ORIGINAL: Capgains
STL was wrong about one thing, this is a marketing thing. AMA doesn't care if these guys are sucessful at producing a publication or not. They got their payment. If they pull it off then it certainly won't hurt the hobby. By selling permission to call, email, or send you a card in the mail, they executed a soft approach. They leave it up to you to participate or not. If you give them more and they abuse it... it's your own fault not the AMA's. As far as AMA selling lists to outside companies... Well duh... get used to that. But then again, just how much information does the AMA have on you anyway? Even the annual membership form doesn't have anything more than basic info. I don't even think they have your SSN. So who cares if the AMA doesn't get anything from the sale of the directory? If they got $40k, then they got it for nothing... I'm proud of them for finageling such a deal.
The only thing that Harris ever markets is the book. What is the book? The book are names of other AMA members who wanted to be on the list. Marketing for Harris, yes, marketing for the AMA, no, they have that info already. So Harris gets to market a book and the only people that are going to be marketed for the book are the people who want to stay in the program. A very very soft approach.
But don't forget that Harris always upfronts all the costs associated and then absorbs a cash layout for the initial contract. They are assuming the risk and the AMA members a published book and 40k in cabbage. Why do you think so many organization utilize their service? All reward, no risk.
But like we both said, anyone who doesn't want to be on the list, gets to get out before it's published. The AMA has sent plenty of ways to make that happen. This is the exact same thing that not only Harris does for thousands of other companies and NFP's, but it's the same thing yearbook providers do for schools.
I look forward to receiving as much RC information in the mail and my email as I can when a few RC companies get their hands on it. Afterall, it's one of my hobbies and I like good deals. The only mail I ever receive is from Tower and Horizon and maybe a few stragglers from time to time. Afterall I knew the risks involved by adding my name any list, but I'm still standing.