TRI QUEBEC

The cost for having your list checked is very economical (about $5.00 per thousand records) and will allow you to keep getting your message out to as many people in your list as possible.

At times you can see up to a 10% undeliverable rate, and it can even be higher on older lists that you have been using for a while. Average is more like 5% undeliverable so let’s take a look at the numbers at that rate.

If you mail 10,000 and get 5% back for bad addresses: 10,000 x .05 = 500 pieces.

You will have paid postage on 500 pieces that did not reach their destination.

So if you mail to your list again without cleaning it you have just wasted: 500 x $0.26 (for 4.25×6” postcards) = $130.00. (Note: The rate is even higher for larger postcards. And postage rates rise just about every year around May).

If you were to NCOA that list at a rate of $5.00 per thousand you would have spent: 10 x $5.00 = $50.00.

So you have three choices when faced with a list that needs cleaning:

1. Spend hours deleting every return that you receive from your list.

2. Waste $130.00 or more in postage every time you mail to that list.

OR:

3. Have the list checked by an NCOA service and get back in touch with customers that may have moved, for around one third the cost.

The NCOA service is the easiest and most effective way to keep your postage costs down.

Find out how they found you, where they live, what they do for a living and even what their level of income is (if it can be tactfully worked into the conversation). It’s good to get this information when the customers are making their purchase because they will be more likely to give it to you. If you keep customer phone numbers you could even do a short survey by phone to find out most of this info.

Look for Patterns

When you gather all of the information you may notice that 35% of your best customers are doctors, or 50% of them come from one area of the city. Whatever the pattern is that you notice, take advantage of it. Do specific mailings to a list that fits the same description as your best customers and you will attract more of them. A list company can find you a list that best fits so that you are mailing to those companies or individuals that are most likely to purchase.

Follow these steps and you will be able to increase you Return On Investment (ROI) from all of your marketing programs. And remember, Return On Investment is how much income you are generating from the leads you get in from your direct mail marketing campaign.

Marketing your business will help it grow, marketing your business to the right people can get your business booming. So, tap into your goldmine!