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