How to Choose a List Broker

The DMA website lists 246 companies under the heading "List Broker". We estimate there are many, many more that are not DMA members.

So, what makes one company better or different from another?

The Answer: The experience and dedication of the individual list broker you are working with!

Some companies may tout their 40 years in business, or their "buying power" or "years of experience"
- This often means 80% of those years are attributed to one person, and the other 20% is spread across the rest of the staff!
- If a company is in business for 40 years, and has a roster of top clients; the new client may get assigned to the newest and least experienced broker
At Borelli Direct Marketing, all clients will work directly with the owner and have access to his 28 years of experience as a list broker.
Don't fall for the "fluff" of statements such as..."We rent 1 billion names a year!" or any other corporate stats...In the end, it is the experience, knowledge, dedication to your business, and customer service of the one individual list broker that is working on your campaign that truly matters.

Questions to ask your potential list broker:

How long have you been a list broker?
- 2+ years is a good starting point
- Beware of an answer such as "I've been in the business for 5 years"- being in the business as an administrator for 4 of the 5 years, is not the same as being a broker!
How does the buying power of your company help me?
Do you (personally) work with any clients similar to me? If so, who and how long have they been a client?
Do you have any recommendations off the top of your head?
- This will prove their experience; they should be able to come up with at least one idea on the spot
Do you recommend that we make any selections, such as hotlines, demographics, etc? If so, why?

Questions your potential broker should ask you:

Have you mailed in the past?
- If so, what lists were used and how were the results?
- If not, how have you been gathering new customers?
If you have mailed in the past, what has your duplication rate been?
How many names are you planning on mailing?
- This is very important, since a recommendation cannot be formulated without knowing how many names are needed
How many suppression names will you be using?
- Actives, recent expires, etc.
Are there any other in house or trade names that you can mail?
What is your offer? Can you send me a sample of the mail piece?
Are you open to exchanging names?

All of these questions will be important for your broker to figure out how many rental records will ultimately be needed for your campaign.

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