Ready, Aim, Fire!
The Right Stuff
So, how are mailing lists evaluated to ensure a good fit with the direct mail campaign? After all, suppliers can make recommendations, but the client has the ultimate say in which lists to test.
Information about a list traditionally appears on a “data card.” Edith Roman Associates suggests that as clients evaluate each list, they look at several factors including: list size; cost per thousand; list description; average size of order; percentage of the list that is direct-mail generated; the hot line (“hot” customers who have made a mail-order purchase within the last three months); active versus inactive, buyer versus prospect; list usage report (this information might not appear on the data card); selections available (selection criteria by which the list can be divided); and frequency of updating.