The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Right Mailing List

In today's increasingly digital world, businesses often turn to online marketing platforms to reach their customers. Although digital marketing certainly has its benefits, it should not be the only option businesses consider. Direct mail marketing is a tried-and-true method that can be incredibly effective in reaching customers and driving sales. One of the most important aspects of direct mail is the mailing list. In this blog post we guide you through the ultimate way to find the right mailing list for your business. 

Step 1: Decide if you want to buy a list or create your own

There are two options when it comes to a mailing list for your campaign. You can either buy a mailing list from a provider or create your own list based on past customers and known future prospects. Which list works for your company depends on your business's time and resources. The first option requires very little effort and time but would be a financial investment. Although the second option is cheaper, it would take a significant amount of time to generate the list. Neither option is better or worse than the other, it simply comes down to your business's needs and resources. 

Step 2: Identify your target audience 

The next step in finding the right mailing list for your business is to identify ideal prospects for your products or services. Not everyone is going to be the ideal prospect for your business. Instead of mailing your postcards and letters to everyone, think about reaching out to people who would be interested in your company. For example, if you own a daycare think about sending your flyers to families with children under five or newly married couples. This will help target a more specific audience, increasing the likelihood of getting better outcomes. 

Step 3: Figure out the perfect list type for you 

There are multiple list types to choose from when generating a mailing list. The list types vary depending on who you want to reach. One type of list is the house list, the house list is generated from tracking your company's current and past customers. This type of list is usually created in house by your company. The response list is similar to the house list, but includes customers and prospects who have bought or searched for products or services similar to your company. The targeted demographic list is similar to the one we talked about previously, targeting families with young children and newly married couples. This type of list allows you to choose which demographic you want to target. Lastly, the more expensive option is an opt in list. This type of list is popular because it allows people to join the mailing list at their own choice. These generally have the highest ROI out of all of the list, because people are already interested in your business. All of the list are great options and the choice ultimately comes down to what is best for your company.  

Step 4: Find a credible list company 

If your company decides to use a list company to generate a mailing list it is important to find a credible company. A credible company will guarantee at least 90% deliverability, update their list on a monthly basis, and will give you unlimited access to the mailing list. A high deliverability rate is important for a mailing list company because it ensures effective communication, maintains a positive sender reputation, and contributes to overall customer satisfaction and brand credibility. You want to make sure the mailing list company updates their lists frequently. People move often, so it is crucial to know who is living at the address you are mailing to at the time of the delivery. Using a mailing list only once is not worth the price of the list, it is important to ask the company for an unlimited use cost, which will give you the option to mail to the list as much as your business needs to.