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Digg It - Keeping Your Mailing List Clean and Efficient
Your mailing list retains its value best if it is kept clean and efficient. This report will first talk about why you should maintain your list in this manner. Then, the procedures you can follow to update both the mailing and database information associated with the names on you list will be discussed.
THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING A CLEAN AND EFFICIENT LIST
What makes a list clean and efficient? Lists are clean and efficient when they are:
* accurate.
* current (up-to-date).
* as free of duplicate names as p
THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING A CLEAN AND EFFICIENT LIST
What makes a list clean and efficient? Lists are clean and efficient when they are:
* accurate.
* current (up-to-date).
* as free of duplicate names as p
According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product
ossible.
* maintained with complete data.
Keeping lists clean and efficient requires a constant effort. The average mailing list begins to go out of date as soon as it is compiled. Industry studies have shown that the average consumer list changes approximately 20 percent a year. Business lists change a bit more slowly: about 18 percent a year. But individual names within a business can change much more frequently.
The source of the list will often determine how frequently it is updated.
At best, lists comp
* maintained with complete data.
Keeping lists clean and efficient requires a constant effort. The average mailing list begins to go out of date as soon as it is compiled. Industry studies have shown that the average consumer list changes approximately 20 percent a year. Business lists change a bit more slowly: about 18 percent a year. But individual names within a business can change much more frequently.
The source of the list will often determine how frequently it is updated.
At best, lists comp
; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.
Examples of combination products may in
Examples of combination products may in
iled from Yellow or White Pages will only be as up-to-date as
three to six months prior to the publication schedule of the directory. This
is usually on an annual basis but may be once every two or even three years.
Mail order buyer lists could have a higher degree of accuracy because part of
normal business is maintaining correct information about customers.
Don't assume that a list is clean just because you bought it from a fellow business owner. Most of the best kept lists are made up of mail order buye
Don't assume that a list is clean just because you bought it from a fellow business owner. Most of the best kept lists are made up of mail order buye
lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.
rs, those buyer lists which are poorly maintained represent some of the worst
lists. Always try to see and test a portion of the list before you mail it in
total.
Because mailing lists change so quickly, it is important to commit the necessary resources to keep your own lists current and correct. Lists that aren't properly maintained can be harmful and costly to your business or organization in several ways. For example:
1. You're wasting postage and printing dollars if the mailings are incorrectly addressed
Because mailing lists change so quickly, it is important to commit the necessary resources to keep your own lists current and correct. Lists that aren't properly maintained can be harmful and costly to your business or organization in several ways. For example:
1. You're wasting postage and printing dollars if the mailings are incorrectly addressed
here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe
or if there are duplicate names on your file or if they
have moved.
2. The database information is not kept current, you may not be mailing as efficiently as you could be.
3. You may be losing out on potential business if you cannot reliably get the mailing pieces to target audiences due to out-of-date or otherwise incorrect addresses.
4. You are damaging your image with your customers. Misspellings and out-of-date information reflect poorly on the organization - if the mailing reaches its destination.
2. The database information is not kept current, you may not be mailing as efficiently as you could be.
3. You may be losing out on potential business if you cannot reliably get the mailing pieces to target audiences due to out-of-date or otherwise incorrect addresses.
4. You are damaging your image with your customers. Misspellings and out-of-date information reflect poorly on the organization - if the mailing reaches its destination.
d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.
Combination pro
Combination pro
5. Duplicate names can lead you to understate the response rate.
The response you actually get may be much better than the numbers show. This
can have an effect on future mailing plans since you believe that the
response you are getting is much lower than it actually is.
The key to keeping a list clean and efficient is to establish procedures for making daily changes to your list. Develop a carefully planned, closely followed, regular updating program. In the next sections, we will discuss i
The key to keeping a list clean and efficient is to establish procedures for making daily changes to your list. Develop a carefully planned, closely followed, regular updating program. In the next sections, we will discuss i
ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc
deas
for setting up a daily updating system, then give steps that should be included
in any regular monitoring program.
KEEPING YOUR HOUSE LIST ACCURATE AND UP-TO-DATE ON A CONTINUING BASIS
Establishing an ongoing updating system is the most effective way to stay on top of changes to the customer mailing list. Customers are your easiest, most reliable source for keeping a customer list continuously current. Enlist their cooperation by including a request for updated information with each mailing sent. Here
KEEPING YOUR HOUSE LIST ACCURATE AND UP-TO-DATE ON A CONTINUING BASIS
Establishing an ongoing updating system is the most effective way to stay on top of changes to the customer mailing list. Customers are your easiest, most reliable source for keeping a customer list continuously current. Enlist their cooperation by including a request for updated information with each mailing sent. Here
easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi
are some possible ways to make the request:
1. If you use an order form with a label affixed, request that customers change any incorrect information.
2. If you provide a return envelope which includes space for the recipient to write in a return address, below these lines provide a "key" that indicates that address information should be updated. The key could look like this:
[ ] Check here if this is a new address.
