Partially addressed mail plan 'offers finer targeting'

Brand owners are being offered a new insight-driven solution for partially addressed mail, which it is claimed enables them to identify streets with the highest concentration of customers matching their target market, based on factors such as age, income, property value, spending habits and financial status.

The scheme, being launched by DBS Data, uses the firm’s Lifebase consumer data product which it is claimed holds insights on more than 35 million individuals living in 21 million UK households.

DBS insists every record within Lifebase meets the highest levels of quality, detail, and compliance, with all data strictly complying with the industry codes as well as GDPR.

DBS claims that until now, partially addressed campaigns are approached the same way as a door-drop mailing. Customer data is profiled using a geodemographic product, that can only rely on postcode level data such as Mosaic or Cameo, to look for streets with a high concentration of people that match that profile.

But DBS commercial director Gary Brandon reckons there is a problem with this method. He explained: “Geodemographic products use public sourced data to create an average score per household or individual, but this is based on assumption not actual insight. Essentially, all you are doing is modelling a model and this inevitably results in unnecessary wastage, cost and ultimately reduces the return-on-investment of the campaign.”

DBS’s approach to partially addressed mail differs, the firm insists, as it is able to take advantage of Lifebase. Brandon explains: “With our solution you are able to mail entire streets, minus existing customers, with confidence that the areas selected are home to the densest population of people most likely to respond positively to your campaign.

“Every direct mail strategy, whether fully or partially address must be insight-driven to for a campaign to realise its potential and deliver the expected returns. Our consultative approach and campaign forecasting expertise, combined with the data within Lifebase enables highly targeted and fully compliant customer acquisition strategy to be developed and delivered.”