A guest blog by Ryan Woroniecki Do you ever feel like you’re just mailing into a void? Like your letters and packages are entering some no man’s land? Well, you don’t have to feel that way. Not with the help of prospect research, at least. Whether you want to take a DIY approach to prospect[...]
You’ve agonized over every word in the copy, spent hours with your designer perfecting the layout, and tested multiple calls to action. You’re finally ready to release your incredible direct mail piece into the world, right? Not so fast. Following strong data hygiene principles can be every bit as important to your mailing’s return on[...]
The introduction of the nine-digit zip code in 1983 ushered in a substantial improvement in mail delivery. The additional 4 digits allow each street (and sometimes each house or apartment building) to have its own unique zip code, dramatically improving the accuracy of both automated mail processing and sorting at the local post office.[...]
What should you do with records that are flagged as potentially undeliverable during the CASS Certification process or while being run through the National Change of Address (NCOA) database? It depends upon the type of error that CASS or NCOA identifies CASS Rejects and NoPlus4 Records: If there’s a major problem with the records – there’s[...]
One of the best ways to increase the return on investment of your direct mail is to cull certain types of addresses that are unlikely to be responsive from your list. While there are undoubtedly businesses that would find it profitable to mail to one or more of the following categories of addresses, most will[...]
Should you continue to mail to previous contributors who’ve been flagged as deceased? The answer to this question is more complex than you might think It is very important to be sensitive to the wishes of the grieving family members. If a family member has contacted your company to ask that no further mail be[...]
The U.S. is a very transient country. With over 11% of all Americans moving in a typical year, keeping your direct mail list up-to-date is an ongoing challenge. If you’re regularly mailing solicitations, newsletters or other pieces to a large list, you are undoubtedly already running your list through the USPS’s National Change of Address[...]