“how Do I Buy a Great Mailing List?”
February 17, 2009 by Lead Generation Website
Filed under Mailing Lists
Great Mailing Lists
1. Before you go about finding that great mailing list for your marketing campaign, you need to define your audience. Precisely who is your market? The more precisely you can define your perfect target audience, the better you’ll be able to segment your mailing, and the better your response will be.
2. It is an accepted acxiom in direct marketing that the closer to a consumers’ last purchase you can reach them, the more apt they are to be responsive to your offer. Therefore, try to find a list that is updated and cleaned on a regular basis. An old list is more likely to have invalid records on it than a fresh one.
3. Select a reputable vendor to purchase (remember that lists are “bought” for one-time use only, unless multi-use arrangements have been negotiated beforehand) your list from. The most important criteria is to make sure that they are a member in good standing with the DMA (Direct Marketing Association). If you don’t see the DMA logo displayed on their site, don’t assume it is safe to use them. You can contact the DMA online at: www.the-dma.org.
4. Select a list that most closely mirrors your target audience. For example, if you are trying to sell gym memberships in your local area, make sure you target people who have demonstrated an interest in physical fitness and fall within any specific age, gender or income parameters you may have. Don’t expect to appeal to just anyone.
5. Buy only what you can afford. It is important to test with direct mail. Your first try might not work, don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.
6. Don’t be afraid to raise your hand. Contact the vendor and ask for their suggestions as to what you should test. They are the professionals and can most likely save you a lot of time and frustration. The biggest decision you will have is whether or not to buy a Compiled List or a Response List.
www.GreatMailingLists.com
Thanks to Great Mailing Lists for contributing this article to our Leads blog:
1. Before you go about finding that great mailing list for your marketing campaign, you need to define your audience. Precisely who is your market? The more precisely you can define your perfect target audience, the better you’ll be able to segment your mailing, and the better your response will be.
2. It is an accepted acxiom in direct marketing that the closer to a consumers’ last purchase you can reach them, the more apt they are to be responsive to your offer. Therefore, try to find a list that is updated and cleaned on a regular basis. An old list is more likely to have invalid records on it than a fresh one.
3. Select a reputable vendor to purchase (remember that lists are “bought” for one-time use only, unless multi-use arrangements have been negotiated beforehand) your list from. The most important criteria is to make sure that they are a member in good standing with the DMA (Direct Marketing Association). If you don’t see the DMA logo displayed on their site, don’t assume it is safe to use them. You can contact the DMA online at: www.the-dma.org.
4. Select a list that most closely mirrors your target audience. For example, if you are trying to sell gym memberships in your local area, make sure you target people who have demonstrated an interest in physical fitness and fall within any specific age, gender or income parameters you may have. Don’t expect to appeal to just anyone.
5. Buy only what you can afford. It is important to test with direct mail. Your first try might not work, don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.
6. Don’t be afraid to raise your hand. Contact the vendor and ask for their suggestions as to what you should test. They are the professionals and can most likely save you a lot of time and frustration. The biggest decision you will have is whether or not to buy a Compiled List or a Response List.
www.GreatMailingLists.com
Thanks to Great Mailing Lists for contributing this article to our Leads blog:
Two Common Direct Mail Mistakes. and How to Avoid Them
January 27, 2009 by Lead Generation Website
Filed under Mailing Lists
Ask the ListGuy
“What are the most common Direct Mail Mistakes and how can I try to Avoid them?”
Successful direct mail doesn’t depend on fancy, four-color design or “creative” copy.
Mistake No. 1: Not renting the right mail/email list for you.
Do you know what the most important part of your direct mail campaign is? It is the mailing list. No matter how beautiful your graphic design is, no matter how slick your ad copy is, if you mail to the wrong mailing list, your mailing is doomed to failure. Remember, a mailing list is not just a means to reach your prospects, it IS your prospects!
The best list available to you is your “house” list—your list of customers and prospects who previously bought from you or responded to your marketing efforts.
Typically, your house list can pull double the response of an outside list. When renting outside lists, make sure to consult with the list provider to make sure you are getting the most up-to-date names available and are renting the best possible list segment or segments of the targeted list.
Mistake No. 2: Not having an offer.
An offer is what the reader gets when he responds to your mailing.
To be successful, a direct-mail package should sell the offer, not the product itself. For example, if you have a Kick boxing Gym, don’t sell that you are a kick boxing Gym, sell your offer—Free Introductory class. The offer is the free class the benefit to the Gym is the opportunity to convert satisfied class participants into members.
Make sure you have a well-thought-out offer in every mailing. If you think the offer and the way you describe it are unimportant, you are wrong.
Here are some effective teasers: free brochure, free analysis, free consultation, free demonstration, free trial, free sample, free catalog…it doesn’t always have to be free.
Your copy should state the offer in such a way as to increase the object reader’s interest to respond to whatever it is you offer.
Great Mailing Lists
Thanks to Great Mailing Lists for contributing this article to our Leads blog:
“What are the most common Direct Mail Mistakes and how can I try to Avoid them?”
Successful direct mail doesn’t depend on fancy, four-color design or “creative” copy.
Mistake No. 1: Not renting the right mail/email list for you.
Do you know what the most important part of your direct mail campaign is? It is the mailing list. No matter how beautiful your graphic design is, no matter how slick your ad copy is, if you mail to the wrong mailing list, your mailing is doomed to failure. Remember, a mailing list is not just a means to reach your prospects, it IS your prospects!
The best list available to you is your “house” list—your list of customers and prospects who previously bought from you or responded to your marketing efforts.
Typically, your house list can pull double the response of an outside list. When renting outside lists, make sure to consult with the list provider to make sure you are getting the most up-to-date names available and are renting the best possible list segment or segments of the targeted list.
Mistake No. 2: Not having an offer.
An offer is what the reader gets when he responds to your mailing.
To be successful, a direct-mail package should sell the offer, not the product itself. For example, if you have a Kick boxing Gym, don’t sell that you are a kick boxing Gym, sell your offer—Free Introductory class. The offer is the free class the benefit to the Gym is the opportunity to convert satisfied class participants into members.
Make sure you have a well-thought-out offer in every mailing. If you think the offer and the way you describe it are unimportant, you are wrong.
Here are some effective teasers: free brochure, free analysis, free consultation, free demonstration, free trial, free sample, free catalog…it doesn’t always have to be free.
Your copy should state the offer in such a way as to increase the object reader’s interest to respond to whatever it is you offer.
Great Mailing Lists
Thanks to Great Mailing Lists for contributing this article to our Leads blog:
