Make Industry Benchmarks and Best Practices Work for You

If not, the list owner probably is mailing mostly to its housefile and not actively prospecting. In that case, the list may not be a healthy one to test. (Caveat: Mailers who sell only seasonal products may be the exception.)

Also, if you’re trying to grow your business, your prospect tests should represent 30 percent to 40 percent of your overall prospecting circulation. This should give you enough new lists to roll out in the following season to generate growth. Otherwise, stick with 20 percent to 30 percent new prospect tests, which is a more conservative strategy.