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Posts Tagged ‘How to find a good mailing list broker’

Choosing a Mailing List Broker

December 10th, 2008

When considering a mailing list provider, you should consider many aspects of their ability.  Before your next direct mail campaign, consider reviewing a number of these important points while interviewing your potential mailing list broker.
First of all, consider your naivety in this process.  Have you prepared for a direct mail marketing campaign and carried it through from start to finish with success?  What kinds of experience can you yourself draw from?  Are there others you know that might could offer advise or insight to your mailing list provider selection process?

Consider the following helpful tips to increase the likelihood you’ll find the right data for your campaign needs.

1. When it comes to providers, generally speaking, a mailing list broker will do a better job in representing you and your direct mail marketing needs over going directly to the source of data.  Consider a mailing list broker as a buyers again.  When you go directly to the compiler of data, you won’t find the compiler sales representative suggesting that you go elsewhere because they aren’t right for your request.  Since not all data is compiled the same, there are subtle differences in the quality of data and coverage of elemental information.  We tend to find that Compiler A is better at tracking and capturing senior age information than Compiler B.  Your broker should know these differences and be able to point them out to you.

2. Mailing list brokers tend to specialize in certain vertical markets.  While one mailing list broker focuses on the smaller end-user market, others will focus on the larger volume mailers who resell print and mailing services as well as the mailing list data you provide.  Ask yourself if the mailing list provider you are interviewing has the experience with your industry.  Ask for references and ask to provide several examples.  Many mailing list brokers are good sales people who can talk data, but asking for specific examples stops many inexperienced mailing list brokers from attempting make up stories.

3. Consider a mailing list provider who you feel good about when you talk with them.  These guys are people too and a lot can be said for your gut feeling.

4. Does the mailing list broker get involved with measurement of response rates or just sell you the list and collect your direct mail campaign money?  A good mailing list provider can set proper expectations on deliverability and accuracy.

5. Can your mailing list broker clearly explain where the mailing list data comes from and how it’s compiled?  Does he/she know when the last time the file was updated?  Look for a mailing list provider who’s well versed in the details of the mailing list you are seeking.  If your mailing list broker struggles with the source of the mailing list, he/she may be repackaging the database information from a source you’ve already tested wasting your time and precious campaign dollars.

6. Consider only those mailing list provider who can put details in writing.  Make sure they can provide you with a clear description of what how the mailing list was created.

7. A good mailing list broker should be able to provide references of direct mail marketers who they’ve worked with in the past.  Call on these references and have a heart to heart conversation with them about considering this person.

8. Can your mailing list broker explain the strengths and weaknesses of the mailing lists they are providing?  Compare their recommendation list with other mailing list brokers and refer to your gut feeling on who’s more qualified.

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The Job of a Mailing List Broker

December 9th, 2008

Purchase Mailing List

The job of a mailing list broker is not merely to sell you a list.  Selling you a list is but the final stage of the process.  A good list broker will do far more than just sell you something.  They will get to know your direct mail campaign, review your previous campaign details, evaluate what’s worked and what’s not worked, and finally make recommendations.

Too often the direct mail marketer is conditioned to take full responsibility in choosing what audience they will ultimately mail.  This is similar blaming Main Street for the Wall Street problems in our most recent debate over if we should have bailed out the U.S. financial system.  When home buyers sought their new home and a mortgage to finance it, they relied on the lenders to tell them how much they could afford.  They trusted that their loans were properly underwritten with the home buyers best interest in mind.  This too is the assumption of many a direct mail marketer trusting today’s mailing list brokers.  Many mailers expect that the list broker has their interest in mind.  The fact of the matter is that, just like so many mortgage brokers compensated on making a deal, many mailing list brokers focus on the sale of the list over if the list is appropriate for the campaign.

It’s important for the direct mail marketer to become familiar with the experience of the mailing list broker, just as it is to become familiar with the principals of direct mail marketing.  Before beginning on any direct mail campaign, it’s vital to consider your break-even point, cost per customer, if the competition is making a marginal profit while using direct mail, has direct mail worked for your business in the past, is your expectations inline with reality, is your ideal prospect attainable using an acquisition mailing list, and what message will you convey to your direct mail prospect to achieve response.  These are important questions to be asking yourself but even more so, is your mailing list broker experienced enough to provide thoughtful answers to these questions?  If not, you should seriously consider shopping around for another data provider.

The job of a mailing list broker goes well beyond simply running a count and placing an order.  Ask your prospective mailing list broker for examples of who they’ve recently worked with in your field and what kind of repeat business have they generated from these customers.  There’s truly no better way to judge if a campaign was success than if the mailer decided to mail more of the same.

Does your list provider have referrals they can share with you?  Take an additional day to reach out to a few of these referrals and challenge yourself to learn something from these referral mailers.  The more you learn the better off you’ll be.

It’s up to you to look to your list provider as a partner in your plan for success.  Don’t be afraid to demand more from your mailing list broker.  Successful mailers don’t get successful from getting lucky with their list choice, they are successful because they are continually learning the in’s and out’s of their campaign.  Lean on your broker for help and guidance.  You’ll improve your ability to mail successfully and your mailing list broker will develop a long-lasting customer that comes back over and over again.

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