After a lower than expected response from your marketing campaign, you are left scratching your head. You had the right mail piece, the right envelope, and the right message. So what went wrong?
It may have been your mailing list.
Though often underestimated, the quality of your mailing list can determine the success of your direct mail marketing campaign. The higher the quality of your mailing list, the more likely you are to receive positive responses from motivated leads. So how can you make sure you are using a high quality mailing list?
The Dos
Do: Check if your list provider suppresses their data. If the list provider does not suppress their data, they may give out the same leads several times. When a list has been saturated, the leads on the list are less likely to respond to your mail piece. If they receive several pieces of mail with similar messages, your potential leads will be less receptive to your message.
Do: Check how often the list provider’s data is updated. If your list is too old, your message may no longer be relevant to the leads on the list. They may have already sold their property or may even live at a different address. Using an up-to-date mailing list will help you reach your leads at the optimal time.
Do: Ask to add filters to your mailing list. Adding a filter, or several filters, can help you target a precise audience. By filtering for the correct audience, your message will be more effective and can improve your overall response.
The Don’ts
Don’t: Buy the cheapest leads available. While you may find a low price on a mailing list, you need to value quality over quantity. If the data is poor quality, it will not matter how much you saved when purchasing the list; you will have wasted money in the end!
Don’t: Mail to exact duplicate addresses. Sending an identical mail piece to the same address can make your efforts appear insincere. Remove the duplicates.
Don’t: Give up! If you have a reputable list provider, try a few mailing lists before moving on. If something doesn’t work for your mailing campaign, make adjustments and try again.
With a high quality mailing list, you can improve the response rate of your direct mail marketing campaign. For an added boost, try pairing your list with a yellow letter in a hand addressed envelope! To learn more about mailing lists and the types of leads you can mail to, click here.
