Meet the Broker: Doug von Hassel

Today we meet Doug von Hassel, senior account executive at List Strategies Inc. Von Hassel brokers business-to-business data in various markets and consumer files for pharmaceutical firms.

He’s been with List Strategies since 1992, where he started his direct marketing career not long after receiving a degree in marketing from Iona College in New York.

“It’s always challenging because the clients’ needs are changing or I’m trying to find something new for them,” von Hassel says.

He spends the majority of his time lining up B-to-B lists for legal, accounting, financial services, healthcare and magazine offers (both paid and controlled circulation). About four or five years ago he started getting more consumer list brokerage business through agency contacts.

He notes that one of the challenges for brokers is finding industry specific job title selections in certain industries, such as IT. It’s perhaps the most sought after kind of data, von Hassel notes. “It can be hard to come by but it’s out there.”

Besides dealing with list owners and list managers, von Hassel is dedicated to physical fitness. He plays ice hockey, golf and tennis; runs and works out at the gym. Summertime is his favorite season when he and his wife visit Lake George, NY. They’re the proud parents of a 16-month-old boy.

What list trends do you see in the publishing sector?

“There’s been a lot more telemarketing for controlled circulation publications in the last few years,” says von Hassel.

The combination of higher postage rates for direct mail and higher telemarketing response rates has led publishers to cut back on postal list rentals and use more telemarketing files instead.

“A few years ago publishers were mailing 150,000 to 200,000 pieces every month or every quarter. Some were mailing close to 500,000 pieces. Now they’re doing more telemarketing,” he says.

At some point, von Hassel expects demand for postal lists from trade publishers will increase again, but meanwhile he’s been observing an uptick in telemarketing list rentals and tests of e-mail lists.

“Direct mail will come back. I just think it’s a cyclical thing,” he adds. “I’m not saying it will come back the way it was.”

What’s a hot growth market for postal lists?

His answer could be summed in with one word—China.

More companies are mailing internationally and this trend is most evident in Asia, especially China, according to von Hassel.

Most international response files originate from U.S based publishers, while compiled lists for international direct marketing typically come from local sources.

“A lot of Asian publishers won’t release lists,” he adds.

Von Hassel is currently seeking international healthcare and aviation industry lists. “I’m always looking for new international sources of data for a couple of my clients. I don’t think there are many (list) vendors outside of the United States,” he says.

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