FAQ Page

Mailing List Overview

The list world is divided into compilers and brokers (also known as vendors). Compilers actually compile the data. There a few actual compilers, most resources are brokers or vendors, like ourselves. The compilers we use for residential data are Acxiom or Excelsior.

Acxiom is one of the top residential list suppliers in the US. The Acxiom residential file contains data on over 135 million households and is compiled from multiple data sources including telephone directories, credit files, mail responders, government records and other proprietary sources. The Acxiom file follows strict consumer privacy guidelines (e.g. DNC, Do Not Mail) and guarantees 95% deliverability. For more information about how the list business works, go to Overview of the List Business.

Experian is one of the top residential list and credit rating suppliers in the US. The Experian residential file contains data on over 210 million consumers and 110 million households. Their data and is compiled from over 3,500 reliable sources including telephone directories, credit files, mail responders, government records and other proprietary sources. The Experian file follows strict consumer privacy guidelines (e.g. DNC, Do Not Mail) and guarantees 95% deliverability. For more information about how the list business works, go to Overview of the List Business.

The compiler we use for business data is D&B. There are other many smaller “boutique” list compilers that will supply very targeted data for select industries. Most do not have online systems, but do sell through brokers/vendors. If you are not sure, call us and we can help find just the right list for you.

Compilers get their data from a variety of sources – government records, utilities records, census data, surveys and other proprietary sources. None of the list compilers will supply information on every homeowner or every business. And though they try to keep their data up to date, they will only guarantee a percentage of their records. In addition, they only know so much about each business or household, so the more “selects” you want, the more targeted you want to be, the more you cut down the potential targets.

What is a mailing list?

A mailing list is a collection of addresses (physical, email, or both) to which a marketer can send bulk marketing messages. They are largely used for direct mail, email marketing and telemarketing promotions.

How do I use a mailing list?

The purpose of advertising with a mailing list is to target a large number of prospects who share a trait that qualifies them for your marketing offer. The ability to target very specific groups is the most powerful aspect of mailing lists.

Depending on the type of mailing list, you can target by several demographics like age, gender, income level, zip code, neighborhood, and more. There are even mailing lists that target people by interests, such as readers of a particular magazine or people who have purchased from a specific store. How to best target prospects is one number one concern when it comes to choosing a mailing list.

What are the different kinds of mailing lists?

A consumer mailing list contains home addresses and/or email addresses of consumers; people who buy products either from brick and mortar retailers or online. These lists are in turn used to sell products and services directly to individuals and families.

These lists can break prospects down by age, income, gender, zip code, occupation, whether they rent or own their home, home value, new homeowners, and other variables. Some will include these options (they call them “selects”) in their price – for others it will be an additional cost for this data.

Here are some popular consumer mailing lists:

• New homeowner
• New movers
• New resident
• New parent
• Veterans
• New borrowers
• And more!

Is there a mailing list for my industry?

Whatever your industry is – yes! Because targeting can be so specific with mailing lists, virtually every industry and target audience is available. Here are some of the common industries that use mailing lists:

• Automotive
• Doctors (Medical)
• Real Estate Agents
• Real Estate Investors
• Photographers
• Schools
• Dental
• Landscaping
• Pest Control
• HVAC & Plumbing
• Restaurants
• Mortgage Companies
• Churches
• Chiropractors
• And so many more!

How do I purchase a mailing list?

Looking for a mailing list for sale to use in a direct mail or email marketing campaign? The process is straightforward enough with us. Contact us and we can work with you to compile the right list for your business or organization.

Are mailing lists expensive?

The first thing to keep in mind is that a really good mailing list more than pays for itself in terms of Return on Investment (ROI). So it is worth the upfront cost if you have it. But if you don’t have any capital to work with, you can always build your own mailing list. That just takes time.

How much does a mailing list cost?

That depends on the list. Our lists include a variety of selects at no additional charge. For more specialized selects, the cost depends on the number of different selects used and how specialized they are. There are two types of lists – one-time and multi-use. Multi-use allows you to mail to the list as often as you want for a year where one-time only allows you to mail to it once. We highly recommend using multi-use lists because one-off mailings are usually not good investments! Repetition is a good thing!

What is direct mail?

