How to Analyze a Direct Mail List

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By bunbun
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If you're a marketer responsible for a direct mail campaign and don't want to use a list broker, you need to ask many questions of a list manager before you rent names from him. A datacard on any particular list is only very surface information, and it may be the unasked questions that turn your direct mail campaign into a direct mail nightmare.

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Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Internet
Rate cards for direct mail list

How to Analyze a Direct Mail List

Step 1

Find out the source of the list. Are the names on the list direct mail sold, self reported data, did they come from a compiled lists, etc.
Step 2

Find out when the list was last updated. Any good list should have been updated within the last 3 months at least.
Step 3

Find out when the names on the list are through. Again, the 3 month mark is a good metric to use. The last names added should not be more than 3 months old.
Step 4

Find out if the make-up of the list is people who actually paid money for something vice people who simply inquired about something without paying any money. People who actually paid for something will be a better target for an offer to buy something.
Step 5

Ask the list manager for continuation usage. It is important that you ask for continuation usage and not test usage. If another competitor of yours has continued on the list that means it worked and it will probably be a good list for you to use.

Tips & Warnings

Find out if the list is continuously being "cleaned". Ask if the list has been through the "NCOA" (National Change of Address). This will save you money because you won't be mailing to bad addresses.
Stay clear of list that haven't been updated in more than 6 months. This means it is probably a very old list and that no new names are being added.
It's wise to ask many questions if a list is very large (greater than 200,000 names). In those cases you'd be wise to make sure you know where the names came from. Often times, this means it is a compiled file and won't be suitable for a niche product offer.