For many UK organisations, direct mail remains a valuable channel for reaching customers and stakeholders. But as databases grow and age, data quality can gradually decline. People move home, contact details change, and duplicate records can build up over time. With rising print and postage costs, paying closer attention to data cleansing, validation and enrichment can help organisations get more value from every direct mail campaign.
In recent years, Royal Mail has continued to adjust its pricing for postal services, for example from April 2025 standard first-class and second-class stamp prices increased again, with first class climbing to around £1.70 and second class to around 87p, marking one of several price rises in recent years. Some business mail access prices also rose in January 2026 by around 8-10% on key Mailmark categories, which has a direct impact on mailing costs for organisations that send high volumes of letters and large letters.
With postage representing a significant line item in mailing budgets, even modest reductions in unnecessary volume can deliver tangible savings. A core principle of modern data management is that less can often deliver more. A smaller, well-managed database can perform just as well, or better, than a larger one with poor data quality. By focusing on records that are accurate, current and relevant, organisations often find they can reduce mailing volumes while maintaining or improving campaign effectiveness.
Data cleansing
Data cleansing helps tidy up the fundamentals by removing duplicates, correcting poor postal data, and suppressing records that should no longer be contacted. We worked with one of our key charity clients – with a long-established database – to introduce enhanced cleansing and suppression routines. The result was over 150,000 records being identified and managed while maintaining response rates. By identifying significantly more goneaway and deceased records than previous routines, the organisation reduced waste and improved confidence in the data being used.
A commitment to data quality can also enable organisations to reconnect with audiences, rather than simply reducing volume. We helped another of our charity clients develop an improved goneaway identification and address resolution process to reconnect with more than 5,000 previously lost contacts, around 8% of its database. These were people with an existing relationship who had simply become unreachable over time.
Data validation
Data validation plays a vital role in reducing the tangible costs associated with incorrect addresses. Address validation and pre-campaign screening frequently lead to noticeable reductions in returned mail, often 30-60% or more, saving on print and postage that has become more expensive due to industry price adjustments. For one of our financial services clients, last-minute suppression checks ahead of a large mailing removed thousands of packs, helping avoid complaints and protect brand reputation, as well as tapping into postal discounts that are increasingly important in a rising-cost environment.
Data enrichment
Data enrichment allows organisations to make their existing data work harder. By enhancing records with trusted third-party insights, such as geographic context, household information or demographic indicators, organisations can segment more effectively and tailor messaging more precisely. When applied thoughtfully, enrichment can support meaningful improvements in response, enabling fewer mailings to deliver comparable or improved overall outcomes.
The key is confidence
Ultimately, improving data quality is not only about reducing returned mail or lowering postage spend. It is about confidence. When organisations know their data is accurate, current and responsibly maintained, decision-making becomes clearer and campaigns become more predictable. In practical terms, identifying significantly more goneaway and deceased records than legacy processes allow organisations to reduce waste while improving trust in the information they rely on every day.
There is also a cumulative effect. A well-managed database does not just make individual campaigns more efficient, it enables better segmentation, clearer reporting and more meaningful customer engagement over time. Data enrichment can support meaningful improvements in response, allowing fewer mailings to deliver comparable or improved overall outcomes. Rather than continually expanding volumes to maintain performance, organisations can focus on communicating more effectively with the right audience.
At Join the Dots we’re guided by what most improves data quality and usability, rather than by any specific technology or data source. A structured cleansing programme also supports the development of robust Single Supporter (or Customer) Views, enabling insight gained from one improvement to inform the next. The result is a more complete and trusted understanding of your data, and greater confidence in the operational, marketing and strategic decisions built upon it.
