How To Make A Direct Mail List

A direct mailing list that contains your most valuable prospects may be the most important factor in a successful direct mailing program. Sending mass mail without proper customer targeting is one way that businesses – new to direct mailing campaigns– waste a lot of their marketing dollars. Before initiating your direct mail marketing campaign, it is important that you create your list of recipients carefully to ensure that your mail pieces are only sent to those who fit your target consumer profile.

While you can only use some rented lists once, building your own direct mail list provides you with the flexibility for repeated use. Moreover, you can adjust it, add to it, and maintain a proper record of response. Here are some useful steps to create your own direct mail list:

Step 1: Check your internal sources

Businesses that have been in operation for a while are likely to have a record of the addresses of previous customers, as well as service and warranty information, customer correspondence and complaints, and sales prospects from trade shows and other events. It takes time and effort to compile a substantial list of target consumers, so many businesses probably need to look into other sources.

Step 2: Compile addresses from external sources

There are various places where your customers share their personal information. For a B2B mailing list, for instance, you can gather addresses from customers’ websites, magazines and newspaper articles, trade and association directories, and other published mentions of your target consumers.

Direct mail companies can help you acquire lists of people who have showed interest in businesses that are similar to yours, as well as those who match your targeted demographic (age, location, income level, gender, family size) and consumer habits (spending habits, travel patterns).

Step 3: Organize a reward system for volunteering their addresses

You can organize a monthly draw or discount for winning clients who drop off their business cards at your premises, or those who provide their contact details when signing up for an online contest via your website or social media page. Some clients and prospects will opt in without any incentive, just to receive news on offers and other relevant information. Add the contact information to your mailing list.

Whether you compile your list from lead generation via email newsletters or your website, local events where you exhibit, or databases that are open for local groups, it is critical that you vet each name you collect. Although this activity consumes time, money, and effort, the expense is worth ensuring that your direct mailing pieces arrive at a potential client.

Interested in adding direct mail marketing to your advertising mix? Please call our Toronto mailing house at 1-866-486-0423. Troi spells success, one letter at a time!