Data enhancement is gaining ground as a popular product add-on to letter shops, direct mail printers, direct agencies, mailing list brokers, and specialized marketing firms working with businesses who serve direct mail advertisers.  Data enhancement involves appending elemental data (demographic, behavioral, or firmographic) to an existing database of names and addresses.  This existing database of names and addresses is typically an internal customer file provided by the business seeking further segmentation analysis.  Ideally, after database enhancement, the file can be divided into segments for more targeted mailing.

Data Enhancement Example

Let’s consider a popular multi-location bank.  The existing customer database includes infor...

So what’s all the fuss about the New Move Update with the United States Post Office?  Well, BB Direct offers a simple explaination to help clear matters up.

Since November 23rd, 2008, the Postal Service have revised the Move Update standards in an effort to reduce the mail that ends up forwarded or returns when the mailing address provided had previously been changed.  The gist of the staying compliant is that you now must be sure to update your mailing address within 95 days of your mailing.  This includes all Standard Mail (letters, flats, parcels and Not Flat-Machinables), as well as automated-rate and presort-rate First-Class Mail.

The autorized methods for Updating your mail to stay compliant are:

~  NCOA Link processing
~  FASTforwar...

Too often I’m asked of the difference between the two mailing list count and order systems; CAS turbo-marketing.net and bbdirectleads.com.  The first thing that comes to mind is that if you’re using FireFox, you’ll never reach CAS turbo-marketing.net.  It simply won’t open.  This may not seem like a big deal but with Google Analytics, I’ve discovered that over 26% of the users of BBDirectleads.com reach our site via the FireFox browser.

Of course the two sites are completely different in functionality, and only by trying them out can one decide their preference.  CAS has built their own proprietary user interface and hosts a wide range of database files, from compiled consumer and the business database to more niche files like the lice...

The 18 month NCOA Link processing provides National Change of Address processing for the last 18 months.  This process will not correct those people who have relocated from 18 to 48 months ago.  This processing was designed to satisfy the most common file updating.  The processing is perfect for files that have already been NCOA’d within the last 18 months, or if the database you’re going to mail has been purchase within the last year and you are planning to mail again.

USPS New Move Compliance
To satisfy the United States Post Office require...

Yes, it’s here.  Sought after for some time, the apartment complex database has been asked for time and time again and now we have it.  If you’re a mailer looking to target those individuals who rent and live within a particular apartment complex, provide us with the complex name and zip code it resides, and BB Direct will produce the addresses for these dwellers.

We can also sort by rent amount such that if you were to provide a list of zip codes and ask for apartment complexes with an average rental income of, say $800/month or greater, we’ll do it.  Here you would get all addresses within the complex, whether the rental income is below or above.  This select will allow you ...

The AMA Database contains names and addresses of licensed health professionals.  This is a great database for recruitment by hospitals seeking new employee’s.  However, there are some misconceptions on who’s on this file, what it contains, and how it differs from state registration data.

For starters, many assume that the AMA Database is a mailing list of the American Medical Association members.  The truth is that in contains both members and non-members.  Further, the AMA who owns this information refuse to provide a way to select just those who are members from those who are not.  To assume that the records on this file are only members is a falsehood.  There is currently no source that offers AMA members only.

Secondly, some believe that the ...

A must read for small businesses aiming to improve their direct mail effectiveness

Whether your marketing plan has included direct mail marketing in the past and you want to make improvements, or it’s your first time and want to cover all the bases before you begin, this document will help you take notice to the most important elements of a successful direct mail campaign.

Low Ticket / High Ticket Items
Direct mail is not for every business.  Simple math will tell you if you’re product or service will provide a positive return on investment through the use of direct mail.  In general terms, higher ticket items have a greater likelihood of turning a profit, and lower ticket items are less...

Want to excel your business growth in today’s competitive mailing list brokerage business?  Take heart to 5 key strategies which all list brokerage firms can benefit from.

1. Identify and stick to your core products and services
Your service bundle should include only those mailing list products and services which you have experience with and can competitively position.  Resist trying to be all things to all people.  Instead, stick to offering your core products and services, and know them extremely well.  Likewise, identify the vertical market(s) you have the most experience with and work to penetrate this group.  You’ll gain more growth traction in repeating success over and over that attempting to master all.  Too often, list brokers take ...

When working with your mailing list broker to build your target mailing list criteria there are a number of key points to keep in mind.  Below are a number of simple but important points to do to remember that may make the difference between generating buyers, not leads.  A few simple adjustments can improve your direct mail targeting, response results, and your bottom line. I urge you to consider these 6 absolutes before purchasing any mailing list.

1.  One per household vs. one per address

Traditionally, counts and orders have included duplicate records for the same mailing address.  Your mailing list will most likely default to “One Per Household.”  This means that for every home where there are at least two roommates sharing the same mai...

When embarking on your first direct mail campaign, it’s imperative that you think through all facets of the campaign.  From creative, to offer, to keeping your message congruent with the other advertising mediums.  Below are some of the more important points to remember when creating a mailing list.  Do it right the first time may mean the difference between a positive ROI or never testing direct mail again.

Here are seven very important points to remember:

1.  Know your customer
The absolute best way to understand your best prospects is to understand your current best customers.  You as a business owner can describe in detail what your customer looks like based on his or her attributes and need for your product or service.  But the ke...