Special Report Matchbacks

Don't forget to define your matchback logic. Typically, mailers will match back unknowns and Internet orders only because they assume all keycodes captured during order entry were captured accurately. But if you suspect you're having problems with accurate keycode capture in your contact center, consider matching all orders against the mail tapes. Compare the matched-back keycode with the captured keycode to assess the extent of the capture-rate problems.

Do decide how often and when to perform a matchback. How often you choose to do a matchback will depend on your mailing frequency, budget and planning cycle. Many large direct marketers, particularly those with retail channels, do matchbacks as frequently as once a month. But for smaller mailers, I recommend you do a matchback at least once a mailing season, for example, spring/summer, fall/holiday or whatever seasons fit your mail plan.

Don't forget to define a date range. Once you've established your matchback frequency, provide your data processing vendor with a list of contact pieces (e.g., catalog, postcard) sent during the matchback period and the specific date ranges each piece covers. See sample chart (above). The matchback date range for Drop No. 1 is Sept. 1 (the start of Drop No. 1 in-home) through Oct. 2 (the day before the subsequent catalog in-home).

Do determine your match priority. This can be the trickiest part of the matchback process. By match priority I mean the rules you create to allocate orders and in what order you choose to apply those rules. The specifics of your match priority will depend on the kinds of decisions you'll be making for future campaigns.