High quality marketing lists are the golden key for direct mail marketing campaigns. Properly targeted lists can create a high response rate that translates into immediate revenue and sales for your company. These lists can be generated based on economic indicators such as income, age, geography, credit scores, family composition and even home ownership information. The goal with any marketing list is to match the individuals on the list to a highly correlated advertisement that will be welcomed and will cause recipients to take action.

Marketing lists can be obtained from a variety of sources including:

1. Internally generated lists from company databases or sales records
2. Marketing list company like InfoUSA, D&B, or Equifax
3. Public Records such as Corporate filings, home sale records and even bankruptcies and traffic tickets
4. Surveys or Promotional Give-Aways that require sign-up
5. Customer initiated signups for newsletters or promotions

If you want to target existing customers or prospects, try to get all the information you need from internal company sources. If you are looking to acquire new customers or need current information, consider purchasing lists or obtaining information from public records.

One of the best sources for high response rate marketing lists is from customer requested sign-ups. For ongoing promotional marketing lists, provide a free newsletter, discounts or other promotions for customers who sign up and provide their demographic information. These customers will be more receptive to your advertising messaging than standard marketing lists. Consider signups through a physical store presence, through your online presence or at events like community festivals.

The more detailed your requirements for your marketing list, the more targeted your marketing effort will be.

Basic marketing list information usually includes:

1. Name
2. Address
3. Demographic Information
4. Phone Number
5. Marital Status
6. Age
7. Education Level
8. Credit Information
9. Known Affiliations

Review your new marketing list to make certain it conforms to your listed requirements. For internally derived lists, consider making spot checks to ensure accuracy. For example, you want to avoid sending a “new customer” promotion to a long-term client. For externally derived lists, consider making spot calls to verify information.

Scrub your marketing lists against internal and external do-not call lists for calling campaigns and for unmarketable prospective customers. For example, you would want to scrub, or remove, any customers with delinquent accounts.