Building a Mail List
By Brian Darrow
Sept. 2004
© R-Design, Inc.


There’s a saying in real-estate – “The three most important factors affecting the value of a property are: location, location, location”. In direct mail marketing, it could be said that “The three most important factors affecting the success of a direct mail campaign are: mail list, mail list, mail list”. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but of the three major elements of direct mail (the other two are the advertising copy and the offer), the mail list often counts the most for success.

Just think about it. You could send me an impossible to ignore postcard, with an unbelievable offer for your new line of custom automobile accessories, but if I don’t own an automobile, I’m unlikely to be interested. Another bad scenario is an old list. Maybe you’ve obtained a two year old list of all the residential cleaning services in the tri-state area, and you’re ready to mail off a brochure advertising your fantastic carpet shampoos. Guess what? Almost half of those cleaning services will have moved in the two years since the list was created, and your brochure will make a quick flight to the garbage can.

Most printers and mail houses can direct you to mail lists, or you can call us - and just about any list is available. Make sure you know who your customers are most likely to be so that you can target them. Above all, make sure the list you purchase is recent.