Tips on Choosing the Right Mailing List Broker

The innovation in information technology has had a massive impact on the way businesses market their products and services. The internet has diminished the need for yellow pages as most information can now be found on the World Wide Web. Most businesses have leveraged the numerous avenues offered by the internet, including email marketing, search engine marketing, social media marketing, and more. However, there is a marketing strategy that has stood the test of time and delivered effective results consistently. Yes, direct mail marketing continues to be one of the most effective forms of marketing for businesses.

The Importance of Well-Targeted Mailing Lists

The success of a direct mail marketing campaign depends to a large extent on the quality of the mailing lists. A well-researched and well-targeted mailing list can ensure that your message is reaching to the right prospects. Mailing lists that are compiled without doing extensive research not only fail to engage the recipients, but also dent the reputation of the brand. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that you put in the effort to know more about your target audience and prepare a mailing list accordingly. Or else, you can hire the services of a mailing list broker.

List Brokers

A mailing list broker provides you information about your potential audience, including their names, contact information, gender, and occupation. Mailing lists can be broadly classified into two categories: business lists and consumer lists. Depending on the audience you want to target, you can choose either of the mailing lists, or both.

Business lists are usually compiled from:

• Public business directories
• Postal information
• Annual reports
• Government agencies

Consumer lists are usually compiled from:

• Phone directories
• Auto registration
• Birth certificates
• Driver’s licenses

Choosing the Right List Broker

The mailing list industry is cutthroat and not every list broker offers effective services. Therefore, it becomes important to diligently evaluate several list brokers and choose someone that provides top-notch services. Let’s take a look at a few tips that can help you in choosing the right kind of mailing lists.

• Get referrals about the most experienced and reputed brokers in your area. It is advisable to choose a list broker who has experience of working in your specific domain. For example, if you are looking for nutritional supplements mailing lists, choose a broker who has handled such lists in the past.
• Don’t base your decision on price and price alone; also focus on the experience and reputation of the list broker. Avoid list brokers that offer unrealistically low prices. To know the credibility of a broker, check the reviews and testimonials of a list broker on the internet.
• Ask the broker to provide you a sample of the data. This will help you in gauging whether the list serves your specific needs and requirements.
• Give preference to those brokers that are insured for general and professional liability. Choosing an insured broker will safeguard your interests if there is any ambiguity in the future.
• Choose a broker who is easily accessible over the phone and by email. Also, check how much time the broker takes to give you that promised call and how long you need to wait for getting a response for your email. Ease of access is an important criterion that you should factor in while choosing a broker.
• Ask specific questions to the broker, such as the method used to compile the data and the frequency with which it is updated.

These were a few tips that can help in making an informed decision while choosing a mailing list broker. We hope that the information presented in this article helps you in choosing the right mailing lists for your business.

Crystal Allen is an expert at email marketing who writes regularly on the subject to give others insights into its intricacies. She specializes indirect mail marketing and entertains a varied clientele.