Many people still believe that direct mail isn’t an effective marketing method, but it’s still relevant. A good mailing list is a large contributor of your direct mail campaign’s success. However, you need to determine if the prospect mailing list you’re buying is right for you, based on several factors when buying one.
Here are some tips to help you if you plan on buying a mailing list.
How to Buy a Mailing List
Define a Target Audience
The first step in buying a mailing list is to figure out who you want to reach with it. If you want to reach an audience between a certain age and income range, or market to people in a specific industry, you should make sure your mailing list is specific enough to reach these individuals. Keep in mind that a mailing list that reaches irrelevant people can become expensive if you’re not careful. In addition to irrelevant names, printing and postage costs can also result in needlessly lost funds.
Specify Data
Make sure you know exactly what type of information you want your list to contain. You might want to include more than a name and mailing address, for example, including titles, phone numbers, email addresses, industries, and annual income.
Get Referrals to Reputable Link Brokers
Colleagues or vendors can help recommend good link brokers to work with.
Learn Exactly What You’ll Get
If you’re buying a mailing list, determine exactly what information will appear in the list. For example, if you want a list to include each individual’s title, you should make sure the title is listed for everyone or if it only appears for a certain number of names. See if other fields are available, and figure out whether you’ll own the list once you buy it, or if you’re only paying for a one-time use.
Ask for a Data Sample
It’s ideal to get a look at the final mailing list before you buy it. Make sure the company you go to can provide you with a sample for quality assurance. Make sure it includes all of the data you want your list to feature, and see if any fields are left empty when they should be filled. Check for formatting issues and valid information.
Test Your Mailing List
To help further ensure it’s ideal, you should perform a small test of the mailing list to see if it’s actually helping you achieve your goals. For instance, you may want to target people who had recently purchased a certain product, but you may discover that the mailing list targets people who purchased the product at any time, which isn’t helpful.
United Graphics and Mailing Group can help you with the best mailing list and booklet printing services for your business. If you would like to get started on buying the perfect mailing list today, you can contact us at any time.
