| ACORN | A classification of Residential Neighbourhoods |
| Action Devices | Techniques used in marketing to generate a response |
| Actives: | Members whose subscriptions are current. Can also mean listed customers who have made purchases within the previous 12 months. |
| Alphanumeric | A coding system that uses both letters and numbers |
| Assigned Mailing Dates | Dates by which a rented list should be mailed which have been agreed with the list owner |
| Average Order Value | The total spend divided by the number of orders |
| Bad Pay | Subscription or membership offers cancelled due to non-payment |
| Below The Line | Marketing with low profile media such as direct mail or online |
| Bill Enclosure | Inserts enclosed with a bill, an invoice or a statement |
| Bingo Card | Reply card inserted in a publication |
| Bounce Back | An insert enclosed with a mailing sent to fulfil a customer order |
| Business List | A list of names of businesses and individuals based on business interests, sectors or industries |
| C.P.I | as Cost Per Inquiry |
| C.P.M | as Cost Per Thousand |
| C.P.O | as Cost Per Order |
| C/A | Change of address |
| Cash Buyer | A buyer who encloses payment with the order |
| Catalogue | A book displaying more than one product, usually for purchase via mail order |
| Cell(S) | a group of individuals selected from a file on a common basis |
| Cheshire Labels | Paper that has printed names and addresses to affixed to each mailing piece. |
| Circulars | A printed advertisement in any medium |
| Cleansing | Correction of list inaccuracies |
| Coding | Identifying marks used on response coupons to identify the mailing list or source |
| Commission | A percentage of sale paid to the list owner/manager or broker |
| Compiled List | Any list of names and addresses that can be compiled from a variety of different sources |
| Computer Personalisation | To address a mailing to a specific individual to increase opening of mail |
| Consumer | A person who buys goods or services |
| Controlled Circulation | Free publications with distribution restricted to a certain area |
| Cost Per Inquiry (C.P.I) | The total cost of a mailing divided by the number of inquiries received. |
| Cost Per Order (C.P.O) | The total cost of a direct marketing campaign divided by the number of orders received. |
| Cost Per Thousand (C.P.M) | Commonly used rate for list rentals |
| Coupon | Promotional offer to be completed by the customer |
| Coupon Clipper | A person who has expressed interest in a free or nominal-cost offer but is unlikely to purchase the product. |
| CRM | Customer Relationship Management |
| Data | In direct marketing, sometimes used to mean a list or lists |
| Data Capture | Information taken on to a computer system |
| Data Mining | The analysis of data for relationships |
| Data Protection | The prevention of the passing of an individual's personal information |
| Database | A collection of information which can be related to any area of a business. |
| Datacard | List information including counts, demographics, quantities and pricing etc |
| Dead Mail | Mail sent to an incorrect address due to house move, etc |
| De-Duplication | Ensures a name and address is only mailed once no matter how many times it appears on a list or lists |
| Default Salutation | Names on a list without proper titles |
| Delivery Date | The date an order is fulfilled |
| Delivery Guarantee | The percentage of the list guaranteed to be correct |
| Demographic Splits | Selections based on socio-economic factors |
| Direct Bags / Bundles | Grouped and bagged mail items that have a singular postcode or destination |
| Direct Mail Advertising | : Advertising sent via post or other distributors through letter boxes |
| Direct Marketing | Use of a database and different types of media to produce a lead or order |
| Direct Response Advertising | Use of different types of medium including telephone and mail to invite a direct response by measurable means |
| DMA | Direct Marketing Association |
| Donor List | A list of people who have given money to charity |
| Dummy | Name inserted deliberately into a list to ascertain how the list is being used |
| Dupe | Identical, repeated information in a database |
| EDGAR | Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system |
| E-Marketing | The use of the internet to achieve marketing objectives |
| Enclosure | An item included in a direct mail pack |
| Enquiry File | A file of people who have requested further information |
| Exchange/Swaps | An agreement to exchange an equal quantity of mailing list names between companies |
| Expire | Former customer of a company or service provider |
| FEDMA | Federation of European Direct Marketing Associations |
| File Maintenance | as List Maintenance |
| Flagging | Means of identifying previously used names from a list |
| Floppy Disk | : A type of digital storage media |
| Format | The form in which a mailing list is presented |
| Franking | The marking of an envelope with a postage-paid impression |
| Free- Standing Insert | Insert loose in a publication or mailing |
| Frequency | The number of orders placed by a customer within a set period |
| Friend-Of-A-Friend | A referral of a friend or relative who may have interest in a product or service |
| Fulfilment | The supplying of goods in response to an order |
| Fuzzy Logic | A type of logic that recognizes more than simple true and false values |
| Geographics | Any method of subdividing a list geographically |
| Gone-Away | Returned mail from address where recipient is not longer there |
| Hot List/Hotlines Name | The most recent names available on a mailing list |
