Getting the right addresses is the foundation of a successful direct mail campaign. The addresses you mail to need to align with your goals and should consist of your target audience. You must target the right audience for your goals to ensure a successful direct mail campaign. So, how do you acquire the right addresses?

In this blog, we'll go over the various ways you can obtain addresses, from purchasing or renting mailing lists to unique services where you don't need to compile a list. Once you have read through each approach, you'll be equipped to gather the addresses you need, ensuring your direct mail materials are delivered to the right audience.

Understanding Your Target Audience

Before you get addresses for your direct mail campaign, it's essential that you first understand who your target audience is. This is because by knowing who you want to send your direct mail materials to, you can easily select the best option for obtaining addresses to create a mailing list.

If you're interested in reaching businesses, you'll need to know what type of businesses you want to reach. Are you looking to target restaurants, manufacturers, small businesses, or hair salons? From there, consider other important factors about the businesses you want to target. Does employee size matter? Do you want to target women-owned businesses? Does location, sales volume, or the software they use matter?

To target consumers, you need to determine the type of individuals you want to target and where they live. Are you looking to target people in a specific neighborhood, ZIP code, or several cities? From there, determine the characteristics of your target audience. For example, is your ideal audience aged 50-70? Do they enjoy purchasing items online or dining at a specific restaurant? Are they married, wine drinkers, or have children? It can be helpful to analyze your most successful customers to identify the key characteristics of your target audience. When you know your loyal and most profitable customers, you can obtain a mailing list of individuals who are just like them.

How Do You Get Addresses for Direct Mail Campaigns?

Purchasing or Renting Mailing Lists

Specialized mailing list companies compile consumer and business information to create mailing lists based on your goals that you can purchase or rent. To target a specific audience, these mailing lists can be built based on demographics, interests, behavior, location, and more.

To find a list provider that meets your goals and budget, conduct an online search for 'mailing list providers' or 'direct mail lists' to explore some of the different companies and their options. Mail list providers regularly and securely update their data so that you can mail with confidence that you're reaching your intended audience.

Purchased or rented lists can be customized to your needs. For example, you could buy a mailing list of individuals who make at least $100,000 a year and enjoy cooking. Or you could rent a list consisting of women-owned businesses.

Using Online Direct Mail Services

Some online direct mail providers offer integrated services, including access to targeted mailing lists, printing, distribution, direct mail CRM integration, and more.

Some of these services offer digital mail list tools where you select your audience criteria, such as demographics and location. You can then also order your mail materials, such as postcards, brochures, or catalogs and the online provider will print and mail your pieces to the addresses on the mailing list you created. In addition, many of these online providers offer CRM integration or direct mail automation. With this service, you don't need to worry about creating a mailing list. Instead, they can mail your materials for you based on your CRM or marketing automation platform data. For example, you can automatically send thank you postcards to new customers or letters to individuals who showed interest in a specific product on your website.

Compiling Your Own Mailing List

If you have an existing customer or prospect base you would like to send direct mail materials to, you can build your own mailing list using the data you already have.

This process of getting addresses for your direct mail campaign is fairly simple. All you have to do is utilize the data you have stored within your business's CRM or marketing automation platform, compile a list from sign-up forms, or use a website subscription list. From there, make sure your data is documented in a spreadsheet. Once you're ready to print and mail your direct mail materials, upload your spreadsheet with your art files or ask your direct mail provider for assistance. Your provider will then print and mail your materials to the addresses compiled on the mailing list you created.

Network and Event Gatherings

Suppose you attend or host networking events, trade shows, or community gatherings. In that case, these are great places not only to create direct connections with people and businesses but also to begin gathering addresses to build a mailing list organically.

When attending these events, include a sign-up sheet at your booth where you can encourage prospects to stay updated on new products, services, or initiatives your business has. When hosting these events, keep track of and gather information regarding your attendees so you can stay connected with them via direct mail.

Leverage USPS Services

The USPS offers direct mail services where you don't need to get addresses, and many direct mail providers can help you through the process and send your materials for you using these services.

One of these services includes EDDM or Every Door Direct Mail. With this service, you can send mail to specific neighborhoods or ZIP codes without needing to gather individual addresses. This service is ideal if you are looking to target a local audience. Another service, Saturation Mailing, is similar to EDDM in that you can reach a large, local audience without a mailing list, but it offers a slightly more targeted approach, such as excluding certain types of businesses, PO boxes, or types of addresses such as apartments. A third service is Proximity Mailing. Proximity Mailing is a unique service where the only addresses you need to know are your customers. From there, you can send mail to addresses that surround your customer. This is an especially effective strategy if you offer products or services that the people who live around your customers could also benefit from.

Conclusion: Getting Addresses for Direct Mail Campaigns

Acquiring addresses for a direct mail campaign can be done in several approaches, and depending on who you want to target and your goals and budget, it will help you determine the best option for you. Overall, to obtain mailing addresses, you can:

• Purchase or rent consumer, business, or specialized mailing lists.
• Use online direct mail services to gather addresses and streamline the process.
• Compile your own mailing list using your business's data.
• Gather addresses at networking events, trade shows, or community gatherings.
• Take advantage of EDDM, Saturation Mailing, or Proximity Mailing.

No matter how you acquire mailing addresses, make sure you follow compliance with data protection and privacy laws to ensure a successful direct mail campaign.

At Kingston Printing, we have years of experience delivering secure and effective direct mail campaigns for our business partners. If you're interested in getting addresses for your next campaign, give us a call at 785-690-7222 or click below to explore some of our most popular direct mail marketing services.