An article today on the San Francisco Chronicle’s web site, entitled “Mind Your Business: Tailor Your Mailing Lists To Meet Your Needs,” set out some of the important points for beginners to consider when selecting a mailing list, particularly for business to business mailings, but it failed to mention at least one important factor in list satisfaction.
The advice presented was given in response to a reader looking to expand his business, which specializes in doing photography work for heavy industry companies. The artist, who has used mailing lists in the past with little success, asked “Are there firms out there that compile lists of potential clients meeting very specific criteria?”, and since you are reading this blog, you probably know that the answer is a resounding “YES!”.
Mailing lists can be complied from a variety of different sources, including the opt-in databases of a particular industry or profession, phone directories, government filings, subscription records, and other information listings. They can be customized to fit virtually any profile — geographic, industry, job title, income, business size, gender, hobbies, homeownership, ethnic background, etc. Our company specializes in providing this sort of data for both business and consumer lists, covering more than 14 million businesses and 290 million consumers in the US today.
The article, though brief, goes on to identify some ways to select and optimize the use of your business mailing list. The author, Ilana DeBare, notes that your list must identify the right decision-maker in a company, otherwise it will probably get tossed into the circular file, and must be up-to-date, too. It’s best that your business lists include a variety of ways to contact the lead, including mailing address, telephone number, and email, so that you can maximize your exposure with the client — one source is quoted as saying you can more than double your response rate by calling prospects shortly after sending a mailing. A couple of list brokers are identified, but the article fails to identify how to be positive you’ll be truly satisfied with your list. If you don’t want to be stuck with a list that leaves you dissatisfied by its performance, there’s one thing that you be sure your list has — a strong guarantee!
At Martin Worldwide, we stand behind all of our data 100%. If the artist had been “looking for lists” with us, he would have had access to lead listings customized for the particular needs of his business, and the performance of his data would have been guaranteed against failure. We are so confident in our clients’ happiness with their lists that, in the unlikely event a list fails to perform, we will replace it with new data at no additional charge. And, with the assistance of our marketing services staff, selecting the right list for your business is easy. So, if you’re not just looking for lists, but for customized lists that will provide you with a return on your investment, Martin Worldwide is your answer.