Metabolic Nutrition Automates Profitable Follow-Up With TARGUSinfo

Metabolic Nutrition is proving the business value of immediate, prescriptive follow-up by using SecondApproach services from TARGUSinfo to close sales with consumers who respond to a toll- free number but don't immediately make a purchase.

The Miami company advertises its SYNEDREX weight-loss formula on TV and in print, urging consumers to dial a toll-free number to make a purchase. Most of these callers convert, but until recently the company had no way of contacting those who didn't. With SecondApproach services, TARGUSinfo identifies non- converting consumers and immediately mails out customized Metabolic Nutrition follow-up offers to these "warm leads." In the first month, it converted 10 percent of them -- a rate five to 10 times higher than traditional direct mail.

"If we lose track of a consumer within a couple of days of their call, we may lose them for good to a competing weight-loss plan or a gym membership," said Metabolic Nutrition CEO Jay Cohen. "With TARGUSinfo, we are able to conclusively identify callers who don't convert and follow up within 48 hours with attractive direct mail offers. This strategy is improving our conversion rate, maximizing our marketing dollars and helping more individuals reach their weight loss goals."

SecondApproach services target consumers who need to sleep on purchase decisions or who, for whatever reason, hang up before an agent can pick up the call. TARGUSinfo captures the phone number, appends a confirmed name and postal address and within 48 hours sends out a personalized post card or other mailing. Metabolic is measuring real-time ROI on its SecondApproach investment with special phone numbers and Web addresses for consumers responding to the follow-up offers.

"Every caller is a lead whether or not they immediately purchase, yet too many marketers fail to harvest the interest they've cultivated," said Paul McConville, TARGUSinfo Director of Consumer-Facing Services. "SecondApproach services extract full value from the marketing dollar by automating follow up where a consumer has demonstrated interest and is inclined to buy."

SecondApproach services also allow companies to customize follow-up based on the results of the initial call and to enhance any record with demographics or profiles for segmentation and prioritization.