September 2001
Training providers looking for improved ways to market their services are set to benefit from the latest version of Thomson Directories' Business Search PRO, a CD-ROM which lists the most up to date business details on over 2 million UK companies.

Business Search PRO is compiled using the most comprehensive database from Thomson Directories, and enables users to create their own customised direct mail lists at a low cost. This easy to use CD-ROM enables searches on the database on existing criteria including company name, address and postcode, and by business type, with over 1.6 million Thomson verified contact names. Business Search PRO Version 9 also includes over 840,000 financial data entries, allowing users to access information such as a Company's financial year-end, turnover, net worth, profit before tax and exports.

“As a facility for identifying and targeting key customers and markets, Business Search PRO has no equal ”, according to David Wood, Sales Manager for K Training. From its base in Wembley, the company co-ordinates the provision of health and safety training for drivers transporting hazardous goods.

“Our training courses are of interest to a very specific customer base, but to identify this base we have to comb a range of markets including transport, haulage, distribution, storage and petro-chemical manufacturers,” says Wood who has been using Thomson's Business Search PRO for the past four years.

“Thomson's Business Search PRO identifies all companies in these sectors and gives us a profile of each one, which we then compare with our target profile. It is then down to an intensive tele-sales operation to capture those comparatively few companies who would realistically be interested in our courses”.

Business Search PRO is published every six months which, from K Training's point of view is essential:

“The efficiency of this selection process relies on having accurate profiles and contact details particularly as I make between two hundred and three hundred and fifty calls a week using Business Search PRO. I have to respond quickly to changing circumstances and this frequency of update allows me to do that. Business Search PRO gives me close to 100% reliability and more contact points than from any other source - certainly for the price”, says Wood.

Business Search PRO Version 9 builds on the innovation of previous versions and offers new user capabilities which include nearest town search – a search that can encompass business listings in a given mile radius - and website address listings. Version 9 also allows a search to not include selected records, for example businesses not in London.

The release of Version 9 coincides with the launch www.businesssearch.co.uk – an interactive website that provides information and a free demonstration of Business Search PRO's capabilities.

For further information please contact our Press office.