Record and maintain each transaction with a customer so that you can keep the important re
1. If you use an order form with a label affixed, request that customers change any incorrect information.
2. If you provide a return envelope which includes space for the recipient to write in a return address, below these lines provide a "key" that indicates that address information should be updated. The key could look like this:
[ ] Check here if this is a new address.
Record and maintain each transaction with a customer so that you can keep the important re
nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically
ency, frequency, and monetary value data current for each
customer.
There are other database fields that may change frequently or with each transaction. These fields should be incorporated into any system you developed for continuous updating of the mailing list/database. If the audience is made up of individuals of businesses, here are some fields you will want to monitor and update on a regular basis:
*Credit Status Code: This code is based on the customer's payment history. Each time a customer o
There are other database fields that may change frequently or with each transaction. These fields should be incorporated into any system you developed for continuous updating of the mailing list/database. If the audience is made up of individuals of businesses, here are some fields you will want to monitor and update on a regular basis:
*Credit Status Code: This code is based on the customer's payment history. Each time a customer o
and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ
rders, information about how long he takes to pay, and how
he pays is generated. This data should be used to update his account. Credit
status codes should also be evaluated and updated on a monthly basis.
* Items Ordered: Keeping this information current will help uncover opportunities where you may be able to sell related products or supplies to that customer. This information can be updated on a monthly basis.
*Date of Last Order: This information is used for recency and monetary value calculatio
* Items Ordered: Keeping this information current will help uncover opportunities where you may be able to sell related products or supplies to that customer. This information can be updated on a monthly basis.
*Date of Last Order: This information is used for recency and monetary value calculatio
ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi
ns. It can be updated on a monthly or quarterly basis.
*Name and Address: This information should be verified and updated at the time a customer orders.
*Title or Name of Contact: This information should be verified and updated at the time of order.
*Date of Last Contact: This field should be updated at the time of contact - either the last date this name was mailed or the last date a sales call was made.
If you are maintaining this information on a microcomputer, much of this information could be automati
*Name and Address: This information should be verified and updated at the time a customer orders.
*Title or Name of Contact: This information should be verified and updated at the time of order.
*Date of Last Contact: This field should be updated at the time of contact - either the last date this name was mailed or the last date a sales call was made.
If you are maintaining this information on a microcomputer, much of this information could be automati
ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.
Following aspects would a
Following aspects would a
cally updated.
PERIODIC REVIEWS OF YOUR HOUSE LIST
In addition to making ongoing changes as necessary to individual records on your list, you should periodically review the entire list or portions of it and make all changes necessary to update and correct your list. Below is a variety of methods to consider including in your regular "list-cleaning" program:
1. Again, your customers are your best source for verifying changes to your list or database. For example:
* You may want to send a mailing whi
PERIODIC REVIEWS OF YOUR HOUSE LIST
In addition to making ongoing changes as necessary to individual records on your list, you should periodically review the entire list or portions of it and make all changes necessary to update and correct your list. Below is a variety of methods to consider including in your regular "list-cleaning" program:
1. Again, your customers are your best source for verifying changes to your list or database. For example:
* You may want to send a mailing whi
dd to the challenges in developing combination products:
Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod
Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod
h has the sole purpose
of updating and correcting the list. The mailing could consist of a business reply card with an address label affixed to it. Below the label,
insert such check boxes as:
[ ] Please update my account as noted on the label.
[ ] Addressee no longer here. Please remove name from the list.
*You may also want to conduct a mail or phone survey (depending on the size of the list), to update the demographic information about the audience.
2.The U.S. Postal Service provides several pr
[ ] Please update my account as noted on the label.
[ ] Addressee no longer here. Please remove name from the list.
*You may also want to conduct a mail or phone survey (depending on the size of the list), to update the demographic information about the audience.
2.The U.S. Postal Service provides several pr
cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin
ograms that your
organization can use to periodically clean the list. Contact your local
postmaster for full details.
