Direct Mail List

My last BiggerPockets post about the fundamentals of direct mail marketing ended up generating some really great discussion about one point in particular: the mailing lists.

Today, I want to follow up on that discussion and break it down a little further, so we can really see the finer points of choosing the right mailing list for your direct mail marketing efforts.

The truth is, your mailing list is arguably the most important aspect of your direct mail campaign. If you mail to prospects who are not interested in or able to take you up on your offers, then you are just wasting your postcards, your time and your money. It is critical that you send your postcards to high-quality prospects for your particular business in order to generate a substantial return on your marketing investment.

Here are a few things to remember when choosing a mailing list…

A. Decide Where You Are Getting Your List

There are basically two places you can get a direct mail mailing list.

  1. You make your own comprised of current customers or prospects who have already contacted your business in some way.
  2. You acquire it from a direct mail list provider. Sometimes you will purchase the list, but occasionally you are given it for free as a bonus.

The first one is usually cheapest, but requires some effort on your part, i.e. compiling the list from your own records.

The second, on the other hand, opens up new prospects you have never even approached yet, but usually requires an investment to get it. Your own needs and budget determine which one you go for, but these are the basic sources of the lists themselves.

B. Choose a Mailing List Filled With Prospects Who Are ALREADY Interested In What You Offer

First, you have to get the idea that “marketing is persuasion” out …read more