SIC or NAICS code, size, location, etc. Then keep track of this new data. Second, you can go back to your existing customer database and fill in this information. To do this you could call them directly and ask, or you can get a business directory CD-ROM and search by company name, address, or phone number to get the same basic information.

If you are already classifying your customers, but haven't yet used this gold mine of information, now is the time to start. Once you have your customer database classified, the analysis can start.

Ask some basic questions:

• What types of customers are spending the most money?
• What types of customers are buying more in the winter or summer?
• What types of customers are buying the least?

With answers to these and other questions about your customers you can create a marketing plan to:

• Retain the type of customer who spends the most money.
• Focus advertisements on the right type of customer for winter or summer.
• Increase promotions or possibly ignore customers who spend the least.

Your customer database is the best place to start when formulating your marketing plan. Don't forget to "dig into" this valuable data.

After you have classified your existing customer database you can determine common attributes of your best customers. These common attributes can be used to focus your attention on the best new sales leads.

Once again, you can use a business directory CD-ROM and search on those common attributes, such as:

• SIC or NAICS code
• Yellow Pages Heading
• Geographic location
• Etc.

How do you get the total number of a specific type business? Once again, one of the best ways is a business directory CD-ROM that you can search by SIC or NAICS codes or even Yellow Pages Heading. Simply put in the CD-ROM and look up the appropriate business type. For example:

• Bowling Centers - 6,600
• Nursery and Kindergarten schools - 41,000
• Air-conditioning Contractors - 49,000
• Attorneys - 465,000
• Barbers - 56,000
• Pet Hospitals and Clinics - 22,000
• Physicians - 564,000

The Business Mailing List CD-ROM that includes over 10 million listings is only $85 (or $115 with two updates so that you are always up-to-date).

You can find it at: http://store.yahoo.com/naics/busap.html

This Business Mailing List CD-ROM includes:

• Business Name
• Address
• Phone Number
• SIC Code or Yellow Pages Heading
• 800 Numbers Phone Number
• Fax Numbers Distance
• US Census Information
• Web Site URL's

Search by:

• Business Name
• Address
• City, State, or Zip code
• SIC Code or Yellow Pages Heading

NAICS Association - (435) 755-6003

In this section we will share some of the common questions we get on our web site along with our response.