For email marketing, is buying an email list preferred or is it spam and I have to build a list first?
Should I buy a list or should I build a list ?
Buying will make my list big and I will be able to start my marketing right away, while building might give me higher conversions in long term but will have to build it .
What would you prefer in terms of branding ? Will the purchased list cause my brand to be thought of as spammy?
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May 26, 2016
If you have a website, I recommend building your email list vs. buying a list. Adding a simple call to action for visitors to enter their email when they land on your page is a good place to start.
Jan 30, 2015
Using a purchased list for an email campaign only violates the CAN-SPAM Act if your email is done in bulk. Last time I checked, if you send personalized and well-written messages one-at-a-time based on research that suggests the receiver will be interested you will be OK as far as the Act is concerned. There will still be some people that won't appreciate the effort. I'm not on that list. Bring it on. My eMail filters are working. Are yours? - The Pragmatic Web Designer
May 29, 2014
Although we all want to have a big list, what matters most is the quality of the connection. You can achieve far more in your business with a small number of people who are truly your tribe than you can with a huge list of strangers that now probably dislike you for invading their email space. You wouldn't show up at a complete strangers house and try to have a conversation in real life; don't do it digitally.
May 8, 2014
Don't buy a list! It's not legal. Regardless, those folks would have no idea who you are, and it'd be a waste of money. Spend the time to cultivate relationships and create your own list. You'd be surprised how fast it grows if you drive folks to your Web site and encourage them to sign up for your e-mail. Offer them a "freebie" of some nature to sign up for your e-mail list; perhaps give them a free white paper or e-book you've written, or a small discount on their purchase of your product or service. I know it's hard to be patient, but that's the right way to go about it. Steer clear of anyone peddling e-mail lists!
Best of luck,
Jess
Apr 29, 2014
Its better to make your email list yourself. Email marketing is still the best form of marketing in terms of conversion rate. Your list should be targeted and personalized.
Apr 28, 2014
Definitely build a list. With a bit of technology use you would even be able to sort your users emails and thus send different messages to different sections of your list (so you can use it for branding but also for a direct response purposes i.e. send one email to buying customers, another one for premium ones and a teaser content to a non buying contacts from the list).
Take some time in pruning and sorting the list it will pay off. and of course a mailing list, like a whole newsletter campaign should come as a part of your greater digital marketing effort and should work in synergy with other channels.
Apr 28, 2014
You could look at building your email list by searching a relevant database of target customers. I did that for my business by accessing local business databases in a library(access is expensive otherwise) and then researching through that list to get email addresses - while this method is time consuming, it does allow you to target people effectively through email.
And dont forget email is still the most effect digital marketing tool. And use a tool like Mailchimp or Constant Contact to manage your mailing lists
Apr 25, 2014
I think building the list is always a much better idea. However, if you've already bought a list then you might as well validate the list by individually contacting all the parties and based on that research you can still build your contacts.
This will obviously take time but it's worth every moment if you're trying to build your network and business.
Apr 25, 2014
The biggest things you have to protect is your image and reparation.
It is important what doing an email marketing is to be very specific with your target.
Who they are, what level of contact you should make.
What compelling story are you going to present.
This then tends to be market / industry specific.
Even if you buy a list. you should not use it until you know it is accurate.
and the people on the list do still work for the company you are targeting.
Sometimes it's hard to know how old the list is.
You need to know that the contact is still working in that department or area of influence.
All of this means that you will have to do some work in verifying your purchased list.
So with this in mind you may as well spent the time building your list.
after all you will then know that it is up to date, with the correct names and positions.
Apr 25, 2014
Wow! Lots of good questions.
The best way is to build your own list. That allows you to have opt ins and views. 35% of people usually read emails. So to get the most bang for the buck having your own opt in list is best. Then you can help keep it going to Junk and never seen.
There are lots of ways to get your own list. Do you collect business cards?
If so do you market to them? If not think about that.
Do you have any list of your own to begin with. Are you marketing to it, a start.
Do you have an irresistible offer and a great capture page to direct interested
people to you and web offer?
Though about PPC? Gets you to the top of the page with Google and can be cost effect depending on your market.
What marketing are you going after local, national or international?
Might think of joint ventures with not competing companies?
Just some thoughts.
And then you can buy double opt in lists. It all can work to some degree or other.
Great feedback Jessica. Couldn't have said it better.