There are an incredible number of benefits of targeted email and postal lists, including reaching the right audience who will generate better engagement and response rates.

Utilizing a tailormade list for your email and direct mail marketing campaigns, is more accurate and deliverable than any other channel of marketing. However, it is important to understand the details so your expectations with your company's custom mail list are accurate as well.

What You Need to Know About Mail Lists

Purchasing a mailing list begins with knowing the good and the not so good realities.

There Is No Such Thing As 100%

When it comes to accuracy and deliverability, there is no such thing as a 100% accurate mailing list or a 100% deliverable mailing list. Instead, it is about 95-99%, which is still extremely impressive.

So, what does that mean and why isn't it 100%?

Timing is the biggest issue not allowing that 95-99% accuracy to be 100% accurate. The process that takes place to compile accurate data allows time for other data to change. For example, because the compiler needs to compare current data to data coming in, the information put together to make your mailing list, could be up to 30 days old. Meaning, if you are looking to target a household with children present, there is a small chance that some of those household’s children have moved out in the past 30 days.

With deliverability, every effort is made to generate the highest rate of deliverable mailing lists, time, however, is again a potential issue. About 9.8% of Americans moved in 2019, and that percentage went up for 2020 and will continue to drop or rise each year. So, looking back at the example for accuracy, within that 30-day compiler period, the entire household could have moved.

Postal Lists vs. Email Lists

The above points relate mostly to postal lists or direct mailing lists; however, they do relate to email lists in a sense as well. For example, if a recipient changes their email address, or loses access to it, the deliverability percentage decreases.

On another note, targeted direct mail continues to be the most effective way in generating success compared to targeted email.

How can that be with the percentage of people moving each year? Unfortunately, people and businesses move less than the number of emails that get directed into the spam or promotional inbox. And, a tangible, physical piece of direct mail in the hands of your recipient is far more valuable than a subject line in an email. Especially if you create effective direct mail designs.

Generally, Business Lists Are Less Accurate

Consumer lists are more accurate, and deliverable compared to business lists. This is because when it comes to business data compilers, there are only a handful out there.

With a business list you can expect between 92-96% deliverability, with that percentage leaning heavily toward 96%. That is a pretty good deliverability rate, especially compared to other marketing strategies like display ads or pop-up ads. However, it is important to understand why business lists are less accurate than consumer mailing lists.

The data for business mailing lists, is often difficult to maintain as companies do not always announce they are going out of business or moving. For example, 20% of small businesses alone, fail within their first year, and that data can be hampered when not documented correctly. Also, the fact that some businesses have suite numbers that aren’t recorded in their address report, means no suite number is listed in the address of the mailing list, when it should be.

Compilers also are primarily interested in the higher-level decision-makers of a company, and that decision maker may retire, be promoted, change addresses, or even get fired. Therefore, contact information is then found outdated until an address or replacement is documented.

On the contrary, this slight percentage drop in accuracy has nothing on the results of business to business direct mail campaigns. B2B direct mail receives a response that is 47 times better than online marketing strategies. So, regardless, your marketing campaign is still going to receive the best results.

Consumer Data Starts Out As Self-Reported Information

Why would you need to know this? Well because it plays in with the timing and is one of the main reasons you do not want to use the same list forever—which we will discuss further in the section below. But also, because many consider it a mystery, and it’s beneficial to know as much as you can on how it works.

When a consumer fills out a form, such as a warranty registration for a new car or catalog subscription, that registration containing their information about marital status, age, income, etc. is forwarded to a “clearing house” where compilers then have access to. Compilers then utilize several clearing houses and compare information to find the most accurate information. They continually do this and typically publish new data every month to ensure information is as accurate as possible so you can reach a targeted audience with the highest accuracy and deliverability rates possible.

How to Gain the Best Results

Now that you know exactly what to expect with your mailing list, let’s take a look at some ways you can generate the best possible results with your mail list.

Multi-Drop Campaigns Generate Greater Success

Have you ever seen a commercial, what feels like 200 times in a row? And now that commercial is engraved in your mind? That same repetitiveness works for direct mail and all other marketing strategies as well. The first postcard you send out receives the less responses while the 2nd gets better responses, and the 3rd receives the absolute best.

To get the most out of your mail list, you need to reach your target audience multiple times to build brand awareness and trust with your recipients.

Timing also plays a key role in the importance or multi-drop campaigns vs one-shot campaigns. Timing is everything for everything including marketing. Because you aren’t aware of the best timing for your audience, the more you reach them, the better chance you have at reaching them when they are ready to act on your offer.

Consistent branding plays a key component within your multi-drop campaign as well. Sending the same exact brochure multiple times is more effective than sending designs that do not correlate or have little branding present. On the other hand, sending a series or those brochures where each one clearly relates but highlights different subjects or sales can be even more successful. No matter what direct mail material or design you use in your multi-drop marketing campaign, be sure branding is consistent and recognizable.

The takeaway here is that the more someone views something the more it sticks with them. So, be sure to reach out to your audience more than once and include consistent branding, so they know it’s you.

Use Email and Direct Mail

We have discussed the advantages of direct mail over email. However just like the rule of multi-drop campaigns, more visibility is better. Using email and direct mail also provides you with a higher chance of reaching that 100% deliverability. For example, a consumer may have moved but their email stayed the same or they changed their email address but still have the same residency.

The more channels you use to reach your target audience, the better. Offline advertising or direct mail marketing may be more effective but online advertising can enhance those success results.

Don't Use the Same Mail List Forever

As we mentioned above, data compilers are continually gathering, updating, comparing, scrubbing, recompiling, and publishing new data about every month. Which is a great thing to hear since we also discussed the percentage of Americans who move each year, and the downfalls of business lists.

However, this also means that today, your targeted email and postal list you purchased last year, isn’t as accurate it was. To gain the best results possible, it is important to obtain an updated mail list, to ensure you are reaching the right audience for you company.

Create Stunning Direct Mail Pieces

To create an effective direct mail campaign, not only does a targeted audience make a huge difference for your results, but a great design and irresistible call-to-action makes a difference as well.

Be sure to use high quality images, the right typeface, and colors that grab you recipient's attention to make your mailers stand out. You can even get creative with texture, metallic inks, or a coating like gloss, matte, or spot coating.

A call-to-action or CTA is necessary for your direct mailers and emails. Your CTA will be what entices and encourages your audience to respond immediately to you marketing message. This could include an intriguing deal or a unique QR code along with a clever tagline to lead you recipients to your website.

Find a Provider Who Can Guarantee a Better List Than Your Competitors

Looking for a mail list provider can be tricky, with so many out there. Be sure to look for one who will create your list specifically based on what you want to accomplish. Your provider should ask questions to make sure you are reaching the most targeted audience possible.

Overall, be sure to find a provider who is truly interested in the success of your mailing campaign rather than the quantity of mailing lists they sell.

We at Conquest Graphics have the proven experience with providing targeted mailing lists, and we want you to understand every detail about your email and postal list. We also want to understand your goals so you can utilize your mail list in the most successful way possible. Speak with one of our mailing experts to find out all the ways we can help you create the perfect list or click below to explore our mailing list tool.