How to Compile a Qualified Mailing List

Direct mail marketing is an inexact numbers game, but you can get some idea of the quality of a mailing list by asking a few key questions.

• Ask your list vendor for the names and numbers of businesses that have purchased the list in the last six months. Think of it as a reference check.
• Contact these businesses and ask them what they used the list for, what kind of response rate they got and how many returned mailers they received due to bad addresses. This is a good time to ask any other questions you have.
• Find out how frequently the list is updated. In general, the accuracy of a business-to-business mailing list drops to 50 percent after one year. Consumer lists age at a rate of 2 percent per month. The older the list, the less qualified the leads.
• What is the source of the list? Mailing lists have a profile that outlines the age, education level, interests, gender and other relevant information of the people on the list. The details of where the list names come from should clue you into whether or not they fit your target market, and thus are more likely to be receptive to your product or service.

Keep in mind you can do it yourself, or you can use an outside company. For help deciding which tack to take, read Developing E-Mail Marketing Lists. Once you have the list, make sure to leverage it in as many ways as possible. Read Ten Attention-Getting Ways to use E-Mail Lists for advice.