Targeted mailing lists generally are classified into three main categories:
Compiled mailing lists – lists of individuals and demographics compiled from proprietary and publicly available sources, such as telephone listings, voter registrations, self-reported surveys, etc. They usually offer a broad geography and higher volume than other types of targeted mailing lists. Compiled lists often are subdivided into categories to make segmenting prospects easier. Files such as new parents, new movers and homeowners allow a business to focus on consumers who might meet their target criteria cost-efficiently. This type of file can be particularly useful when a marketer is trying to reach a well-defined segment. For example, a manufacturer of children’s educational toys probably will find the use of a new parents file more cost-effective than a general compiled file.
House mailing lists – the “in-house” proprietary customer or subscriber lists of a company or publication.
Response mailing lists – contain names of individuals who all have responded to a particular offer. These could be buyers, inquirers, subscribers, sweepstakes entrants or continuity club (i.e., video and tape club, book club) members.
Next steps: Build your targeted mailing lists
