Building a high-quality mailing list is essential for a successful direct marketing campaign. Unfortunately, any one of these mailing list mistakes can cause a marketing campaign to fall flat on its face. Don’t succumb to these common pitfalls – here are some tips to ensure that your mailing lists live up to their full potential.

Mistake #1: Not knowing when to purchase a mailing list

Building your own mailing list can be a cost-effective means of reaching out to existing clients; you already have their contact information and consumer history, and that information is a valuable resource for maintaining an existing client base. However, if your goal is to expand your client base and reach out to new leads, you should consider purchasing a mailing list from a reputable list company. Finding new leads on your own is usually more trouble than it is worth, and it usually results in ineffective bulk mailings. List companies such as US Data Corporation, on the other hand, are experts in audience targeting, and we keep our lists up-to-date and accurate. The convenience and guaranteed accuracy will be worth the extra cost.

Mistake #2: Untargeted mailing lists

Reaching out to new leads can be very costly if you fail to target your audience properly. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: You should not be wasting time, energy and resources reaching out to people or businesses that have no need for, or interest in, your services. Know who your potential consumer is, and then utilize your list company’s targeting selects to build a mailing list of high-quality leads with active interest in your services.

Mistake #3: Out-of-date information

Investing in a mailing list should not be a one-time occasion for your business. Over 1.2 million people move every month – this means that individual mailing lists have fairly short shelf lives, because each lead with out-of-date contact information is one less potential consumer. Refresh your mailing lists regularly to ensure that your message is reaching every last prospective client.

Mistake #4: No follow-up

Remember that old marketing saying, the Rule of Seven? It states that a potential consumer must encounter your marketing message at least seven times before taking action. Don’t be a hit-and-run marketer! No matter how great your mailing list is, you are unlikely to convert any of those leads into clients if you don’t follow up with them. Your mailing list will enable you to make contact with potential consumers, but don’t stop there – use it as a tool to establish and nurture relationships.

We hope that you will keep these tips in mind the next time you need a mailing list for your direct marketing campaign.