After 25 years of compiling new homeowner and new mover information for mailing lists, HomeData is making a move of its own — into Web-based direct mail services.
In August, HomeData Corp. will launch a Web-based, on-demand platform to let users customize various postcard templates, link the finalized piece to one of its lists and execute the order digitally. The company predicts an average of three to five weeks between a person moving into a new home and receiving the first postcard from a HomeData customer.
HomeData compiles a weekly list of 90,000 to 100,000 new homeowners and about 250,000 new movers. It also aggregates lists of telephone company new connects. Traditionally, it has offered this information to list brokers. But in the past several years, HomeData has started working directly with retailers such as department stores, home centers, large supermarket chains and “anyone who is interested in reaching new homeowners,” HomeData president/CEO Bruce Dulberg said. These customers, who have requested more of a full-service offering from HomeData, spurred the company’s impending expansion into direct mail.
“This is a nice value-add that we can offer our retail clients,” Mr. Dulberg said of the Web-based direct mail offering. He noted that HomeData isn’t interested in competing with the many lettershops that offer more general-market Web-based direct mail programs.
HomeData, Melville, NY, is owned by demographic software provider Siegent, a holding company. Another Siegent company is eNeighborhoods, which provides Web-based postcard mailings to real estate agents. For its own postcard-mailing program, HomeData adapted eNeighborhoods’ platform and partnered with Phoenix-based printer Hogue.
When someone moves into a new home, HomeData makes the data available to clients within two to four weeks on average. With the Web-based program, clients can design their postcard, access HomeData’s lists and place an order. The order will be executed as soon as that same day or within 48 hours.
The site also will have the Experian database available, letting marketers go beyond new homeowners if they wish. Other add-ons will include software that lets retailers with multiple locations map them in relation to new homeowner addresses in order to ensure that mailings are directing recipients to the nearest location. Another add-on overlays the new homeowner lists with ethnic, political and other demographic information.
The HomeData site will be divided into two sections. The first will be designed for franchisees and small retailers. In this area, the program will be self-serve, with users choosing the postcard, images and lists and adding them to their shopping cart. Once they approve the cost of the mailing, it is charged to their credit card and executed digitally.
The other part of the site will be geared toward large retailers. HomeData will set up a storefront for each customer, which will be able to do full branding campaigns from the site.
