Meet the Broker: Melinda Diaz of Direct Media Inc.

Today we meet Melinda Diaz, vice president of international list brokerage at Direct Media Inc. Diaz specializes in finding lists to promote U.S. publications overseas.

Her list brokerage clients include the International Herald Tribune, Scientific American, Time and Fortune magazines.

“I’m very immersed in the publishing sector. About 90% of my business involves direct mail. E-mail is still a small part of what I do,” says Diaz.

Like other sectors, international direct mail has been adversely affected by postage increases, shrinking list universes and the bad economy.

“It’s definitely more challenging and there are not as many names available, but there are a variety of response and compiled lists out there. There are more than 4,000 international lists available,” says Diaz.

She estimates the overall list universe has shrunk more than 25% over the last 10 years as a result of people opting out of lists. The latest spring postage increase further reduced direct mail campaigns.

Diaz wonders if business will be worse next year in the wake of so much recent bad economic news, but so far she says she hasn’t experienced a major drop in business.

“I’d still say that international direct mail is holding its own. Mailers keep coming in and going out of the market, and there are still new mailers entering the market,” she says.

In her sector at least, publishers have to keep mailing offers to maintain circulation levels. “I’ve seen slightly lower mail volumes over the last year, but I haven’t seen a huge decrease in business,” Diaz says.

Most new international lists coming on the market are e-mail files, especially in the high tech sector, according to Diaz. The availability of selections has been increasing too for better list targeting.

For international direct mail, she says the most significant development has been the emergence of international cooperative databases for business-to-business mailers.

“For B-to-B mailers there are more cross border lists on the market. There are no huge international cooperative databases for targeting consumers. Consumer lifestyle lists are available more on a country-by-country basis,” says Diaz.

When she’s not perusing data cards, Diaz spends free time with her husband and finds relaxation by listening to music, spoiling her cat and gardening. “I run the gamut with music. I enjoy opera and I love rock and roll. I also really love getting my hands into dirt,” she says.

What’s the biggest challenge international list brokers face?

There’s a widespread misconception: Many marketers believe it’s necessary to open up offices outside of the U.S., but that’s just not true.

“Companies are successfully mailing business offers from the U.S., in English and fulfilling orders from the U.S.,” says Diaz.

What concerns brokers about publishers?

“I think people are becoming more interested in reading online than print publications, but publishers are often reluctant to release e-mail lists of subscribers,” Diaz says.

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