Something no business can do without
While you may have a system in place to hold all your clients’ details, having an accurate up-to-date marketing database is an essential business tool.
It makes it easy to keep in contact with your clients, not only for the direct mail activity in this tool kit, but also for your client newsletters and functions. Here’s the perfect chance to create a client database, or tailor your existing one for direct marketing.
Client databases are typically held in a format suited to the collection of many pieces of customer data. Microsoft Excel is perfect and is used by many small businesses. Or you can use an off-the-shelf customer relationship management software package.
Then it’s as simple as entering your client’s details and separating them into different information fields (where a husband and wife are both clients of your practice, we suggest creating one record, so you only have to send one letter addressed to both partners). The most basic of databases would include these fields:
- First name
- Last name
- Address – split into different fields
- Date of birth
And would be laid out in an excel spreadsheet like this example:
| First name | Last name | Date of Birth | Address 1 | Address 2 | Suburb | State | Postcode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John | Smith | 14.01.1967 | Unit 3 | 3 Sample St | Sample town | Sample state | 9999 |
| Mary | Jones | 12.03.1952 | Villa 2 | 6 Sample St | Sample town | Sample state | 9999 |
| Adam | Old | 13.02.1965 | Australian shares | 7 Sample St | Sample town | Sample state | 9999 |
How to segment a client database
Perpetual Private Clients advice and services are provided by Perpetual Trustee Company Limited (PTCo), ABN 42 000 001 007, AFSL 236643. This information has been prepared by PTCo. It contains general information and is not intended to provide you with advice or take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs.
