CANADA INTRODUCES "DO NOT CALL" LEGISLATION
12/14/04- Adweek
Wendy Melillo

WASHINGTON, D.C.The Canadian government has introduced legislation similar to the American "Do Not Call" telemarketing rules.

The measure is expected to gain approval in Canada's Parliament.

In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission allows people to register both their home and cell phone numbers to avoid unwanted telemarketing calls.

The effectiveness of the Do Not Call rule in the U.S. and Canada's move toward adopting the same legislation have prompted some companies to develop methods to get around the restrictions.

One Toronto-based digital marketing company called N5R, which has American clients like Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson, creates permission-based personal Web sites for consumers that starts with the mailing of a postcard. The postcard tells the consumer a Web site has been created in his or her name and encourages the person to check it out online. Once at the site, consumers are asked to give permission so that the marketer can continue a dialogue with them.

"If you do it right and have a message which resonates with your audience, they will definitely give their permission," said Bo Woloshyn, N5R's COO. "This is not an intrusive telemarketer calling you at dinner time."

One Denver, Colo.-based company, Grand Elk Ranch & Club, purchased N5R's services to create personalized Web sites for people interested in second properties and vacation homes. Woloshyn said that with this approach, companies can get a 10-20 percent response rate compared to the 1-2 percent responses received by using direct mail alone.

"Instead of doing mass marketing, you do 'me' marketing," Woloshyn said.