Free Data Analysis service from CMS Leads to Better Direct Mail Success

Data is constantly changing and companies that want to save face, save money and comply with the DMA code of conduct must take steps to clean their data before commencing a mailing campaign.

Essex direct mail and print management company Corporate Mailing Solutions has seen great success recently with their data screening service. The company, recently moved into a new purpose built unit in Great Dunmow in Essex, offers a free data analysis to all customers so that they can decide whether proceeding with the screening service will be cost effective for them.

 "Data keeps changing: keeping up with those changes is vital."

Managing director Ian Haughton cannot stress the benefits of the service enough, saying: "On average, the Mail Preference Service register increases each month by 16,995 people; the Bereavement Register increases by 22,200 records per month and the National Change of Address File increases by 67,422 per month. Data is constantly changing so businesses simply cannot afford to leave their data unchecked. They should at the very least have it analysed to show them the difference that could be made by the screening service."

"10% of UK people move home each year but only half of them re-direct their mail."

10% of the UK population move home each year and it is quite surprising that only 50% of them re-direct their mail. This inevitably leads to a large quantity of undeliverable mail which has a considerable effect on the environment, not to mention the expenses of the company doing the mailing.

Ian Haughton says: "Apart from removing goneaways from the data lists, quite often we are able to obtain a new address which means business that may have been lost can instead be retained."

"Direct Marketing Association best practice says data lists should be screened against the MPS register."

The Mail Preference Service (MPS) contains a register of those who prefer not to receive direct marketing mail. Data lists should be screened against the MPS register before any mailings are conducted to comply with DMA best practice. Other issues that can place a strain on customer relations and negatively affect the image of a business are sending duplicate mailers to the same person and writing to deceased contacts.

Ian Haughton summarises two recent projects undertaken by CMS for Chelsea Financial Services plc: "The smaller project was based on re-connecting the client with their goneaways and ensuring that any deceased recipients were removed from the list. We managed to locate a large proportion of the goneaways and successfully flagged the deceased contacts."

"I would recommend the CMS data screening to anyone and everyone involved in sending mailings."

The larger Chelsea Financial Services plc project involved a set of cold data which needed to be checked and cleansed before a mailing and thanks to the data screening service from CMS, the organisation benefited from a 25.9% increase in postally correct data, managed to obtain new addresses for 4.5% of the contacts that had moved and avoided writing to 147 people that had since died. Matthew Woodbridge of Chelsea Financial Services plc had this to say, "Not only could we be certain we were not going to lose face or upset anybody by writing to those who had passed away or by sending duplicates, we were able to save money by not mailing people who were no longer there. What's more, the analysis of the results of the mailing will now of course be far more accurate. This is a service I would recommend to anyone and everyone involved in sending mailings to customers or prospects."

Any business in the UK that sends regular mailings and would like to reap the benefits of the CMS free data health check analysis should call 0845 8731444 or e-mail ian@cmsuk.com for further details.

Back to news articles