| House List | A mailing list created by a company based on their customer or inquiry database |
| Inbound Telemarketing | Handling an incoming call from a prospect or customer |
| Inquiry | A person who has asked for information about a product or service |
| Insert | Promotional piece placed in a package or invoice |
| Installment Buyer | A person who has ordered goods or services, and pays in instalments |
| Integrated Marketing | A combination of two or more forms of marketing used on one campaign |
| Inter-List Duplicate | Duplication of records between two or more lists |
| Junk Mail | Term used by some to indicate unsolicited mail |
| Key Code (Key) | Group of letters, numbers or markings to measure the effectiveness of a given campaign |
| Landing Date | The date on which the mailer targets the mailing package to reach the consumer |
| Laser Personalisation | Use of a laser printer to personalise mailing pieces |
| Letter Shop | A mailing house - physical processing - inserting, addressing and computer finishing |
| Lifestyle List | A mailing list which is usually derived from survey data |
| Lifetime Value | Total profit or loss estimated or realised over the active life of a customer's record. |
| List | Names and addresses of companies and individuals |
| List Broker | Arranges the purchase or rental of a list on behalf of a company |
| List Buyer | Someone who buys mailing lists |
| List Cleaning | Correcting or updating names and addresses or removing duplicates from a mailing list |
| List Compiler | Builds lists from a variety of sources |
| List Exchange | Trading lists with another company |
| List Maintenance | Any method which keeps name and address records up-to-date |
| List Manager | A person who oversees the use of a list(s) by others |
| List Owner | Has overall ownership and control of a list or lists |
| List Rental | Using a list for a specified number of mailings in return for a fee paid |
| List Royalty | Payment to a list owner for use of a list |
| List Sample | A small collection of names from a list to evaluate the responsiveness of the list |
| List Selection | Requesting groups of names from a list based on certain criteria |
| List Source | Original source of names and addresses for a mailing list. Eg. Information requests etc |
| List Test | Part of the list selected to determine the effectiveness of the list. See also "List Sample". |
| List User | Someone who uses the list to create interest in a product or service |
| List Warranty Register | The List Warranty Register is a DMA run system where list owners and users sign warranties for the supply and use of data guaranteeing good practise. |
| Loyalty Program | A program to reward customers for repeat use or purchase of a product or service |
| Magnetic Tape | A type of digital storage media |
| Mail Date | : Date planned for a mailing agreed with list owner/manager and list user |
| Mail Order Buyer | Consumer who orders and pays for a product via the mail |
| Mail Preference Scheme (Mps): | A service that allows a person to have their names removed from mailing lists |
| Mailer | Printed direct mail advertising piece or a person who uses this type of marketing |
| Mainstream | Direct marketing that uses high profile media eg TV, newspapers |
| Margin | Calculated by subtracting the cost of the products or services sold from the gross revenue generated by the sale of those goods or services |
| Master File | Usually a very large file containing all sub-files from which lists are created |
| Match | To ensure all names, addresses, salutations etc are correct and match throughout any printed mailing |
| Match Code | Code used for matching records contained in a second or subsequent file |
| Match Fill | Creating mailings with the appearance of a personalised letter |
| Match Mail | Matching different personalised items within the same mailing kit |
| Merge-Purge | To merge one file with another while ensuring no duplicates |
| Monetary Value | Total spend of a customer during a specified period of time |
| Multiple Regression | Comparison of mailing response with census demographics and list characteristics to ensure correct targeting of mailings |
| Name Acquisition | A technique that solicits a response in order to obtain names or addresses |
| Negative Option | A buying plan where a customer agrees to receive and purchase items announced in advance |
| Net Name Arrangement | Where the list user pays only for names used, not names delivered. |
| No-Pay | One who has not paid for goods or services ordered |
| Nth Name | A selection made for test mailing relative in size to that of the total file |
| Offer | The terms promoting a particular product or service |
| One-Time Buyer | Customers who have used a product or service a single time |
| One-Time Use Of A List | Most lists are rented on the basis that it will be used for a single mailing only and further use must be agreed with the list owner/manager |
| Opt-In | When an individual gives a company permission to use their data |
| Opt-Out | form of permission marketing whereby the customer is given the opportunity to reject further promotional messages from a marketer |
| Order Card | Reply card used to order through the mail. |
| Outbound Telemarketing | Calls that are placed by a marketer to a prospect |
| P.I. | See Per Interaction |
| Package Insert | A promotional piece included in a mailed offer |
| PAF | Postal Address File |
| Paid Circulation | Distribution of a publication to customer who have a paid for subscription |
| Paid Subscription | See Paid Circulation |
