Take Our Survey                                                 1-800-706-MAIL
cmcmail@swbell.net
sitemap                                                                                                                                               Home - Contact Us
About Us Our Services Postal Rates Indicia Helpful Tips Directions Contact Us Download/Upload List In The News
In the News
 Back to 1st Qtr News

Project Mailing List:
Proactive Planning for Relative Sales
Winter 2005

   The mailing list is arguably the most important factor in direct mail, yet is often treated as an afterthought.

   Remember, about 40 percent of a direct mail campaign's success relies on the mailing list. In today's segmented market, a basic demographic list may not be enough. But breathe easy - there are many options in obtaining a reliable list tailored to your needs.

   Start thinking about the types of people you need to reach and the type of list to acquire early on in the planning stages of a campaign. Often, who you mail to largely determines what you mail and how it looks.

   Here are some key questions to consider before planning anything else.

1. Who are your best customers?

2. Who is your ideal customer?

3. What are their similar characteristics?

4. What compels your best customers to buy?

5. How do they live? Are they city dwellers, suburbanites or live in a rural setting? Do they own a home? Are their geographic clusters of your best customers?

6. How would they prefer follow ups? Telephone, e-mail, in person or more direct mail?
   Once all these questions have been thoroughly researched and thoughtfully answered, a clear idea of the mailing list will develop. If most of your best customers live in a central location, an occupant list by carrier route or ZIP code could target like-minded neighbors. Or if your ideal customer has a certain hobby or interest, acquiring a targeted magazine subscription list could help find more of the best type of customer.

   Identifying the method of follow up is an important proactive measure. Adding an e-mail address or phone number when purchasing the mailing list is much easier and more cost effective than purchasing a new list later. And because of the National Do Not Call List and CAN-SPAM legislation, extra paperwork may be necessary to obtain the proper information.

   The data show that a message must be impressed to the audience at least three times before the message is committed to memory and any action is taken. The most cost-effective method of mailing to an audience more than once is to rent the mailing list for unlimited use. This option is available with most lists and gives the buyer the freedom to mail the same list as many times as necessary in a given 12 month period. The great part is that it generally only costs 1.5 to 2 percent more than renting a list for single use.

   Now that you have ironed out who you are mailing to, you can decide what to mail. If your best customers are price-conscience a special discount or exclusive coupon may pull the results you are looking for. Try a product sample if quality and performance are key factors to your target audience. A rewards program may be appropriate if the ideal customer values brand loyalty.

   Whatever you are mailing and whom ever you are mailing to, the most important, and many times hardest, facet in developing successful direct mail campaigns is empathy. Put yourself in the customer's shoes. Do this early on in the planning stages of your next direct mail campaign and develop a clear vision for reactive sales.