Clean Your Database

• Standardize your data, so the same types of data consistently appear in the same place. You can expect a better match of your database to compiled lists or large databases when you standardize data.

• If you can’t afford to clean your entire file, start with your best customers. Many people complain about the high cost of cleaning data, notes Ruth Stevens, president, eMarketing Strategy, “But an investment in your very best customers always pays off.”