| Many self publishers, book publishers, | | | | your mailing, they may want the labels |
| entrepreneurs, and home-based and small | | | | to be merged if there is more than one |
| business owners are in the dark about | | | | list, or bar-coded, which will save |
| mailing list rentals -- how to order | | | | considerably on postage. If you can't |
| targeted, direct mailing lists - say for | | | | answer their technical questions, have |
| a direct marketing campaign, what to | | | | your mailing house call your mailing |
| look for, and what to beware of. And | | | | list rental company to work out the |
| they often make a few expensive | | | | final details. |
| mistakes. The following tips and trade | | | | Consider the cost to mail out your |
| secrets will help you avoid some of | | | | mailing piece. You might want to test a |
| these mistakes and help you make better | | | | small number on the list first if you |
| decisions when you seek out quality | | | | have an expensive or heavy package. |
| mailing list services. | | | | When you do mailings First Class, you'll |
| First of all, generally, you rent, not | | | | get returns from the post office at no |
| buy mailing lists. They remain in the | | | | additional charge. If you mail Third |
| ownership of the mailing list company | | | | Class (bulk mail), you won't get |
| and are usually not for sale. | | | | returns. They will be tossed out at the |
| Many business owners rent lists but | | | | post office, UNLESS you've printed |
| don't use them right away, which is a | | | | 'Return Service Requested' on the |
| mistake. Most lists change considerably | | | | envelope. Then each return (nixie) will |
| in 30 days or less. Some lists, like | | | | cost additional postage (based on first |
| mailing lists of public libraries, | | | | class), or 'Change Service Requested' |
| prisons, hospitals, hospital gift shops, | | | | (cost based on piece regardless of |
| elementary schools, high schools, | | | | weight.) Make sure to check current |
| colleges, universities, daily | | | | costs with the post office because they |
| newspapers, TV stations and radio | | | | change their rates AND rules |
| stations will have very few changes. | | | | periodically. |
| They are fairly stationary so not as | | | | Always send any nixies back to your |
| likely to move. Bookstore lists, new age | | | | mailing list company, even if there |
| bookstores lists, organization lists, | | | | aren't enough for a credit, which is |
| specialty lists, MLM lists and business | | | | almost always offered. This is a good |
| mailing lists may have a high rate of | | | | practice especially if you plan to mail |
| return. To avoid a lot of returns, rent | | | | again to the same list soon. They |
| the selected lists just prior to making | | | | usually have a time limit as to when |
| your mailing. | | | | they can accept the nixies for credit |
| Be careful about renting any mailing | | | | because the lists you rented will become |
| list that goes to individuals: consumer | | | | outdated fairly soon. |
| mailing lists, seniors mailing lists, | | | | When you contract to rent a list, some |
| residential mailing lists, homeowners | | | | mailing list companies may require a |
| mailing lists and opportunity seekers | | | | sample mailing piece. This is so the |
| mailing lists, for example. With 20% of | | | | company can determine if you're mailing |
| the population moving every year you may | | | | a competitive or objectionable piece. |
| get significant returns. | | | | The business of mailing list rentals is |
| But do expect some returns. As often as | | | | based on the honor system to a degree, |
| we mail using lists, we always get | | | | but this honor system also has a |
| returns (called 'nixies' in the trade) | | | | built-in alarm: owners protect their |
| from the post office. People move, | | | | data by planting decoy names (seeds) in |
| forwarding orders expire, people expire, | | | | the mailing lists they rent. If a |
| post office boxes close, and businesses | | | | renter contracts to use a list on a |
| close their doors. | | | | one-time basis and uses it a second |
| Mailing list management and upkeep is | | | | time, the decoy will receive the |
| expensive. It takes a lot of time and | | | | unauthorized mailing and report the |
| labor for companies to compile, add to, | | | | misuse to the list owner. The decoys |
| clean and mail to their lists and other | | | | are often friends or relatives of the |
| necessary maintenance. They also use | | | | staff of the companies. Also, many |
| expensive mailing list software programs | | | | mailing list companies employ companies |
| which can have costly bugs of their own. | | | | that specialize in tracking or |
| To help you plan ahead, before you order | | | | monitoring mailings to detect any |
| your mailing lists, ask when you can | | | | misuse. Since decoys are different for |
| expect the order to arrive. This can | | | | each list order, the renter who abuses a |
| vary considerably from company to | | | | contract is easy to trace. |
| company. Some companies can take up to | | | | Mailing lists are protected by copyright |
| two weeks or more. | | | | and trade secret law. Any violation of a |
| Mailing lists can usually be ordered in | | | | list agreement is strictly upheld by the |
| at least three formats - peel and stick | | | | courts. Once a list rental contract has |
| (pressure-sensitive) labels or Cheshire | | | | been broken, the list owner has legal |
| (18 pound, spreadsheet-size computer | | | | recourse to sue for compensatory and |
| paper--less common these days) or on a | | | | punitive damages. Punitive damages |
| floppy disk (used less often these days) | | | | could amount to as much as three times |
| or CD. You order peel and stick labels | | | | the value of the list and more. |
| if they're going to be affixed to your | | | | All list owners have good reason to be |
| mailing piece by hand. Or if you know | | | | so protective of their data. List |
| how to import the lists you can order | | | | rental is a multibillion-dollar |
| them on CD. If your mailing house is | | | | business. There are literally thousands |
| going to do your mailing they'll | | | | of lists available for rental in the |
| probably prefer the floppy disk or CD - | | | | United States alone. |
| check with them on this before you | | | | If all else fails, you can enlist the |
| order. | | | | help of a mail list broker. Brokers |
| Mailing houses used to require the | | | | usually collect their fees from the |
| Cheshire format instead of peel and | | | | mailing list company. Check this out |
| stick labels before the advent of | | | | first. |
| computer technology and CD ROM. They | | | | In any case caveat emptor! In any case |
| have machines that cut the printed | | | | you can reap rewards handsomely from |
| Cheshire sheets into labels and glue | | | | sending out fliers, press releases, |
| them to the envelopes. When ordering | | | | press kits, review copies of books and |
| lists on CD, specify the format you want | | | | other materials via the direct mailing |
| to use for conversion, usually ASCII | | | | lists you choose. |
| comma-delimited. You must know how to | | | | These tips and trade secrets should help |
| import it when you get the disk though. | | | | self publishers, book publishers, |
| The mailing lists will always be for | | | | entrepreneurs, home based or |
| one-time use only even if they're on a | | | | work-at-home and small business owners |
| CD or disk. And some mailing list | | | | make better decisions when working with |
| companies offer instant downloads of | | | | mailing lists, mailing list rentals and |
| lists. | | | | mailing list companies. |
| Also if a mailing house is going to do | | | | |