We caught a little bit of curling during this year’s Olympic Games.  And as those intriguing stones with handles sailed gracefully down the ice and headed straight for that icy bull’s-eye, they reminded us of something.

Many of our clients rely on us to put together printed mailers for direct mail campaigns.  So we design some and print them up, and they’re always pretty awesome.  When our masterpieces are complete, our clients mail them out and cross their fingers, hoping that their advertising efforts pay off.

And What Does This Have to Do With Curling?

Okay, so admittedly, we actually don’t know a lot about curling.  But we do understand that ultimately, getting your little stone devices to stay in the rings on the ice is a good thing.

And how do the curling team members accomplish this?  By zooming their curling stones down the ice in the direction of their ideal destination.  Not once during our Olympic viewing did we see a member of any curling team lift up a stone and start hurling it haphazardly at members of the crowd or the other team.  (Although that would have made the event a tad more exciting.)  No, these athletes kept their eyes on the prize and sent their stones straight to the intended target.

So here’s where the fundamentals of curling meet the fundamentals of direct mail.  Even if we’ve printed up a fantastic brochure for a client, it won’t be effective unless it is sent in the direction of ideal targets.  If our clients send those fantastic brochures randomly in every direction, they may find very little return on their investment.  But, if like an Olympic curling team, our clients make their brochures glide straight to the right places, they will be golden.

So How Can We Get Our Printed Materials on a Perfect Path?

It’s easy, really.  Instead of sending your brochures to everyone in your neighborhood, you can just use a mailing list to send them to potentially interested parties.  You won’t believe the types of specific mailing lists that exist these days.  No matter what type of people you are trying to reach, someone has compiled a list of individuals who meet your criteria.

How Do I Get My Hands on One of These Lists?

We thought you’d never ask.  At imPress, we can not only hook you up with awesome printed materials, but also with mailing lists to use when you send them out.  Whether you are looking for a list of elderly Albany men, hospitals on the East Coast, middle aged women with high credit scores, or curling enthusiasts, we can find a list that will work for you.

So take home the medal for most efficient advertising.  Use a mailing list to make your direct mail campaign a winner.