Whenever you incorporate a new company, an organisation called the Business Internet Directory writes to you, asking you to give them your details so that they can add a listing of your business to their online directory. If you don't reply, they write a month later to remind you. The letters are both very professional (as is the website) and there's no immediate request for money (beyond the fact that you have to call them on an 0870 number, which means that they get a cut of the money you spend on a call).
At first glance I assumed that the letters were akin to those from con artists trying to fool you into thinking you need to pay them to register under the Data Protection Act. But I was wrong. It's not a con - of that sort at least. The website does have listings, and they are for real businesses, although I am going to go out on a limb and say that the traffic on the site is going to be virtually non-existent next to Google or Yell or similar, and so for most businesses looking to advertise online other options are going to make more sense.
My interest really is in how they make their money. Clearly they can't survive on their cut of the 0870 number - they have to upsell when they get you on the phone, in the same way that Yell.com will try to sell you an enhanced listing, a link to your website from your listing and so on. So, I did a bit of research on Google and it appears that their approach is to get you to agree on the phone to a paid listing, record the call, and enforce payment, through the courts if necessary. I don't know how hard a sell it is, and I'm not about to phone them up, as that's just asking for trouble! If you have ever had occasion to speak to them, I'd be interested to find out how aggressive their approach is. In practice, of course, even if a business isn't certain it's said yes, it may well pay up in order to avoid hassle or court time.
So, in summary, if you receive such a mailing - which, if yours is the address of a new company's Registered Office, you will - think twice before calling them up. Though I am sure their business practices are 100% above board, why give them the chance to claim you said yes?
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