Mailing lists are widely available no matter what type of products or services you sell. You just have to select lists that mirror the types of customers who purchase your products. When starting out, it pays to seek out deals from mailing list companies. Some, for example, may be willing to give you extra names if you’re a regular mailer. Others may give you discounts on the actual printing and distribution of the mailing. Whatever your situation, the following are some tips that can help you find and select the most effective mailing list for your project.
1- Define the Market as Best You Can
When perusing websites or catalogs for direct mailing lists, select the category or categories that match your typical customer. If you sell consulting services to businesses, for example, the delineation for your mailing lists may center around a particular industry or company size. If you sell to consumers, age, income, education level, and gender are common variables.
2- Look for Active Lists
Active lists are people who have purchased products in the past week, month, or even 90 days. Obviously, the more frequently the overall list makes purchases, the higher the cost. That’s why you might want to buy a variety of these names, especially if the vendor can verify their effectiveness. Purchasing active buyer names can make a huge difference as to whether you have a successful mailing or not.
3- Find Vendor Who Replaces Nixies
Nixies are mailing labels with information that is not deliverable as addressed. Good mailing list companies will have minimized their number of nixies, but people do die or move, which can go unreported. Reputable mailing list companies often replace nixies with “five to one,” which minimizes your losses for bad names. Before purchasing a mailing list, be sure to check the policy on nixies.
4- Purchase Mailing Lists Regularly
You won’t become successful in direct mail by ordering a mailing list here and there. The key is to keep your mailings going on a consistent basis. Also, test various cross-sections of mailings. This may include purchasing several mailing lists from multiple vendors and keeping track of the response rates you receive from each one. Another essential factor to having successful mailings is to mail a large enough quantity each time. Though it’s going to cost a lot more, a 10,000-piece mailing is going to get you a far better read on the efficacy of a mailing versus a 1,000-piece mailing.
Even though your best option is to rent the lists rather than buy them outright, each person who orders from you will become part of your customer base. Once you establish a decent-sized customer base, start mailing your offers to these customers on a regular basis. Most direct mail offers consist of a sales letter, brochure, and order form. Some vendors include order envelopes for convenience, and to help expedite the process. Continue to follow these steps over and over and you will become a successful direct mail marketer.
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