How to do mail research
Mail research, also known as direct mail research, is the process of gathering and analyzing data about a target audience to inform direct mail marketing campaigns. Here are some steps to conduct mail research:
- Define your target audience: Identify the specific group of people you want to target with your direct mail campaign. This could be based on demographics, interests, behaviors, or other criteria.
- Gather existing data: Collect existing data about your target audience from various sources, such as:
- Customer lists
- Website analytics
- Social media data
- Surveys or focus groups
- Public records (e.g., voter registration lists)
- Conduct a literature review: Research existing studies, reports, and articles about your target audience. This can help you identify trends, patterns, and insights that can inform your direct mail campaign.
- Survey or interview your audience: Conduct surveys or interviews with your target audience to gather more specific and detailed information about their needs, preferences, and behaviors.
- Analyze data: Use statistical software or data analysis tools to analyze the data you've collected. Look for patterns, correlations, and trends that can help you understand your target audience better.
- Identify key characteristics: Identify the key characteristics of your target audience, such as:
- Demographics (e.g., age, gender, income)
- Interests and hobbies
- Behaviors (e.g., purchasing habits, online activities)
- Psychographics (e.g., values, attitudes, lifestyles)
- Develop a segmentation strategy: Segment your target audience into smaller groups based on their characteristics. This can help you tailor your direct mail campaign to specific subgroups.
- Create a mail list: Use the data you've collected to create a mail list of potential recipients for your direct mail campaign.
- Test and refine: Test your direct mail campaign with a small group of recipients and refine your approach based on the results.
Some common mail research methods include:
- Mailing list rental: Rent a mailing list from a list broker or supplier to reach your target audience.
- Survey research: Conduct surveys online or offline to gather data about your target audience.
- Focus groups: Conduct focus groups with a small, diverse group of people to gather qualitative feedback and insights.
- Online research: Use online tools and platforms to gather data about your target audience, such as social media analytics or online surveys.
- Public records research: Use public records to gather data about your target audience, such as voter registration lists or property records.
Some common mail research tools and software include:
- Survey software: Tools like SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, or Typeform to create and distribute surveys.
- Data analysis software: Tools like Excel, SPSS, or R to analyze and visualize data.
- Mailing list software: Tools like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or ExactTarget to manage and analyze mailing lists.
- Social media analytics tools: Tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, or Facebook Insights to analyze social media data.
- Public records databases: Databases like Whitepages, PeopleFinders, or LexisNexis to access public records data.