Direct mail marketing is a strategy in which a business sends a mail piece to a specific group of prospects to inform them of an offer or product. In the USA, these mailings are delivered by the United States Postal Service (USPS). Marketers can choose the specific audience they want to target by compiling (or purchasing) a specialty direct mail mailing list. These lists generally target prospects by zip code and/or demographics. Common types of direct mail include postcards, letters, brochures and flyers.

What industries use direct mail?

Just about every industry or organization can use direct mail. There are so many uses that there is usually a direct mail strategy for every business or organization.

Does direct mail really work?

Yes! The average return for direct mail is 1300%! Direct mail’s effectiveness typically outpaces the alternatives in important metrics like return on investment (ROI) and open rate. While the response rate for a direct mail campaign may be considered low (usually falling in the 1-3% range), the quality of a direct mail lead is generally superior to that of an email lead or pay per click lead, which is why the ROI ends up being better. There are many best practices for direct mail that can ensure your campaign benefits your business. We can help you make the most of your direct mail campaign.

I’ve Tried Direct Mail in the Past and it Didn’t Work for Me.

Who did you mail to? How many times did you mail? Postcards work on a repetitive process, just like any form of marketing. You see the same commercials on T.V. multiple times in the same day, right? This is no different. You also must get your postcard to the right audience. If you’re selling pet services to people without pets, it’s not going to work.

Where can I find direct mail tips and news?

The Direct Marketing Association is a good source for direct mail news and statistics. The Viking Premium Postcards blog also provides consistent, fresh direct mail tips and news.

What are direct mail “yellow letters”?

Yellow Letters are a direct mail product that is used when a personal approach is needed. They are printed using a handwritten font that simulates real handwriting, and essentially appear to be a handwritten note dropped off for the prospect.

If you have any other questions at all about direct mail, just call us at 800-841-5039. We love to help anyone better understand direct mail.

What is Every Door Direct Mail?

With Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) service from the U.S. Postal Service, you can get help reaching potential customers in nearby neighborhoods – and you don’t even need to know names or street addresses. Simply identify the delivery routes you want to reach and we drop them off at the post office so they can be delivered to the routes selected. We can take care of everything for you!

What is the difference between EDDM and bulk mail?

Essentially, EDDM is bulk mail. The difference between EDDM and regular direct mail is that EDDM must be mailed to every address on a mail carrier’s route, whereas normal direct mail can be tailored with specialized mailing lists.

What is the estimated EDDM delivery time?

The USPS estimates the delivery time for standard direct mail to be 3-10 days, but they do not guarantee this window. They consider anything after 14 days to be late. Many times we see them get there next day.

What is the Every Door Direct Mail minimum order?

The minimum mailing for EDDM is 200 pieces and at least one complete carrier route. In other words, a mailing of 200 that only accounts for 70% of one carrier route would not be acceptable; a mailing to a complete mail carrier route of 60 addresses would also not be acceptable.

Is there a non-profit discount for EDDM?

No. It is still cheaper to use Standard Non-Profit Direct Mail if you qualify.

Who does Every Door Direct Mail printing?

Viking Premium Print does it just about every day! There are also other certified mail houses that can design, print, and mail your order for you.

What does Every Door Direct Mail cost?

The postage for Every Door Direct Mail Retail is $0.183 per piece.

How do you want the artwork?

We accept design files via email or direct upload to our site.

What type of files can I send over?

We recommend saving as a .PDF. You may also send the file in the following types: jpg, jpeg, tif, tiff, eps, and png.

We prefer that you send .PDF with embedded or outlined fonts. .PDF’s are easier to handle and will likely speed up your turn-around. Remember to add crop marks and flatten your files before uploading.

What color mode should my files be?

You should always start and finish your designs in CMYK color mode.

What resolution should my files be?

All files should be at least 300 dpi. Files less than that often print with low quality.

How can Pantone colors affect the way my job prints?

There are three different ways Pantone colors can affect the way your job prints.

The first is by object effects, such as shadows or glows, on top of your Pantone colors. When a Pantone color is under these object effects, transparency issues show up during printing. To avoid this, convert all your Pantone colors into CMYK before submitting your order.

The second way Pantone colors can affect your file is when you use transparent images. You can see the image is no longer transparent on top of the Pantone color. These white areas will show up during printing. To fix this issue, convert all your Pantone colors into CMYK. This must be done before submitting the order.

The last way Pantone colors can affect your order is the color conversion between a Pantone color and CMYK. If you use Pantone colors in a job that will print CMYK, your job might print with undesirable colors.