Local Marketing Terms

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From A to Z, turn to our easy-to-use definitions.

We cut through the clutter and the jargon for you. We put together some of the common local marketing terms in one quick and easy resource.  Just think of it as your “legend” for navigating the local marketing landscape.

3699 A receipt from the post office outlining all pieces that were mailed, date and the costs incurred.
Above the Fold The portion of an email message that is visible to the recipient without the need for scrolling.
Ad Placement One or more physical locations where your ad can appear.
Ad Tracking A method used to check how many hits or clicks an ad receives. It is a useful tool for discovering where the most revenue comes from, and how to better personalize ads to reach more customers, and encourage more new customers.
Address Block The format in which the name and address is printed on top of letters and applications.
Attachment A file that is attached to the email.
Attrition Rate The percentage of customers who are not likely to renew or complete their commitment.
Auto-Responder An email message, containing pre-written content, which is automatically sent after a triggering event has occurred. Triggering events may include completion of a web form, purchase of an item or inquiry to customer support.
Average Time on Site Estimated average amount of time, in seconds, that a unique visitor spends on a site.
Average Visits per Visitor Estimated number of times a unique visitor accesses a site over a specific month.
Bangtail/Bangtail BRE A promotional or payment envelope with a second flap that is perforated and designed to be used as an additional order form or change of address form.
Banner Ad Advertising method in which a web ad is placed along the top or side of a website. Also called Digital Display.
Batch Processing Technique of executing a set of computer programs/selections in batches as opposed to executing each order/selection as it is received. Batches can be created by a computer program or by manual collection of data into groups.
Bayesian Filter Spam filter that evaluates email message content to determine the probability that it is spam. Bayesian filters are adaptable and can learn to identify new patterns of spam by analyzing incoming email.
Bill Insert Secondary document, usually of a promotional nature, mailed along with a customer's bill to make optimal use of the mailing. (See Statement Stuffer)
Bind-In A promotional response device with a reply or order form that is stitched directly into the spine of a magazine.
Blacklist A list containing email addresses or IP addresses of suspected spammers. Blacklists are sometimes used to reject incoming mail at the server level before the email reaches the recipient. 
Blocks An action by an Internet Service Provider to prevent email messages from being forwarded to the end recipient.
Bounceback An additional offer enclosed within a product shipment made to customers.
Bounces Email messages that fail to reach their intended destination.
Buckslip A separate insert, generally in dollar bill size, which provides additional rationale and/or incentives (bonus offer, premiums, etc.) designed to encourage the reader's response.
Bulk Mail A category of Third Class Mail involving a large quantity of identical pieces - specially processed for mailing before delivery to the post office.
Business Profile Listing a business location and contact information in online business directories to get found online even if the business does not have a website.
Call Out Short blocks of copy that direct reader attention to special benefits or features worthy of emphasis.
Call Tracking A unique phone number assigned to specific advertising to track results from inbound calls.
Category Estimated number of times a unique visitor accesses a site over a period of time.
Cells In reference to lists, a cell is a statistical unit or units; a group of individuals selected from a file on a common basis and isolated as a group.
Challenge-Responder An authentication method that requires a human to respond to an email challenge message before the original email that triggered the challenge is delivered to the recipient.
Churn Rate Churn Rate is a measure of customer attrition, defined as the number of customers who cease being customers over a specified time period divided by the average total number of customers over that same time period.
Circulation Of a print publication, the total number of copies distributed.
Click-Through A click-through is counted when a visitor clicks on a tracked URL.
Co-op The inclusion of several different offers (not necessarily related products) in a single mailing.
Composition Index (Comp index) A numeric score assigned to every site displayed in DoubleClick Ad Planner. The composition index shows how concentrated your audience is on a specific site relative to Internet users within the country you have specified. For example, if you've defined your audience as 'males,' a site with a composition index of 212 means that you're approximately twice as likely to find a male user on this site relative to finding males across the Internet within the country you've specified. The composition index is calculated by dividing the site's reach into the audience by the percent reach into the audience on the Internet within the country you've specified.
Conversion The percentage of people whose activity can be tracked from clicking on an ad or visiting a website to actually purchasing a product or service. A high conversion rate indicates that the link, ad, or site was successful.
