SIC code

Also called: Standard Industrial Classification.

The Standard Industrial Classification system was last revised in 1987. Codes are four digits: 1711 is Plumbing, Heating and Air-Conditioning, and 8021 is Offices and Clinics of Dentists. OSHA still publishes the 1987 SIC manual.

NAICS replaced SIC for US federal statistics from 1997, but SIC hasn't disappeared. The SEC still assigns SIC codes to companies that file with it, and many purchased business lists and older databases are still organized by SIC.

For local lead generation, SIC has the same weakness as NAICS, only more so: it's coarse, it predates many modern business types, and codes on purchased lists are often inferred rather than chosen by the business. A list sold as "SIC 7231 Beauty Shops" may mix hair salons, nail salons and barbers.

If a vendor or client hands you SIC codes, translate them into Google Maps categories and keywords before searching. Keep the original code as a column, so you can still match the list against the client's existing data.

Example

A client asks for "SIC 8021" leads. The agency translates that into the categories Dentist, Dental clinic, Cosmetic dentist and Orthodontist, and searches those instead.