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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowType of business:
national marketing service providing print-on-demand, direct-mail services
Address: 9465 Counselors Row,
Suite 200, 46240
Phone: 805-4975
E-mail: aforis@radiusconnection.com
Web site: www.radiusconnection.com
Founded: April 2008
Owner: Amy Foris
Owner’s background: Foris, 38, has more than 15 years of sales and marketing experience,
the last six years of which she worked
at the magazine Indianapolis Woman. She received her MBA in 2007 from the University
of Notre Dame.
Why started business: Foris said she has a passion for solving problems. She started
Radius Connection to provide an alternative
to mass marketing through personalized direct-marketing programs. Foris said her business provides small-to-midsize businesses
and franchise organizations with an easy, effective and measurable way of generating sales.
"The targeted direct-mail programs allow business owners to affordably deliver a personalized message to the right prospect
at the right time," she said.
Competitive advantage: Foris said her business provides three services that separate
it from other direct-marketing companies:
a turnkey campaign, which will help clients develop an effective postcard design and campaign; a lower cost with a higher
return on investment; and automated monthly direct-mail campaigns focused on radius, or neighborhood, mailings. In addition,
the production facility Foris has contracted with in Tampa, Fla., handles entire orders. All printing and postal preparation
is completed on site and jobs are delivered directly to the post office.
Startup cost: $38,000
Funding source: personal funds
Projected fi rst-year revenue: $80,000
Potential problem and contingency plan:
She said she has found that Radius Connection’s customers could leverage their marketing expertise in areas outside of direct
mail.
"Our [only] challenge is to educate our customers on how effective very-targeted marketing can be without having to spend
thousands of dollars," Foris said.
In an effort to diversify, Radius Connection also offers services such as intelligent customer profiling, customer and prospect
mapping, and mailing list research and purchasing, which have helped clients realize a higher return on investment.
First-year goal: By the end of her first full year in business, Foris said, she hopes
that 45 percent of her revenue will
come from reoccurring automated direct-mail campaigns. In addition, she said she would like to partner with at least two national
associations to be Radius Connection’s official direct-mail vendor for their members.
Five-year vision: Offer innovative products that help small-to-midsize businesses grow
their revenue and expand their market
share. Radius Connection would have account teams that focus on certain areas as subject-matter experts, and Foris said her
business would then cross-sell its products to increase clients’ revenue. In addition, she plans to have custom portals for
at least two franchise organizations where their franchisees could go to place directmail orders.
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