Consumer Mailing List - How to select the best list

Given the choices of consumer lists available on the open market - there are many different ways to reach consumers. Do you use a file that has people with interests or the ones with buyers on it. Which works best - how important is recency in the equation? Should I be looking at an ethnic file for my business or does it matter as long as they have an interest in antique african head dresses.
Lists are an incredibly delicate part of the DM industry. Mailers spend years performing tests on files to ensure that they get the best selection for their offer. It takes time and effort and no how to determine which files you should test and then which files performed.

Process:
Test Orders - Don't put all your eggs in one basket - you need to spread your dollars over several files and see which reaps the best results. A consumer minimum order will most likely be about 5 thousand names or about 600 - 800 dollars. Be sure to have your mailhouse keycode each file so that you know where your leads/sales are coming from on your mailing/fax/telemarketing efforts.