In the last few days, I've received direct mail pieces for cruises, retirement services and senior living products. I've also been served up Spanish-language web banners and local cable TV commercials. The problem is, I'm not retiring any time soon and I really don't speak Spanish very well.
You see, I live in South Florida, an area where there are a lot of golden agers and a large Hispanic population, but I don't fit either demographic.
That makes it quite obvious that all of these marketers are using geotargeting and perhaps a bit of modeling as well. It's also obvious they didn't put much thought into their lists.
In today's world of rising costs and shrinking budgets, it is simply too expensive to be marketing to either an incorrect or a too general audience— especially if you are selling a niche product.
Thanks to mailers renting my name simply either because of my zip code or because of a subscription or catalog item I purchased, I have quite an eclectic collection of mailing pieces to peruse. I don't buy from any of these off-targeted catalogs, but they're interesting to look at from a research point of view. Still, I don't think that's what the mailers had in mind when they developed their campaigns.
Many of these "targeted" mailing pieces must have been costly to produce and send. You can tell that a lot of creative time went into their production. Too bad the same concern didn't go into the selection of the list. So, how can you avoid being off-target? It's not easy.
There are legitimate uses for both managed and compiled data. However, if you are sending a true niche piece you need to be as sure you are reaching an audience that lends itself to being at least interested in what you have to offer.
Compiled data is awesome but when it comes to reaching a pinpointed audience s a lot of testing is required to narrow down the exact mix of selects that nets you a prime audience. Be patient and open to new ideas. You may need to seek avenues other than what is evident such as selects for age, lifestyle or household information.
Look to the creativity that compiled lists provide to develop a custom list that works for your business. Auto-owners-by-model is one of my favorite ways to do non-traditional demographic targeting. It is not an exact science but a senior is far more likely to be driving a large Lincoln than a mini-van so when it comes to marketing, so it's worth a test.
As for managed files, rent a hotline on a subscriber, buyer or user list that mirrors your audience. If this exact audience was interested in that magazine, product or website, there is at least a chance that they'll be interested in learning about what you have to say to them.
Carol Lustig is marketing director for Sonny's Enterprises, a direct marketer of automotive aftermarket products.
