Acquiring Your Own Emailing List

So you’ve decided to jump into email marketing. Very good, its one of the best performing marketing methods there is. In fact its so good that the Direct Marketing Association claims that for every dollar spent on email marketing, a business can expect a return of $57. That’s not a bad return.

One of the first things you need to think about is who you are going to send those emails to. In other words, where and how to you get a list of people to send emails to?

Here, we will discuss your options, both the bad and the good.

Email lists: buy, rent, or build?

Buying a list.

Buying a list of people’s email addresses is entirely a bad idea. A loose – loose proposition for the following reasons.

• They’ve probably never heard of you.
• They don’t know you.
• They don’t trust you.
• They haven’t given you permission to send them emails.
• Your emails will at best considered junk, or even worse, spam.
• This does not build goodwill.
• Your emails will be ineffective and not generate a decent return on investment.
• Will likely damage your reputation.
• If enough recipients report the email as spam, any future emails will be blocked, and your address blacklisted by the recipient’s email provider.

For all these reasons, just don’t do it. It may seem to be a shortcut to acquiring a list, you may think you can start sending out large quantities of emails, but it will backfire on you big time.

Any long-term successful email marketing will only work if it is permission based. You do not want to send spam, or even be perceived as sending spam. And in the mind of the recipient, it is they who determines whether or not an email is spam.

Renting a list.

This is simple, it is as dangerous as buying a list. For all the same reasons. Enough said.

Building your own list.

This is easily the best way to acquire an effective and responsive list. After all, that’s why you are email marketing in the first place. So that your emails are effective.
Although this takes some time, the return on your investment is much higher. So here are some techniques for building your list.

When making a sale.

This is the prime time for collecting email addresses. When some one is checking out with their purchases you have their attention, and can make a strong case for joining your emailing list.

Of course, you should explain why it is in their best interests to receive your emails. Things like:
• special email list only special offers.
• a monthly email newsletter.
• product updates, maintenance tips and recommendations.
• related products information.
• special event notifications.

If you can offer an incentive for people to sign up for emails, you will gather a much higher percentage of your customers to your list.

When some one visits your web site.

If you have a web site, you can put a form there for people to enter their name and email address. Be sure to list out why this is a good idea for them. Also, offer a free report, or link to a video, or something that they will perceive as valuable. This will increase the number of sign-ups from your web site.

When you provide follow up services.

If your products require post-sale servicing or maintenance this is a good time to mention how your emails are beneficial to your customers.

At a trade show or convention.

This is a good place to add to your emailing list. People are already there to learn about products and services. Help them out by getting them on your list. Special reports and coupons are a good incentive here.

Any correspondence.

All of your business correspondence should include an invitation to join your emailing list. Especially if it to get information into potential customers hands. If they are already looking for information about your business, getting on your emailing list will only provide more of what they are looking for.

Any business forms or brochures.

Invoices, brochures, packing lists, receipts should all include an invitation to join your list. Providing people with a means of joining your list, and then receiving all the advantages thereof, should be a part of all your marketing efforts.

Email marketing is all about building a relationship with your customers and potential customers alike. Building your own list, through your own means, is a start at building that long-term relationship.

When you ask for permission to email them, (asking them to join your list), you start building the trust that is necessary to build a good relationship. A long lasting, valuable, profitable relationship.

By: pierrebk4

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Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing in Colorado. More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com