Build direct mailing lists of new prospects

Build a Direct Mailing List

Once you have created a profile of your best marketing leads, you can use this information to build a targeted list online of potential new leads. Targeted direct mailing lists can be expensive, but they're likely to garner the best response rate and profit and generate the most cost-effective leads and loyal customers.

It's practically impossible to overstate the importance of direct mailing lists to the success of your direct mail program. The correct mailing list will contain your most valuable prospects. The more careful you are in analyzing and selecting direct mailing lists, the better your chances for success.

Consumer Direct Mailing Lists

For consumer sales leads, the characteristics used to refine direct mailing lists might be a combination of the following:

• Geographic, such as county, radius around a store or a neighborhood
• Demographic, such as age, income, gender, presence of children
• Behavioral, such as lifestyle activities (golf, photography, gardening, boating or shopping)
• Methods/interests, such as online purchases; mail-order buyer for gardening, clothing or jewelry
• Life stage events, such as new parents, new homeowners, new movers or retirees

Business Direct Mailing Lists

For business mailing lists, the characteristics used to segment might be a combination of the following:

• Geographic, such as county, radius around a store or a neighborhood
• Business type (Standard Industrial Classification or North American Industry Classification System)
• Firmographic, such as company sales, annual sales amount, years in business

Next step:

• Create a Successful Direct Mail Piece