Cy Stapleton' HOTLINE Newsletter #5
Copyright January, 1996
Setting Up Your Own Source Database
While this may appear to be a commercial, its main purpose
is to let you be aware of the importance of having your own
source database and to answer some of the questions I regularly
receive.
I am quite often asked just why I encourage printers to set
up their own outsource database when that appears to be a direct
conflict of interest with how I make most of my income - selling
my Hotline source database, BFP - especially when it is very
likely that someone out there is going to take the idea and issue
a competitive database.
That's an easy question to answer. I have spent over 36
years building my database and spend most of the day every day
updating that database as I answer Helene's Hotline inquiries
from readers - some 100 each day.
The purchasers of the Hotline databases are primarily those
who have used the Hotline services and are impressed at how fast
their questions for vendors of obscure products or services are
located and those who have followed my advice and started to
build their own source database - only to find what a time
consuming thing that is. It doesn't take them very long to
determine that it is far more cost effective to purchase a low-
cost database that not only has a huge number of vendors,
services and products already entered, but also has many more
features than they could easily program into a database they
created. They then have an effective tool that they can easily
add their own finds to - plus for only $25 each year they can
purchase an update to the Hotline database that contains all of
the new additions and updates.
As for that individual who thinks that he or she can produce
a superior product and sell it for less, more power to them. They
have a relatively small market - there is a market base of less
than 100,000 prospects; there is a huge cost in the initial
development of and continued upgrading of the database engine;
and most important, hours each day go into running down obscure
sources which appear in no directory or other printed or
electronic resource I have found. It has taken me over 35 years
to develope sources of knowledgeable individuals in a vast number
of areas of expertise to point me to these sources.
As an example, let's take four questions that came up in a
single day - vendors for domed labels; water soluable paper;
latent image printing; and publications or associations specific
to security printing.
None of these were in the Hotline database when the
inquiries came in. It took me less than ten minutes to locate
viable vendors for the first three inquiries and the fourth
appears to be non existant. I had no idea as to who might provide
these services but I did have contacts who could likely point me
the right direction. I do not consider this as 100% success
because there is still the possibility that I may turn up
something on publications or associations specific to security
printing. That inquiry has gone into a stack of holds and as I
have time I will continue my search by asking assistance from my
90,000 or so readers. Some of these holds have been in that
basket for three years or longer and occasionally I will finally
find a source - generally long after the inquirer has any further
need for it, but if the question comes up again it is in the
database for instant recall.
Over a period of time I will be covering in detail some of
the resources I use and how I use them. I am going to start with
how to use the various printed directories that are available.
You can use these same methods to create or add to your database.
Many of the graphic arts publications will print an industry
directory each year, as do many of the industry trade
associations. I make certain that I am on the mailing list of
each of these publications. I request the annual directory from
each of the trade associations. Most of these are free but some
have charges.
As I get the directories in, the first thing I do is go to
the trade services section and check to see that I have each
vendor listed with his current contact information. If he is not
listed I then enter him into the database, check to see if and
when I had received my Vendor Dataform from him, and if that form
has not been received or is over 12 months old, I send him
another one asking that he verify all contact information and
list all products and services he provides for resale to the
printing industry. I check those products and services against
any I may already have in the database and add any new ones.
Once I have gone through the trade services, I go through
the remainder of the directory looking for unusual or obscure
services. This might include a commercial forms printer who has
some really unusual cutoff capabilities, printers who have very
large presses (say, 70 or larger), or other capabilities I am
pretty sure I don't already have in the database. I then enter
them and their products or services and send them my Vendor Data
Form. I note that they may or may not offer a discount to the
printer and that their prime business is selling direct to the
end user. But, if they have a capability that is not available
from a trade shop, they still may be a source that a printer
might want to consider.
When I send out my Vendor Data Form I also request that the
vendor send me his catalog or samples. When I receive that
material, I scan through it looking for products or services that
might not have been mentioned on the data form, add those to the
database, and code that record that I have material from the
vendor in my files.
Once I have gone through each of these directories and
gleaned all of the information I can out of them, I place them in
a storage box and mark that box 1995 directories. As the next
year's directories come in, I pull the previous year's one from
that storage box and discard it. About mid-year I will request
the current directory from anyone I do not have a current one
from.
It is seldom that I actually have the time to check and make
all of these entries from the directories I receive. What I often
do is turn the directories over to either my daughter or some
other high school student to check and make the contact entries.
I do not let them make the product entries, however. I prefer to
do those myself because I want there to be consistency in how the
products are listed and I want to be the one to make that
decision since I'm the one using the database. The checking and
entry of the contact information is by far the most time
consuming effort. Entering the products goes very fast.
The Helene's Hotline Databases
The two Helene's Hotline databases, BFP and Ad Specialty BFP are
available from:
The House of Gutenberg You can place your order NOW and Cy will call you
for your credit card information.
Discover, MasterCard, Visa or American Express are accepted.
The two databases are available for $99 each or $190 if both are
ordered at the same time. There is a $4.50 shipping and handling
charge per order. Orders received by noon (CST) are shipped the
day they are received. If received after noon they are shipped
the next working day.
There is no software on the shelf ready to ship. As orders come
in, the datafiles off the Hotline computer are copied onto pre-
labled install disks. What this means is that you are not getting
something like the Helene's Hotline database, you are getting
exactly what is on the Hotline computer as of the date your order
is received.
There is a 30-day no questions asked money back guarantee. If you
feel that the Hotline database has not produced identifiable
bottom line profit in excess of the cost of the software the
first 30 days you use it, you may return it for a full refund.
With over 2,900 printers using the Hotline database, since 1991
we have yet to have the first request for a refund.
Til next time, God bless you and yours...
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Date inserted: Tuesday, February 27, 1996 1:11:58