Beginning to collect proper information to create a mailing list is not difficult, once you know how to proceed.

Ways to Use a Mailing List:

Mailing lists can be termed as a versatile tool that your business or organization can use to help achieve many administrative and marketing objectives.

1. In Daily Administration: For-profit and nonprofit organizations alike it is advisable that you use mailing lists constantly in their day-to-day operation. Well-maintained mailing lists are needed to efficiently carry out important activities such as:

* updating employee phone numbers.

* sending company newsletters as well as special notices to employees.

* arranging membership directories.

* sending out newsletters to various organization members.

* judging school bus routes.

* tracking as well as evaluating suppliers.

* monitoring contract commitments and scheduling tasks.

* alerting clients about warranty dates.

2. In Marketing: But it is in the marketing area that mailing lists can really make a tremendous contribution to the "bottom line." Theoretically speaking selling through the mail via a catalog is one basic example of a marketing application where a mailing list plays a very important role. The list can be defined as the source of names to which the catalog is mailed. At the present

juncture, organizations of any size can benefit from using a mailing list in marketing functions.

Below are some other marketing uses for which a mailing list is a critical ingredient:

* First and foremost, soliciting orders without incurring the expense of a direct sales call. Remember that this can be particularly efficient for smaller accounts where the amount of the order does not justify the high cost of a personal sales call.

* In addition generating and/or qualifying leads for your sales staff or for another direct mail effort. Taking the help of direct mail to qualify leads is another way to save on direct sales costs.

* Offering background information about your product or services. This type of effort can be very helpful in generating leads, which are then followed up with personal or telephone sales calls.

* Reminding patients of the requirement for periodic checkup appointments.

* They can also be of immense help in conducting a fundraising campaign.

* Enhancing the membership of your organization.

* You can also extend invitations to attend a public meeting, a seminar, or a special event.

* In general following up on contacts made in personal appearances (at a trade show or seminar, for example).

* Moreover announcing changes in company personnel, product line, pricing structure or location.

* Getting referrals from current customers or members.

* Once again starting inactive accounts.

* Building good will with clients or members.

More often than not you will find that the administrative and marketing uses for mailing lists are almost endless. How many of the ones we've described above would give some sort of advantage to your business or organization

Types of Lists

Taking into perspective the business or organizational point of view, everyone is not equal. For example just as a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, existing customers are worth more than potential customers. The same concept applies to mailing lists. In simple terms they can be divided into four types, according to the value of the names they contain:

1. Current Customer: Your list of present customers contains your most valuable names. Whats more they have already bought your products or used your services. As a matter of fact they are the people or companies most likely to respond again to your future offers.

In this article we refer to these names as "customers." Though, depending on your type of business or organization, the term "customer" can also include a whole range of people (or organizations) such as:

* clients of professional service companies.

* donors who more often contribute time, money or goods to fundraising campaigns.

* investors in a business or stock sense.

* patients of health care field.

* policyholders in terms of an insurance agency.

* members of an association, religious or cultural institution, or say a regular club.

* subscribers to a particular magazine or newsletter.

* Finally users of a sports or recreational facility.

2. Inquiries: Businesses or people who have contacted your organization to request something - catalog, sample, quote, or perhaps just information - are more likely to respond to your offers than others who have not shown an interest in you. Further, the quicker you are able to contact an inquiry with an answer, the more likely it is that he or she will react positively to your next offer.

3. Prospects: Prospects can be termed as potential customers. They are more or less people who have not yet responded to your offers nor inquired about your organization. Though, you have reason to believe that they may have a need for or interest in your product or service. In addition you also expect that these prospects have the ability to pay (if you're selling a product or service).

(An ideal way to look at your customers is to also view them as prospects to be wooed and won for other products or services. It is quite important that you never take a customer for granted. For instance, a customer who has bought only one product or service from you may be a prospect - and a very good one - for the other products and services you offer.)

4. Suspects: Suspects can be defined as prospects who may have some potential to become customers, but their need for your product or service (and their ability to pay) is uncertain. Developing a mailing list of suspect names should normally be the lowest priority for your business or organization.

Furthermore for each type of mailing list you create - customer, prospect, inquiry, or suspect - you will want to keep basically the same descriptive information (data) on each of the names you include. In case if you can keep and maintain the same data on each of your customers, you can find which common characteristics are processed by your best customers. If that is the case then find prospects which closely match those characteristics, you have a greater chance of success in your prospect mailings.