Rural Demograhpics

[doco]

I've had most success in cities. But I'm only 3 months in so my opinion may change after drop off start rolling in.

I would very much like to try rural areas. I've mailed a few zip codes and they failed miserably for me.

The demograhpics that work well in the city for me:
Black 35% or better
10-30% below poverty

I wish I could find rural demograhpics that works.
For those working rural, how do you pick your area?

 

[Agentguy5]

I've had most success in cities. But I'm only 3 months in so my opinion may change after drop off start rolling in.

I would very much like to try rural areas. I've mailed a few zip codes and they failed miserably for me.

The demograhpics that work well in the city for me:
Black 35% or better
10-30% below poverty

I wish I could find rural demograhpics that works.
For those working rural, how do you pick your area?

I look at cities/towns where the population is under 50,000 and start there and pick a highway to travel, town to town....

What percentage was your mail return? How bad was it? I only ask because a lot of us profit big from having a Fixed Cost Lead at our disposal!

 

[doco]

I look at cities/towns where the population is under 50,000 and start there and pick a highway to travel, town to town....

What percentage was your mail return? How bad was it? I only ask because a lot of us profit big from having a Fixed Cost Lead at our disposal!

Makes sense. I'm seeing a 3% response in the city, but many cant reach, I end up door knocking more than I like. And a fair amount of no shows. Maybe rural has less of those issues.

My responses were 1% on avg in the few zips I mailed. Just wasn't sure if I was picking wrong demographics. Fixed leads seems to make sense, but I would still only get a few unless I spread my area out.

Maybe I would expect higher premiums as an avg in rural too.

I'll have to play with that after the city I'm working now. I'll be busy for the rest of the year.

 

[InsKid]

Makes sense. I'm seeing a 3% response.

3% or 30 out of 1,000 DM pieces is a huge response rate, did you you the Obama free autograph card?

I'm getting less then 1% after 4 mailings here in Sacramento zips 95823, 95824, 95822, 95838 95817, 95815 using E64 for 1,000 and E179 for 3,000.

Mailed to ages 58-72 with 10-45k incomes, excluded single men. Most of my buyers have been Black females.

 

[Agentguy5]

3% or 30 out of 1,000 DM pieces is a huge response rate, did you you the Obama free autograph card?

I'm getting less then 1% after 4 mailings here in Sacramento zips 95823, 95824, 95822, 95838 95817, 95815 using E64 for 1,000 and E179 for 3,000.

Mailed to ages 58-72 with 10-45k incomes, excluded single men. Most of my buyers have been Black females.

If we got 3% returns on our mail in Florida, I would NEVER use a fixed cost lead... 1% is a different story!

African American's tend to respond best to Direct Mail!

 

[doco]

If we got 3% returns on our mail in Florida, I would NEVER use a fixed cost lead... 1% is a different story!

African American's tend to respond best to Direct Mail!

I know I am fortunate with 3%. The numbers will change as I circle around. Once I'm back to 1.5% or so, that's when I'd like to tap rural.

 

[Mavrik]

Are any of you guys keeping detailed records of your mailings with each type of lead card to clearly define various ROIs net of NSFs, NTs, and chargebacks so you can accurately determine what your success rates are in rural areas vs urban areas, with caucasions vs blacks, hispanics and so forth or are you just rolling out every morning and playing it by feel?