| Peel-Off Label | A self-adhesive label in a mailing piece to be removed from the mailing piece and stuck to an order card |
| Penetration | Relationship of the number names on a particular list compared to the total number possible |
| Per Interaction (P.I.): | A contract with a telemarketing service to pay for services either per completed call or per completed order |
| Personalisation | Giving a direct mail piece personal information intended for the specific respondent |
| Phone List | List compiled from names in telephone directories |
| Piggy-Back | An offer or mailing piece that is inserted with another |
| Poly-Bag / Poly-Wrap / Plastic Wrap | See through plastic bag for mailing |
| Post Card | Single sheet self-mailers printed on card stock |
| Premium | A free item offered to a potential buyer to encourage an order |
| Premium Buyer | Customer who is responding to an offer only to receive the free item or who responds to an offer of a special product on the packing of a different product |
| Prospect | A potential buyer for a product or service |
| Prospecting | Mailing to generate leads for further sales contacts |
| Protected Mailing Period | A period of time before and after a mailing date that the list owner will not allow competitive use of the same names |
| Psychographics | Characteristics used to give the lifestyles or attitudes of prospects and customers |
| Purge | The removal of duplicated or incorrect names or addresses from lists |
| Random Access | Records are stored non-sequentially to allow rapid access |
| RDBMS | Relational database management system |
| Recency | The most recent activity by a customer |
| Regeneration | TO solicit a response in reply to some degree of interest expressed by the prospect |
| Relational Database | A database that shows the relationship between different types of information stored about a customer |
| Renewal | To sign up for a further period of subscription within 6 months of the expiry of the previous period |
| Repeat Buyer | See Multiple Buyer |
| Respondent | The person who replies to a mailshot |
| Response Rate | Responses received as a percentage of total promotions mailed |
| Returns | Those who have responded to a direct mail program |
| RFMR (Recency Frequency Monetary Value Ratio) | A formula used to evaluate the potential of a mailing list to create responses |
| Rollout | To continue with a planned mailing after testing see List Sample and List Test |
| Royalties | Amount paid for the use of a list |
| Running Charge | A charge made for names run or passed but not mailed |
| Sample Buyer | A customer who requests a sample product |
| Sample Package | An example of the package to be mailed submitted to the list owner for approval prior to commitment for use of a list |
| Seed | A name inserted into a list to verify list usage |
| Selection Criteria | Characteristics that identify segments or sub- groups within a list |
| Self-Mailer | A self-contained mailing piece designed to form an envelope when folded |
| Sequential Processing | A type of information storage |
| Solo Mailing | A mailing which promotes one product only |
| Source Count | The number of names and addresses found in list source from where they came |
| Split Test | Several samples taken from the same list |
| Statement Stuffer | Printed piece inserted with a customer's statement of account |
| Step Up | Premiums used to induce mail order buyers to increase units of purchase |
| Subscriber | Person who has paid to receive a publication or access to a service |
| Suppression File | The file containing those name and address records that are not to be mailed |
| Tag | Technique to mark a record within specified criteria to be used or avoided in future mailings |
| Tape Layout | A "map" of the data contained in each record |
| Tape Record | The information contained on a magnetic tape about companies/individuals etc |
| Target Audience | Broad segments identified by a marketer as suitable prospects |
| Telemarketing | Using telecommunications to market a company or its goods and services |
| Telesales | Selling goods or services directly over the phone |
| Test Panel | Identifies each of the parts or samples in a split test |
| Test Tape | A group of representative records in a mailing list which allows a list user or service bureau to prepare for reformatting or converting to a form more efficient for the user |
| Tie-In | Mailing which has two or more advertisers working together |
| Till Forbid | Order for service that is to continue until specifically cancelled by the buyer; also known as TF |
| Tip-On | : An item glued to a printed piece |
| Title Addressing | Functional titles used in compiling business lists, where no individual name has been found. |
| Traffic Builder | A direct mail piece used to attract customers |
| Uncollectible | Someone who has not paid for goods and services following a number of collection attempts |
| Unit Of Sale | The average amount spent by a customer |
| Unit Record | A form to record information about individual calls to be sorted, tabulated and printed |
| Universe | Total number of names who might be suitable to be included in given list |
| Update | To add the most current information to a list |
| USP | Unique Selling Point |
| Variable Field | Technique for laying out list information assigning a specific sequence to the data, but not specific positions |
| Variable Information | Data that relates specifically to each individual person in a database |
| Verification | Ensuring an order is valid via questionnaire |
| Zip Code | The American post code system |