Conversion rate The ratio of inquiries converted to buyers. This ratio is used to track two-step programs, such as trial offers or lead generation with the percentage of responses converted to customer status.
Cookie A unique text string (program code) stored on a user's web browser by the website that the user visits. If the user returns to the website at a later date, the cookie identifies the browser as having previously accessed the site.
Coupon A promotional piece intended to be filled in by the inquirer or customer and returned to the advertiser.
CPI (Cost per Inquiry) A simple formula derived by dividing the total cost of a mailing or an advertisement by the number of inquiries received.
CPM (Cost per Thousand) A standard way to compare costs. The entire promotional cost of a mailing package is divided by one thousand. May include all operations to get packages into the mail stream: production; rental of outside mailing lists; postage costs; and fulfillment.
CPO (Cost per Order) Similar to Cost Per Inquiry, except based on actual orders rather than inquiries.
CPP Cost per piece Total cost to produce each individual mail piece divided by the total quantity mailed. Includes all agency, data, production and back-end processing costs.
Creative All elements of a direct mail package, including copy, font style, images, colors, etc.
Cross-selling Encouraging customers to buy products from other departments or categories, beyond the initial offering.
CTR (Click-Through-Rate) A measure of the success of online advertising achieved by dividing the number of clicks on a web page or online ad by the number of appearances of that web page/online ad (i.e., number of impressions).
Data Card Information/description of a specific mailing list - source, type of buyers, titles (if appropriate), recency of list, prices, selection options, etc. Available from brokers or list owners.
De-Dupe (Duplication Elimination) A database cleansing process which provides that no matter how many times a name and address is on a list, and how many lists contain that name and address, it will be accepted for mailing only once by that mailer. Also referred to a "dupe elimination". (See also Merge/Purge).
Deliverability The best practices and authentication techniques of mass email communication that improve the likelihood that opt-in email messages are successfully delivered to end recipients instead of being erroneously blocked by ISPs and spam filters.
Digital Display One of the basic forms of online advertising. It is usually a rectangular shaped ad posted on a web site. Also called “Banner Ad”.
Direct Marketing Direct Marketing generates profitable business results by engaging targeted audiences through a combination of relevant messaging and offers that can be tracked, measured, analyzed, stored and leveraged to drive future marketing initiatives.
Direct Response Advertising Advertising, through any medium (such as mail, TV, print) designed to generate a response by any means that is measurable.
Domain Name A name that identifies one or more IP addresses. Domain names always have at least two parts that are separated by dots (for instance lsoft.com). The part on the left is the second-level domain (more specific), while the part on the right is the top-level domain (more general).
Douple Opt-In Recommended procedure for subscribing email recipients to an email list or newsletter. Once a person requests to subscribe to a list, a confirmation email message is automatically sent to the supplied email address asking the person to verify that they have in fact requested to be included in future mailings.
Drop Rate The calendar date, generally determined at time of scheduling the campaign, when the direct mail package is due for delivery to CPC.
Dupes Two or more identical names and addresses on the same mailing list. To achieve cost efficiencies remove duplicate names (de-dupe) must be performed.
Email Click Through The percentage of recipients who clicked on a particular link within the email message.
False Positive Legitimate email message that is mistakenly rejected or filtered by a spam filter.
Flap An "extra" section added to standard size paper which is then folded over. Normally used to highlight some aspect of the offer or to act as the response device.
Flyer An offer detailed on a single sheet of paper as opposed to a brochure or catalogue format.
Free Ride A second promotion piece added to an already planned and scheduled mailing - without resulting in additional postal charges.
Free-standing insert (FSI) A promotional piece loosely inserted or nested in a newspaper or magazine.
Frequency How often a customer has purchased or responded in a given time period. It also may describe the number of times a promotion piece is mailed to the same target.
Fulfillment The process which involves responding to the responder - either by providing additional information, shipping or billing products ordered.
Hard Bounces Email messages that fail to reach their intended destination because of an invalid email addresses
Harvesting Disreputable and often illegal practice of using an automated program to scan Web pages and collect email addresses for use by spammers.
Hot-line List The most recent names available on a specific list, with names no older than three months.
