Q&As

Casual comic book enthusiasts read their periodicals and then toss them on the coffee table. Would a serious collector do that? Would Superman leave a chunk of kryptonite lying around the Fortress of Solitude? They turn to businesses like Bill Cole Enterprises, which sells Mylar sleeves, backing boards and other preservation supplies for paper collectibles like money, magazines, and yes, funny books.

Early in June, we were looking for a Fourth of July flag to hang on the front porch. We searched the SRDS mailing list directory (www.srds.com) to buy from a company that sells flags by mail, and that has a mailing list for rent.

* The State of West Virginia has teamed with the nonprofit group Mission West Virginia to launch a new program providing training in e-commerce applications for small business and entrepreneurs throughout the state. Four hundred and fifty participants …

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While the World Wildlife Fund’s isn’t about to forsake its panda mascot, another member of the animal kingdom, the travel bug, has inspired an ancillary e-mail newsletter.

Don’t bet the farm just yet on RSS, podcasts and other so-called Web 2.0 media. Marketers are interested in them, but not as much as they are in old-fashioned things like word-of-mouth.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society just saw its e-mail list slashed from 33,636 addresses to 4,510 and the organization’s e- mail director is happy about it.

Coldstone Creamery is shaking things up with a new contest that puts ice cream lovers on the dance floor for a chance to win $15,000.

Vendors, take note: Marketers will spend an average of nearly $250,000 for database upgrades this year. And they are confident these expenditures will pay out.

DIRECT TALKED recently with consultant Kurt Medina, who specializes in the 50-plus market. He shared his thoughts about targeting boomers and seniors.