By definition, a Suspect has not made any direct request with your company. They have not called you, signed up for your newsletter, or purchased anything.



When you rent a targeted list of names from a list house, you are essentially renting a list of Suspects, with the ultimate goal of converting them into prospects and then into customers.

It is a mistake to immediately try and sell a Suspect a product or service. The goal of any Suspect communication is not to sell, but to PREsell – to build enough trust and confidence to convert that suspect into a prospect. Once a suspect converts to a prospect, you'll stand a much better chance of selling them something.

Converting Suspects to Prospects

There are many ways of creating trust with a group of suspects, but the key is to find out what their most pressing issue is, and then communicate a solution.

However, instead of trying to sell a monetary solution, you offer a free downloadable report, product sample or a trial service. It is important that you actually provide something of value at no cost that helps solve this particular problem.

So how does giving away something actually convert suspects into prospects? The key with this offer is that the suspect must give you permission to market to them in the future. This permission is given in the form of a signup box where the Suspect gives you their email address in exchange for downloading the free report or obtaining the free sample.

Be upfront with what you will be doing with their email. If it means you are automatically signing them up for your monthly newsletter, say so. In addition, be sure to communicate that their email address is secure and will never be sold to any 3rd party.

Designing a direct mail piece in this manner accomplishes several things.

1. It builds trust and confidence by offering something of value for free.

2. It makes it easy for the suspect to obtain the free information, product or service.

3. It builds a proprietary list of new prospect emails

This idea of building trust before attempting to sell is known as Preselling. Preselling your Suspects is a necessity. You simply must presell before you stand a chance of selling.

Marketing to Your Customer Types

By realizing the different customer types you have and tuning your direct mail programs to each type, you'll find it much easier to move suspects into prospects and then into customers.

Each customer type requires a different approach. You Presell your suspects, you sell your prospects and you cross-sell (or upsell) your 1st-time buyers.

By Preselling your suspects, you warm them up and build their trust and confidence. At this point, they are no longer Suspects but prospects. And you'll find it much easier to sell a prospect than to sell a Suspect.