Direct mail is a powerful marketing tool. But just like any tool, direct mail needs to be wielded properly. And sending direct mail to the wrong audience is like using a screwdriver to pound a nail. It doesn’t matter how great your design. It doesn’t matter how much you follow-up. If your mailer ends up in the wrong mailbox, you just won’t see results.

So, how do you ensure that you’re sending your message to the right audience? How can your business go about direct mail list building effectively? Today, we’ll look at how you can use your existing customer base to expand your target audience and supercharge your direct mail.

Start with Your Customers

If you’re looking to build your customer base, there’s nowhere better to start than with your existing customers. You want more people like the people who have already paid for your services.

Start with your existing customers and collect their addresses as the base of your direct mail list. Also, take a note of the demographic details (if available) because we’ll use that information in the next step of direct mail list building.

Build a Target Audience

Building a direct mail list requires you to understand your target audience. And the best place to start is with your existing customers. Sit down and list all of their unique features and habits. Then expand from there to include demographic markets that you would like to break into.

Your target audience persona should include as much detail as possible. Because when it comes time to purchase a list, the more detail you have the better results you’ll get. If you’re not sure where to start, consider these attributes as the most important:

• Age – The audience for mountain biking accessories and the audience for the Life Alert are wildly different. Those might be extreme examples, but you get the point. The age demographics of your audience is one of the most obvious segments.
• Sex – Not every product breaks down along gender lines. But if you find that a vast majority of your customers are of one sex, then consider targeting along those lines.
• Geographic location – For brick-and-mortar locations, geographic targeting is essential.

As you dig deeper into your target audience, consider segments of the following:

• Marital status
• Education level
• Income
• Job title
• Hobbies
• Interests
• Purchasing habits
• And lifestyle

List Acquisition

Once you have a base customer list and an audience persona built, it’s time to acquire more material for your list. A lot of people are leery of purchasing lists because buying email lists is such a spammy practice. But direct mail operates by different rules. While not everyone rejoices at marketing mailers, it is expected and not an unwelcome intrusion into their lives.

Buying a list from a reputable provider will open up a whole new segment of the population to your business. If you put in the work of building an accurate audience persona, then your message is about to reach hundreds or thousands of people who are waiting for just what you offer!

Follow Through is Key

This short post is about building a direct mail list but know that you can’t stop there. Finding success with direct mail requires a commitment to every step of the process. From building a customer database to building audience personas; and from graphic design to content and follow-up.

Skimping on any step of the process will limit your potential. But it all starts with a good list. The best design and the most thorough follow-up won’t matter if your mailer ends up in the wrong mailbox.

Direct Mail Experts

Partnering with a direct mail provider is the best way to ensure that you have every step covered. And Fusion Group USA has the experts you need to find success with direct mail. From building audience personas with our marketing department to designing beautiful mailers with our graphic designers, we are a one-stop source for everything you need.