House List An internal directory of your own buyers or prospects. May include current and former (but now inactive) purchasers.
HTML HyperText Markup Language – The most commonly used coding language for creating email messages.
Impression The exposure of a clickable ad on a website to one individual person.
In-House List A list of email addresses that a company has gathered through previous customer contacts, Web sign-ups or other permission-based methods. In-house lists typically generate higher conversion rates than rented lists.
Inbound Link A link to your website from a different website.
Johnson Box Wording that appears at the top of a letter highlighting the key benefits and offer of a mailing.
Lead-in Words, phrases or sentences which precede and "set up" a following headline.
Lettershop An outside vendor providing a variety of mailing services including any or all of the following: addressing, labeling, folding, collating, assembling, inserting, metering, sorting, etc.
Lift Note Similar to a buckslip (in that it offers additional reassurance or a further inducement to buy) except that it is presented in letter format over the mailer's signature.
List Broker An organization offering a variety of lists, from a variety of sources, for rental or outright purchase.
List Catalogue A directory which identifies (and normally provides brief descriptions of) available mailing lists.
List Cleaning A process by which list names are checked for accuracy of address, title, location, etc. Accomplished by letter, postcard or other request form directed to the receiver.
List Compiler An organization, service bureau (or individual) active in "developing" mailing lists from directories, government records and other public sources.
List Manager One who, as an employee of a list owner or as an outside agency, is responsible for the use, by others, of a specific mailing list(s). The list manager generally services the list owner in several or all of the following capacities: list maintenance (or advise thereon), list promotion and marketing, list clearance and record keeping, collecting for use of the list by others.
LTV (Life Time Value) Total profit or loss calculation (more complex than simple profitability measurement) realized over the active life of the customer.
M/P (Merge/Purge) The processing of two or more lists and the merging of same into one. At the same time, the "purge" process eliminates duplicate names.
Magalogue A mail order catalogue that includes paid advertisements, and in some cases brief editorials, making it similar to a magazine format.
Mail Merge Process that enables the delivery of personalized messages to large numbers of recipients. This is usually achieved using email list management software working in conjunction with a database.
Mailing List Names and addresses of individuals and/or companies having in common specific interest, characteristics or activity.
Map Optimization The process of maximizing a business’ presence near the top of the Google map results, highlighted with a bright red push pin. When someone searches for the specific type of business in an area, the business name and location shows up.
Market Penetration The proportion of buyers on a file to the total list or to the total area. For business lists, penetration is usually analyzed by two-digit or four-digit SIC.
Monetary Value Total expenditures by a customer during a specific period of time, generally twelve months.
Multiple Buyer One who has bought two or more times (not one who has bought two or more items, one time only); also a Multi-Buyer or Repeat Buyer.
Net Name Arrangement An agreement, at the time of ordering or before, whereby the list owner agrees to accept adjusted payment for less than the total names shipped to the list user. Such arrangements can be for a percentage of names shipped or names actually mailed (whichever is greater) or for only those names actually mailed (without a percentage limitation).
Nixie The return, by post office, of a mailing piece which proves undeliverable because of inaccurate name or address. Most mailers process such returns against records to eliminate invalid or inactive names.
Non-name Addressing The process by which business mailings are directed to a title or function (Controller, Personnel Director) rather than a specific name.
Occupant Addressing Use of the word "Occupant" in place of a specific name. This device is used primarily for consumer-oriented mailings to residential addresses. It may also be used in addition to the customer name if it is likely the customer has moved and the mailing is not targeted to an individual.
Offer The specific proposition being presented to the reader and encompassing product, price and supporting copy.
One-Time Usage On a standard list rental, it is agreed that the mailer will use supplied names only once. If subsequent mailings to the same audience are planned, extra payments are required.
Opacity The extent of "read-through" possible from an unopened envelope to its contents or from one page of a multi-sheet package to the sheets which follow. The amount of "read-through" is determined by the type and weight (density) of the paper stock used.
Open Rate A measure of email effectiveness, the open rate indicates how many emails have been viewed. In this case, viewing technically requires that the recipient's email client requests an image embedded in an HTML email. Open rates are not registered for text messages, dial- up/offline readers, or multipart messages, where there is HTML and text in the same message.
