Have you ever purchased a list to use to prospect for business? Did you spend lots of money? Were you happy with the quality of the list? Did you know you can get lists free by using your local library?
Reference USA is an online database service available through most public libraries. There is no cost to use the service, but you will need to have a library card and pin number. You can use the service from home via the internet. You may be limited to the number of items you can download at one time. You can also purchase a subscription, but as a small business, why spend money if you don't have to?
Reference USA is a great tool for small businesses. The database has a list of over 24 million businesses and 262 million residential listings in the United States. The residential database uses over 5200 telephone directories and the information is available 8-12 weeks after the phone book is published. Both databases are updated continuously by Reference USA, which makes over 25 million phone calls per year and by using 5000 public sources to continuously verify the data.
This resource is great for B2B businesses who target specific kinds of businesses. For example a recent client who is an insurance agent wanted to market an insurance package to dog groomers in her county. You could google the list but you would only receive the company name, phone and web address. You would not learn the owner’s name, company’s sales volume, number of employees among a list of other items. Reference USA is an easy to use tool to obtain that specific list you’re wanting.
The residential data base can provide information geographically including estimated income and estimated home value. Again you can drill down to obtain names, addresses and phone numbers. Make sure to check the Do Not Call list before calling from the residential list. Reference USA does not cross check the Do Not Call list and cautions against using the phone number provided for solicitation.
Reference USA provides tours on how to use the database and a list of FAQ to help you in your search process after logging into the database.