\n
\nDirectories, such as a directory of plant maintenance engineers, are usually compiled lists. Many lists are compiled from categories in phone books across the U.S. Examples would be all the
![\"direct](\"https:\/\/www.marketingforsuccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/02\/direct-mail-marketing-tips.jpg\" "\\"direct")
<\/a>photography shops or all the luggage dealers in the United States. Or all the plumbing supply dealers.<\/p>\nKeep in mind that compiled information – like fish – gets old rather quickly and doesn\u2019t age particularly well.<\/p>\n
Response lists are data from people who have responded to an ad or who have purchased from a catalog, direct mail package, TV ad,or other offer.<\/p>\n
With any mailing you are considering, first ask precisely what groups or what characteristics make up the perfect audience.\u00a0 Then try to find a list that matches these definable characteristics closely.<\/p>\n
Good delivery percentages of your mailing piece to a specific audience can usually be found in lists of magazine subscribers<\/strong>. These lists are usually very targeted to their audience, and good because most publishers are extremely prompt with their name and address corrections. Call a magazine publisher and ask if their subscriber list is for sale, then ask for the name of their list broker.<\/p>\n There are over 10,000 magazines published so you can probably get a magazine subscription list that goes straight to your perfectly targeted buyers.\u00a0 If you\u2019re not sure what magazines would be best, there are some easy-to-use periodical directories found in most reference libraries.<\/p>\n The best directories of magazines are Burrelle\u2019s Directory of Magazines (800-USMEDIA), Bacons (800-621-0561), SRDS (800-851-SRDS), and Oxbridge Communications Standard Periodical Directory (800-955-0231).<\/p>\n If you can\u2019t find the exact targeted magazine filled with the eager-to-buy-your-product subscribers you are looking for in any of these directories, the publication doesn\u2019t exist.\u00a0 You can find any industry – and all the magazines that are sent to that industry – in under 10 minutes in these useful directories.<\/p>\n Catalog houses<\/strong> earn a good portion of their revenue from the sale of their lists.\u00a0 Call the catalog and ask for their business office, then ask who handles their list sales.\u00a0 Almost all catalog houses sell their lists.\u00a0 Catalog houses can be found in the Catalog of Catalogs<\/em> from Woodbine House Publications (www.woodbinehouse.com<\/span>; 800-843-7323; $28.95 PPD), and The Directory of Mail Order Catalogs from Grey House Publishing (www.greyhouse.com<\/span>; 800-562-2139; $250).<\/p>\n Trade associations<\/strong> are usually an excellent source of mailing lists. Better associations always list the industry\u2019s major players. Local associations like the Chamber of Commerce in your area are usually good for local business names. You can select by business size, number of employees, SIC code (the government\u2019s industry classification of each business), or any of a multitude of other selection parameters.\u00a0 Two great sources for finding associations are reference books from Columbia Books, Inc. (888-265-0600; www.columbiabooks.com<\/span>) publishers of the State and Regional Associations Directory<\/em> ($79) and The National Trade and Professional Associations of the United States<\/em> ($99).\u00a0 Mailing lists of the associations are $100\/M and are available on labels or disk.<\/p>\n Association lists and data are also available in the Encyclopedia of Associations<\/em> by The Gale Group (800-877-GALE) on disk, CD, and on-line through Lexis-Nexis.\u00a0 This hardbound, three-volume set ($505) is the motherload of associations – showing detailed information on more than 23,000 local, state, national, and international associations.<\/p>\n Trade show<\/strong> lists are also great marketing tools – lists of both attendees and of exhibitors.\u00a0 Check out two great websites: www.tscentral.com<\/span> and www.tradeshowweek.com<\/span> for trade show information.\u00a0 The Tradeshow Week Data Book<\/em> (213-965-5300; $355) is a great tool published by the editors of Tradeshow Week Magazine<\/span>.\u00a0 Another great trade show directory is the TradeShows and Exhibits Schedule <\/em>from Bill Communications (800-266-4712, 856-619-5800) – organized by industry, by location, by date, and in alphabetical order for fast look-ups.<\/p>\n Two excellent resources for investigating lists at the library<\/strong> are the SRDS Direct Marketing List Source\u2122<\/em><\/strong> (800-851-SRDS) and the Oxbridge Communications National Directory of<\/em> Mailing Lists<\/em><\/strong> (800-955-0231). We use both in our own office – they\u2019re thorough and exceptionally easy to use.