Open Rate Percentage of recipients who opened their email messages. The open-up rate is often used to measure the success of an email marketing campaign.
Opt In An approach to email lists in which subscribers must explicitly request to be included in an email campaign or newsletter.
Opt Out An approach to email lists in which subscribers are included in email campaigns or newsletters until they specifically request not to be subscribed any longer. This method is not recommended and may in some cases be illegal.
Overlays The authorized use of a list to add information and data, through match identification, by tagging to another list. The transfer can be demographics, a telephone number, a job function, and even psychographic data on buying habits.
Page Views Total estimated number of times pages on a site have been accessed by users.
Pass Along In newspaper or magazine publishing, and in direct mail, this phrase is used to describe the "secondary" reader beyond the original subscriber or addressee.
Pass Along An email message that gets forwarded by a subscriber to another person who is not subscribed to the list.
Personalized Letter A standard format letter which can have variable information by inserting the receiver's name, location, prior purchases or other data.
Plain Text Text in an email message that contains no formatting elements.
Polybag Transparent polyethylene bag used in place of envelopes for mailing.
POP Post Office Protocol – A protocol used to retrieve email from a mail server. Most email clients use either the POP or the newer IMAP protocol.
PPC (Pay-per-Click) Online advertising where an advertiser pays a pre-agreed price each time a user clicks on their advertisement. The cost for the click is often negotiated via an auction, with ad placement determined by the relative size of the bid, as well as other factors.
PPI (Pay-per-Impression) When an advertiser pays for their online ad based on the number of views.
Pre-defined Audiences Typical audiences you can select if you don't know how to define your audience.
Premium The addition of a gift to an offer to induce greater response. Usually a buyer who responds may keep the premium, which raises the cost per completed sale, even if the product ordered is subsequently returned or cancelled.
Pressure Sensitive Label A label that can be removed from its backing and reaffixed to another surface, such as an order form.
Proof First print or copy of a mailing piece (as in a blueprint). A photograph prior to re-touching or cropping.
Prospect Universe The total market of potential customers. The "universe" is developed through determination of buyer profiles, evaluation of prior mailing results or through other marketing studies.
Prospecting Mailing to get leads for further sales contact rather than to make direct sales.
Psychographics Any characteristics or qualities used to denote the life style(s) or attitude(s) of customers or prospective customers.
Purge The process of eliminating duplicates and/or unwanted names and addresses from one or more lists.
Pyramid Testing A process in which increasingly larger portions of a mailing list are tested - until either the full list is so sampled or a determination is made that the list is unproductive.
Qualified Leads Names and addresses of individuals who have taken a positive action to indicate genuine interest in a given type of offer.
Rank How a web page performs compared with others is called its page rank. In the past, this was a primary measure of how well a page was rated by Google.
Reach Total estimated number of users you can reach on a specific site.
Recency The latest purchase or other activity recorded for an individual or business on a specific customer list.
Reply Card A sender-addressed card included in a mailing on which the recipient may indicate his response to the offer. (See BRC)
Response Device The coupon, request form or order blank by which the reader replies.
Response Rate A method of quantifying the success ratio of a mailing based on the number of sales or inquiries vs. the number of promotion pieces mailed. Normally stated as a percentage (i.e., total inquiries divided by total mailing quantity).
Retention Communication with existing customers, based on customer behavior, directly aimed at building long term loyalty.
Return Envelopes Addressed reply envelopes, either stamped or unstamped - as distinguished from business reply envelopes (BRE) which carry a postage payment guarantee - included with a mailing.
Return on investment (ROI) Determined by a basic formula, measures how effectively the marketing investment is used to generate net profit from an activity. The higher the ROI, the better.
Return Postage Guaranteed An endorsement printed on the address face of envelopes or other mailing pieces if the mailer wishes the postal service to return undeliverable mail.
RFM (recency-frequency-monetary value) A formula used to evaluate the sales potential of names on a mailing list.
Rollfold A method of folding that involves rolling one end of the piece up to the other end, leaving one closed edge.
Rollout The process of launching a mailing campaign upon completion of promotion development, printing, selection of audiences, testing and acquisition of lists.
