Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling In Wisconsin Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling In Wisconsin

Find out more on Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling In Wisconsin Now!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

The Basics Of Mailing Lists And How To Profit From Them

By Chris Channing

Mailing lists are useful for a business to find new sources of clients. But learning how to effectively use a consumer mailing list only comes through good experience and advice. In some cases, there may even be laws to follow in order to get the benefit of mailing lists without getting into different legal problems that may arise from using them incorrectly.

When purchasing a mailing list, it is often done for a specific purpose. It's important to obtain a database of contacts that corresponds to the nature of business the buyer is in. A good example would be with a textbook sales company, who would probably find more success marketing to students than to a general audience. As a result, buying a database full of known or prospective students is the beset course of spending money.

There are two broad categories of mailing lists. The more expensive type is named the opt-in mailing list. These lists are built with the idea in mind that everyone in the list had to verify their email address to appear there. Email verification helps take out spam accounts, phishing attempts, incorrect email addresses, and overall saves time in only having to contact those who are proven to be real. It's more money in the long run, but also saves wasted effort and stress.

There are some closely guarded secrets in the marketing industry with regards to mailing lists. There are certain ways to appeal to a possible customer that maximize the odds of getting a sale or commitment. This can range from writing certain email titles to attract attention, and avoid junk mail filters, to writing up targeted content to state in phone calls or in direct mail. There is a wealth of information on the subject in bookstores and online to investigate.

The subject of legality comes into play with mailing lists when they are bought and sold. If a list is being bought, it is extremely dire to know how the list was obtained and under what conditions. Some countries will abide by the rule that if consumer data is bought and sold without a privacy policy explaining the issue, legal trouble could indeed arise. Even riskier is the fact that the buyer may be working with phone numbers on a "do not call" registry- which will result in heavy fines if the marketer isn't careful.

To get the best odds in making a sale of some sort, or at least a lead, a marketer should obtain an up to date consumer mailing list. Even those just a year old may be out of date enough to prove of a little use to a marketer. Some services that sell consumer mailing lists offer a continually updated service. This differs based on pricing, and of course where the contacts are obtained. Asking for a sample of the database is always the best bet in determining its worth.

Final Thoughts

Buying a consumer mailing list is no light decision. Considering the price and many variables present, there's much to consider before signing over the funds for a database. Take a look around at what different services have to offer, ask to see some of their previous works, and above all else spend the time to make a wise purchase.

About the Author:

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home