1) The first kind of mailing list is simply compiled information (or a compiled list), taken from directories

, phone books, motor vehicle records, etc.

Probably the most common way of using a compiled list is to buy a geographic list, like all the residents around a 5 mile radius of your office. Usually this will not yield the greatest results.

Another way is to segment a compiled list is by demographics (that's the fancy term for age, sex, income, whatever). This is a little better way to target. For example you could specify you only want females, age 30-40, who earn $45k and above.

But there is an even better way is to combine them using Geographic and Demographic characteristics.

You can pick certain geographic areas and certain demographic characteristics that you desire. Think of your ideal prospect, the more you know about them the better targeted lists you can purchase.

For most people a good starting point is to comb through your customer records to find common characteristics, like region, age, etc.

Or if you sell business to business then you should try to look for common industries or SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes that a majority of your business comes from. Your goal is try to *clone* your best or ideal customers!

2) The second type of mailing list (and much more valuable) is called a direct response list. These are lists of people who have bought or responded to direct marketing.

In some cases it will make more sense for you to buy a mail order list. The people on this list have bought something from direct response methods (mail, print ads, infomercials, etc.).

This kind of list is the most specific you can get. To get an idea of what I'm talking about go down to your local Library and ask the librarian for the SRDS (The Standard Rate and Data Services) Direct Mail List Source Directory, usually in the reference section.

The SRDS is a huge, 4" thick reference book with nearly every public list available for rental.

Just glancing through this book you can find lists of buyers of almost anything that has some affinity to what you are selling. The best part about these lists is that you know these people have a high interest in whatever they bought.

So if you sell to surgeons, (if a list is available), you can buy a list of surgeons who bought a course on the internet (book, CD, video, etc.) who bought marketing information on how to get more new patients to their practice (or something like that).

If you sell products to surgeons online, then this would be an excellent list for you. You don't want to change their buying behaviors, because this is a tough thing to do.

Instead, we want to put people in the position that their comfortable in. If they bought a product on the internet, then lets send them to a website where they can buy another product online.

What you want is a "starving crowd," someone who has expressed an interest in doing better. Someone who has spent money, and that is exactly who you can find using direct response lists.

But there is one more list that a lot of business owners forget. And it is literally an instant business enhancer lying before your eyes.

And that is your own customer list!

If you have not put all your customers names and addresses into a database you're overlooking an incredible source of added business.

This list will be the most powerful and most responsive list you can use for any offers because these people already trust you and like doing business with you.

And 9 times out of 10, your own customer list will be the best of any kind of list that you could ever rent, so focus on your customers first.