A high quality, well targeted mailing list is the most important part of any successful direct mail campaign. You can have the very best offer for the best widget in the world, but you won't make many sales if you send it to people who aren't interested in buying widgets!

Selecting the very best mailing list for your campaign is critical to its success. This article will give you a few tips for choosing and renting a "pulling" mailing list.

First, you have to determine who your target market is. Will you be offering a widget that is purchased mainly by 35-45 year old males who earn an income between $30,000 and $45,000?

You need to mail your offer to people in your target demographic who have shown an active interest in widgets. Have they asked for information about widgets before? Even better, have they actually purchased widgets before?

To summarize, you need to rent a mailing list of people who:

• are male

• are between 35 and 45 years old

• earn between $30,000 and $45,000

Next, you need to shop around for a mailing list that targets that particular demographic. There are numerous companies that rent mailing lists, some reputable, some not.

Inquire with several mailing list providers and compare their offers. But remember that when renting mailing lists, the lowest price rarely offers the best deal. A cheap mailing list is useless if it doesn't "pull".

After you have narrowed down your choices to three or four companies, ask for references and follow up with them. Ask their customers if they were satisfied with the performance of their lists. How was the customer service?

After you have decided on a couple of "final candidates", ask them to give you their best prices and make your decision accordingly.

Summary

The most important part of any successful Direct Marketing campaign is the mailing list. Choosing a high-quality, highly target mailing list can mean the difference between high profits and wasted money.