\u00a0 These reference tools are each about the size of the Manhattan phone book and contain nothing but list data: who owns what list, number of records in each, source of names and, list pricing.\u00a0 Both tools are available in major libraries.<\/p>\n List brokers<\/strong> are found in the phone book in every major city. They can be heaven, supplying incredible information, or hell, looking for that fast buck. Make sure you ask tons of questions before handing over any money.\u00a0 While you pay the broker, he actually works for the list owner – so take that into consideration when you ask questions and negotiate price.<\/p>\n A plethora of list managers<\/strong> of mailing lists can be found in the direct mail trade magazines such as Catalog Age & Direct Magazines:<\/em> 203\/358-9900, Target Marketing<\/em>: 215\/238-5300, Direct Marketing<\/em>: 516\/746-6700, and DM News<\/em>: 212\/741-2095.<\/p>\n Some list brokers sell through their own catalog of mailing lists<\/strong>.\u00a0 These handy reference tools will give you an idea of just what\u2019s out there – what kind of lists are available and counts of how many records exist in the thousands of different list categories.<\/p>\n Want to know how many dentists there are?\u00a0 It\u2019s a piece of cake: 190,168 are members of the ADA.\u00a0 Want to know if there is a list of picky ale drinkers?\u00a0 Find the list of \u201cAle in the Mail-Continuity Members:\u201d 70,973 of them.\u00a0 Selling an accounting product?\u00a0 Try the list of Accounting Institute Seminar Attendees – all 78,634 of them.\u00a0 Looking for college professors?\u00a0 Did you want the 43,347 who teach English, or the 18,184 who teach history, or the 8,477 in marketing, or the 9,194 philosophy teachers, or the\u2026<\/p>\n If you need additional information – like how many doctors who specialize in allergies and are the head of their practice with four or more employees can be found in Pennsylvania – call any of these catalog houses and ask them to run a count.\u00a0 You\u2019ll be able to get that information in about ten minutes.\u00a0 Hugo Dunhill: 800\/223-6454, American Business Lists: 800\/555-5335, Best Mailing Lists: 800\/692-2378, CompilersPlus: 800\/431-2914, and Edith Roman: 800\/223-2194 to name just a few.\u00a0 More phone numbers can be found in my books Uncommon Marketing Techniques<\/em> and How To Market A Product For Under $500!<\/em><\/p>\n Several companies now offer lists of every business or every person in the U.S. on CD-ROM<\/strong>. These products allow you to create your own list criteria and generate your own precisely targeted mailing lists. Some of the better programs make it easy and fast to use their CD-ROM products. Mailing list CDs are available from InfoUSA: 800\/321-0869, and Global Business International: 407\/568-5037 to name but two.<\/p>\n One of the best resources for lists is the Internet<\/strong>.\u00a0 There\u2019s no getting around it now, the Internet is here to stay \u2014 you might as well get on and get used to it.\u00a0 It\u2019s a great – probably the best – research tool available for almost anything, if you can filter out the crap from the good stuff.\u00a0 But\u2026 isn\u2019t that the way with all research tools: you gotta figure out which is the good stuff that you can use, and which is the bad stuff that you\u2019ve just spent the last two hours looking over and have now figured out is pretty worthless.<\/p>\n You\u2019d be surprised how many of your competitors<\/strong> will sell your their customers\u2019 names.\u00a0 If not competitors, how about asking other businesses who serve your market if you can purchase their mailing lists.<\/p>\n Of course, the best list of all – bar none – is your own house list<\/strong> of current and past customers.\u00a0 These are the folks that know you and trust you; they\u2019ve experienced that great customer service you offer and are now willing to buy something else from you if you would only let them know it\u2019s available.<\/p>\n Spend some extra time in this most important area – list research: tighten your list criteria, do your homework, spend time in research, and find the best lists you can possibly find.\u00a0 Then test several.\u00a0 It\u2019s worth the extra time and money to target your audience with precision and increase the chance you\u2019ll come up a winner at the post office.\u00a0 There is no single more important factor in creating a greater response to a mailing than mailing to the best possible list.\u00a0 Whatever you do, don\u2019t settle for a mediocre list unless you want mediocre results.<\/p>\n – Jeffrey<\/em><\/p>\n