ELIMINATING DUPLICATES
In addition to keeping the mailing list correct and up-to-date, make sure that it is as free of duplicate names as possible. This involved two steps:
1. Removing duplicate names from your customer list.
2. Eliminating duplicate names between and among the customer, prospect, or suspect lists you use.
The techniques used to remove duplicate names from your house list depe
ELIMINATING DUPLICATES
In addition to keeping the mailing list correct and up-to-date, make sure that it is as free of duplicate names as possible. This involved two steps:
1. Removing duplicate names from your customer list.
2. Eliminating duplicate names between and among the customer, prospect, or suspect lists you use.
The techniques used to remove duplicate names from your house list depe
tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen
nd
largely on the size of the list and how it is maintained:
*If the list is small enough, you can catch many duplicates by sorting the list in zip code or alphabetical order and "eyeballing" it *If the list is stored on a microcomputer, you can sort it by one variable and then use the eyeball approach to spot the duplicates. Possible variables for ordering the list include last name, company name, address or telephone number.
*For large lists of more than 10,000 names, you may want to consider hiring a com
*If the list is small enough, you can catch many duplicates by sorting the list in zip code or alphabetical order and "eyeballing" it *If the list is stored on a microcomputer, you can sort it by one variable and then use the eyeball approach to spot the duplicates. Possible variables for ordering the list include last name, company name, address or telephone number.
*For large lists of more than 10,000 names, you may want to consider hiring a com
t?
As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel
As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel
puter service bureau to "de-dupe" (eliminate duplicate from) the list
using one of their specifically designed software programs. If you are renting
lists, and your own list is automated, ask that the service bureau perform an
"own customer" elimination as part of their service. Names of service bureaus in
your area can be obtained from the Direct Marketing Association.
In addition to removing duplicate names within your house list, match this list against any outside lists you use.
The popular term for this
In addition to removing duplicate names within your house list, match this list against any outside lists you use.
The popular term for this
ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.
Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust
Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust
is "merge/purge" which means matching two or
more mailing lists (usually by electronic means) to remove duplication and make
sure that each name receives only one mailing.
Basically, merge/purge is accomplished through use of a match code. Match codes can take the form of many different combinations. Some match codes eliminate all the vowels in the name and address, while others pick up certain characters from certain fields. The match code is made up of the same characters for each name on the lists, and fu
Basically, merge/purge is accomplished through use of a match code. Match codes can take the form of many different combinations. Some match codes eliminate all the vowels in the name and address, while others pick up certain characters from certain fields. The match code is made up of the same characters for each name on the lists, and fu
y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products
lly and uniquely identifies that name. When
lists are matched against each other, duplicate match codes indicate that the
same name exists on more than one list.
When you hire a firm to run a merge/purge, try to find out how they identify duplicates, and if you can, set up a test with more than one service bureau to find out whose program best fits your needs.
Another concept to consider when trying to identify duplicates is "overkill" vs. "underkill." If the match code includes too many characters, possible
When you hire a firm to run a merge/purge, try to find out how they identify duplicates, and if you can, set up a test with more than one service bureau to find out whose program best fits your needs.
Another concept to consider when trying to identify duplicates is "overkill" vs. "underkill." If the match code includes too many characters, possible
.
As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de
As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de
duplicates will not be caught. This is called underkill. On the other
hand, if the match code is too loose, names which are not duplicates will be
recognized as duplicates (overkill).
Finding duplicates is really an art. How do you catch a match of an individual where one list says he lives at 505 7th St., and another has him living at 505 Seventh St.? Even worse, is Jean Smith, who lives at 510 Main St. the same person as the Jane Smith living at 501 Main St.? How you answer depends on whether you prefer
Finding duplicates is really an art. How do you catch a match of an individual where one list says he lives at 505 7th St., and another has him living at 505 Seventh St.? Even worse, is Jean Smith, who lives at 510 Main St. the same person as the Jane Smith living at 501 Main St.? How you answer depends on whether you prefer
elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.
Companies that provide selfless information through particip
Companies that provide selfless information through particip
overkill or underkill.
It's a bigger problem when running a merge/purge for businesses. Not only do you have to worry about name and address fields, but now you may need to find matches with business names and individual titles. The key here is to determine up front how many names per firm you want to mail to.
The key to successful merge/purge is close monitoring. Watch the process from beginning to end. Have thorough written instructions, and make sure they are carried out.
Copyright 2004 by DeAnna Spence
It's a bigger problem when running a merge/purge for businesses. Not only do you have to worry about name and address fields, but now you may need to find matches with business names and individual titles. The key here is to determine up front how many names per firm you want to mail to.
The key to successful merge/purge is close monitoring. Watch the process from beginning to end. Have thorough written instructions, and make sure they are carried out.
Copyright 2004 by DeAnna Spence
tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products
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