E-mail Appending: Pros, Cons and Action Tips

It’s cost-effective when compared to direct-mail prospecting. The cost of each appended name often amounts to less than the cost of catalog postage. “You can’t send catalogs once a week; you’d go out of business,” says Brady. “But you can send an e-mail a week.”

For catalogers whose offerings appeal to rural-based customers, appending helps these merchants contact customers directly without going through the U.S. Postal Service, says Reese Weaver, sales manager for data enhancement services at Melissa Data, a data-quality solutions provider.