Related Sponsors

What is a Mailing List Broker?

Home » Advertising & Marketing » Mailing List Brokers » What is a Mailing List Broker?
Posted by Your Guide on November 16, 2005 1:35 PM

A mailing list broker is someone who rents and sells lists of individual names and businesses – as well as their addresses – for direct mail campaigns. More specifically, mailing list brokers are tasked with making all the arrangements for a company to rent mailing lists. Brokers’ specialties lie in research and negotiations on you or the company’s behalf. They are essentially your direct marketing advocate.

As your go-between, mailing list brokers maintain strong working relationships with other list brokers and management firms, as well as various list owners. While at first glance this may not seem terribly important, an intangible quality they possess is experience. Seasoned mailing list brokers are not only familiar with the process, but they also understand how various mailing lists perform. They know which companies have taken care of their lists and which have not, thus protecting your investment.

As a third-party agent, mailing list brokers often have, or can gain access to, mailing lists not on the market. Whereas list managers or administrators work for the list owner or management firm, the mailing list broker works for the client. While list managers are tasked with endorsing their own lists, list brokers are better positioned to provide objective list recommendations for your particular business campaign.

In recent years, mailing list brokers have begun offering e-mail lists and telephone lists for both e-marketing and telemarketing. Just like with direct mail campaigns, mailing list brokers are able to better select e-mail and telephone lists for your specific needs. In truth, they act as an extension of your marketing department.



Next Page: How do I find a good Mailing List Broker?

Related Articles