[MerchantDataGuy]

I have a little over one million fax numbers (and phone numbers) for premium SIC codes. Before formally "diving back" in to the MCA world (1.5 year hiatus), I invested considerable time (lots of lines of code) and money in this data mining operation and have limited capital to deploy. I'm considering doing fax blasts as I can send them out for 5 cents a pop. Does anyone have experience with fax blasts? Response rate? Quality deal / lead percentage? I know it varies industry to industry, but can find nothing for MCA's.

I really hope these million fax numbers+ can translate into some profits. In a "perfect world" I'd blast out 40,000 faxes and get 20 deals out of it. Not sure if this is fools gold however... Can anyone offer any further insights?

[Capital Stack]

correct me if i'm mistaken, but i don't think you can send fax blast unsolicited

[MCNetwork]

I've blasted about 2,500 faxes in the past and got zero responses except from people yelling at me to stop spamming their fax machines.

[Chambo]

Fax Blasts will get you in serious hot water with Federal Trade Commission. No Bueno

[MerchantDataGuy]

Here's a link: http://www.fcc.gov/guides/fax-advertising

Here's the info I found that inspired me to data mine for this info...

"...obtains the fax number from the recipient’s own directory, advertisement, or site on the Internet, unless the recipient has noted on such materials that it does not accept unsolicited advertisements at the fax number in question; or..."

This clause constitutes an "EBR" or Existing Business Relationship. If a business lists it's fax number on it's own web site, it's fair game. I can send them an unsolicited fax, where the site does not say; "no unsolicited faxes." As long as I provide them with 3 ways to unsubscribe (phone, e-mail, or fax), with a clearly stated disclaimer and notice of how to do so on Page 1 - I am golden.

All of my fax numbers came from the prospective recipients' "site on the internet."

So... I guess I'll have to answer this ROI question through testing.

[MCNetwork]

Good luck with that

[Scott Williams]

Just like auto dialers, i feel like you are only going to get the merchant's who have been declined ten times in the past with fax blasting.

[Chambo]

not to mention, just because there is a technical loophole, do you really want to go out there and piss off the wrong person? Can you say with unwaivering certainty that every single merchant falls into that loophole clause? All you need is one or two to NOT and all hell breaks loose.

The risk/reward factor just isn't there (in my humble opinion)

[MerchantDataGuy]

It's not a technical loop hole. The law basically says; "if there is a fax number on a web site, you may send a fax to that number unless the site says otherwise." If I "piss off the wrong person" - that person will unfortunately have wasted time and energy that they could have otherwise spent having their tech guy slap the line; "no unsolicited faxes" on their site.

The answer to your question is "Yes." Good code never fails. If you open up Microsoft Word, and you type up a 1,000 page document, then run a search for the word "and" will MS Word pick up every single instance of the word "and," or will it miss some? Same principle here...

Running methods to scrape the internet for fax numbers, and associating them with URL's and corresponding META Data was not too difficult. Time consuming, but not difficult. Writing custom methods for referencing those URL's with a coterie of API's (where the data cannot be downloaded) in order to parse it / scrub it against string variables like "do not" or "unsolicited" was slightly tougher - but equally time consuming.

[MCNetwork]

I just got an unsolicited spam fax from Paramount Merchant Funding. It must be working if those guys are doing it!

[MCAVeteran]

you can get sued. there is case study of this from prev years of ISOS and Funders getting sued for this. Just research online and you will find things you couldnt believe existed.

[MerchantDataGuy]

you can get sued. there is case study of this from prev years of ISOS and Funders getting sued for this. Just research online and you will find things you couldnt believe existed.

Guess I better download every site to keep for my records.

[Chambo]

you can get sued. there is case study of this from prev years of ISOS and Funders getting sued for this. Just research online and you will find things you couldnt believe existed.

And arrogantly "flipping the bird" to authorities is the quickest way to receive retaliation, and get folks prying where nobody wants them to pry. Better just to find a different way to generate leads.

[miked]

you can get sued. there is case study of this from prev years of ISOS and Funders getting sued for this. Just research online and you will find things you couldnt believe existed.

post a link as proof?

[MCNetwork]

Your reps can get demoralized quickly if a lot of the calls they are receiving are angry business owners cursing them out. 99 hangups to get 1 prospect is one thing, but 99 angry threats is another.

That has been my experience with auto dialers. A lot of angry people out there!