List and electronic marketing firm Worldata, Boca Raton, FL, continues to convert the everyday functions of a list manager from paper to the Internet. Less than two months after introducing its Web-based tracking system List Track, the company has added e-mail distribution of list recommendations and data cards.
Whenever a new property comes on the market, data cards are sent by bulk e-mail to reach all the brokers that conduct business with Worldata faster than is available via fax or regular mail. Worldata conducted tests on 20 types of e-mail systems to ensure that data card presentations would be readable. It also worked out a system to convert data cards from other list managers into a universally acceptable format.
“No one is really sending data cards via e-mail,” said Worldata corporate vice president Jay Schwedelson. “It's not anything earth shattering, but it's a tool everyone will be able to employ.”
Next, Worldata plans to release an HTML e-mail interface, which will allow a broker to view a list of recommendations and click to view only the data cards that interest them. These data cards will appear in an Excel spreadsheet format.
Schwedelson predicts the convenience and time savings of e-mail distribution will lead to quick acceptance by the list industry. “Everybody will have to be doing this in the next six months to a year.”
