Setting Up Your Mailing List | Colortech, Inc. Creative Solutions

Putting together a mailing list via targeting can be a daunting task. Luckily, Colortech’s mailing department is well-equipped at handling these matters.

In order to rent a list, you will have to identify your ideal customer. These customers could vary depending on whether you are advertising your whole business or simply a one-off sale. Ideally, you will need to consider multiple categories and which ones are important prior to your making your list. Thinking about who your ideal customer is will take some time and several sessions before hitting the mark. It’s okay to do some experiments and figure out what works best!

Here are what we consider to be the top priorities when putting together your mailing list.

A pillar sign with arrows pointing to multiple cities/countries.

Geographic

Geographic segmentation is based on location, such as city, county, ZIP code or neighborhood. If your business is in one location, it makes sense to target those living around there, right? As a result, you can choose exactly how broad you want to go with your mailing specifications. If your business is around here in Lebanon, PA, here are some examples of options you can take.

Stick solely to residents of Lebanon City or go as far as Annville, Cornwall, or Myerstown.
Several zip codes in Lebanon County include 17042, 17003, and 19551. Depending on how many zip codes you choose and how far they extend, your costs will increase.
Stay within the confines of one or two neighborhoods. This may be beneficial if your business is located within or next to one.

A group of people sit while looking down on various technical devices. A bar graph is drawn behind them with potential marketing data from over several months.

Demographic/Firmographic

Demographic segmentation is based on measurable statistics, such as age, gender, income, ethnicity, marital status, etc. Other demographic categories include parents and new homeowners.

Firmographics are to business what demographics are to people. If you’re renting a business list, you’ll want to consider industry, company size, legal status, and performance. Think about the company’s annual growth, profits/losses, location, and revenue among other factors.

While these categories are a bit trickier to pinpoint down than geographic ones, they can benefit your customer in a more significant way.

A young woman sits and works on her computer and writes in a notebook. She is in the middle of a coffee shop.

Psychographic

Psychographic segmentation goes even further than demographics or firmographics. Psychographics pull the science of demographics to learn more about an individual consumer. In other words, we categorize people based on their values, interests, and personality. What exactly motivates and influences consumer behavior when looking at their emotions? When studying these kinds of trends, it helps businesses enhance marketing efforts. In turn, it ensures that their marketing efforts will create the greatest impact.

Demographics are quantitative (based on data points in numerical form) while psychographics are qualitative, observing and collecting of more in-depth concepts. Both create individual value, but together, they provide valuable insights.

Let’s create a buyer persona that could work for your business depending on what you are looking for. You have just opened a small coffee shop downtown near the city center, likely to be in the walking path of many pedestrians.

Demographics:

Male or female
18-35 years old
College students or working professionals

Psychographics:

Favors quality over quantity while still looking for the best deal economically
Appreciates transparency with their product labels, knowing what they are consuming
Likes to relax and feel comfortable in their space
Prefers a homemade product over one from a chain

From this example, the combination of demographics and psychographics paints a nearly perfect picture of your ideal customer. The demographics are beneficial, but they will not tell you on their own what influences buyer behavior. What exactly motivates your perfect customer to come to your business and try you out? With these data points, you are now much more prepared to assemble a mailing list that will give you the greatest impact.

The best mailing list can take some time to tweak, but the results are worth the wait. Take a look at our mailing page to learn more specifics about our process and how you can get started today.