Forrester Research says that the effectiveness of conventional stand-alone web analytics software is limited by the "action chasm." The action chasm is the delay in action between when an analytics report is generated vs. when it is read, reviewed, and acted upon. The longer the delay between metric measurement and corrective action, the more money you leave on the table.

Walter Karl has introduced the WorkforcePros Multi-Channel list to the market. This file contains postal and e-mail addresses, as well as phone numbers, for working professionals. It is selectable by job function, age, marital status and yearly income.

MeritDirect has released to market both the Mortgage Success Source Postal and E-mail Masterfiles. These files represent mortgage professionals who look to Mortgage Success Source for business tools like training, customized marketing materials and informational articles.

Brewster, NY-based list brokerage Macromark Inc. has partnered with Maryland-based DM360 Inc. to provide client services overseas. DM360 founder and president Stacy Berver and Macromark president and CEO David Klein have worked together for well over a decade, according to the company executives.

As the publishing industry confronts significant challenges, many companies are looking to take cost out of their businesses. Many look to outsource key functions, such as IT, HR, fulfillment, production, research and marketing or consumer marketing. As we have worked in this space for nearly two decades, I am often asked what the keys are to making outsourcing successful. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, there are some things we think are very important.

When Starbucks launches a new Frappucino flavor, does the company just cross their fingers and hope that it does well? Absolutely not. There are months of screening, focus groups and market research conducted. Consumer data and analysis is invaluable to a marketer and is frequently overlooked when compiling a product launch arsenal.

DMNews is seeking submissions for its upcoming 2009 Essential Guide to Lists, Database Marketing and Data Services, which will be published on January 26, 2009. Lists and databases are key components that drive direct marketing campaigns, and developments in technology and audience behavior mean that this is a truly dynamic area. In this Essential Guide, DMNews will showcase these latest trends through expert opinion and original articles.

Magazine publishers utilize inserts constantly. They may not know it, but those subscription renewal cards that fall out of the pages of a reader's favorite magazine are inserts — and can be valuable to a smart marketer. For instance, consider repositioning those 3x5 cards and using them to acquire new customers in other media vehicles, like catalogs. That's what we call "insert media."

TNS, a global market information and insight group, has announced the launch of what it called a new generation of online advertising monitoring tools. The program combines cookie tracking technology with TNS' 6th Dimension Panel to enable accurate analysis of online ad consumption.

ETargetMedia.com has introduced the Organic Lifestyle and Natural Product Buyers list to the market.