ROP Run of Paper When a direct response advertisement in a newspaper does not have a specified section and can be placed anywhere.
Seed List The inclusion of additional names in a mailing list before it is released for rental or use. These additional names are selected employees of the list owner who are required to monitor how and when the list has been used. This practice allows list owners to evaluate time and quality of delivery and safeguard against unauthorized use. The procedure is also known as "seeding" the list.
Segmenting Division of a mailing list by some internally established criteria - city, province, postal code, company size, prospect titles, etc.
Selection Criteria Definition of characteristics that identify segments or subgroups within a list.
Self-Mailer A promotion piece designed so that it can be addressed (or labeled) and mailed without an envelope.
SEM (Search Engine Marketing) Search Engine Marketing is the process of marketing your web site via search engines. It includes Search Engine Optimization and directory submissions, as well as paid submission programs like Google AdWords.
Sender ID An authentication protocol used to verify that the originating IP address is authorized to send email for the domain name declared in the visible "From" or "Sender" lines of the email message. Sender ID is used to prevent spoofing and to identify messages with visible domain names that have been forged.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Modifying web pages and web sites so that they rank as highly as possible in search results with the objective of attracting traffic from web searchers looking for vendors, solutions, products or services. This is achieved through thematic page design, consistent HTML tagging, linking strategies and focusing content on core keywords.
SMTP Simple Mail Transfer Protocol – A protocol used to send email on the Internet. SMTP is a set of rules regarding the interaction between a program sending email and a program receiving email.
Social Media Marketing An engagement with online communities to generate exposure, opportunity and sales. The number-one advantage is generating exposure for the business, followed by increasing traffic and building new business partnerships. Common social media marketing tools include Twitter, blogs, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.
Soft Bounces Email messages that do not reach their destination due temporary conditions, such as overloaded inboxes.
Solo Mailing A one-time or single mailing as opposed to a continuing series of communications (also called Standalone mailing).
Source Codes (Marketing Codes) Internally developed codes (letters, numbers or combinations) printed on response forms so returns can be tallied as to sources of promotion material. Used to measure selling effectiveness of differing messages.
Split Test Two or more samples from the same list, selected by the same criteria (such as an A/B split) used for testing different packages, offers, mail dates or any other part of the mailing.
Stock The type of paper that a direct mail piece is printed on (i.e. card stock, glossy, matte coated etc.).
Stuffer A promotion piece mailed with an unrelated communication. The latter could be an acknowledgement form, shipping notification or invoice.
Subject Line The part of an email message where senders can type what the email message is about. Subject lines are considered important by email marketers because they can often influence whether a recipient will open an email message.
Subscriber List In normal use, the list of current purchasers of a publication - newspaper, magazine, trade journal, etc. However, many non-publishing companies also use the term "subscriber" as a synonym for a customer.
Teaser An intriguing (and sometimes provocative) question or statement designed to catch reader attention and "pull" them into the copy. Envelope messages are a common use of the teaser.
Test Campaign Introduction of a new product, offer, creative execution or promotion on a small scale to measure/test consumer responsiveness prior to full campaign implementation.
Testimonial A statement, letter, comment (or edited version thereof) made by a recent buyer/user which tends to endorse or recommend the product or service being offered. Ideally, the testimonial should identify the individual by name, title, company, affiliation or occupation.
Third Party Letter A message over the signature of someone other than the mailer or one of the organization's employees. Such letters may serve as the total message or as simply one element in a direct mail package.
Tip-on An item glued to a printed page.
Total Visits Estimated number of times a site is accessed by unique visitors.
Undeliverable A mailing piece returned to the mailer as undeliverable for reason of incorrect name or address. (see Nixie).
Unique Visitors The estimated, unduplicated number of people who visit a site over a specific month. With the unique visitors (users) metric, you can get an idea of the percent of your target audience you can reach.
White Mail Mail that comes in from customers. It can include complaints, commendations, names of friends, orders, checks, even cash. A very important part of every direct-mail operation.
Whitelist A list of pre-authorized email addresses from which email messages can be delivered regardless of spam filters.
WOE (Window Envelope) A mailing envelope with a transparent panel for the address.