Building A Successful Mailing List

Anyone who has ever used a form or direct marketing, electronic or otherwise, knows the key to success is the list.  Whether it’s a list of postal addresses, phone numbers, or email addresses, no direct marketing campaign can be successful without a solid distribution list.

Those of you, who already understand this importance, also know how challenging it can be to develop and maintain a successful contact list. If there were one sure-fire way to ensure your message was going to the right people, everyone would have wildly successful marketing campaigns.

But, since there is no sure-fire way, companies must try different techniques to build a list the reaches their target market. Here are just a few tips to get you started….

  • Promote Your List – This rule can be carried throughout all of your marketing efforts, cross promote your list though all of the avenues already in use. Social media, your website, advertisements, and other company materials can all be used to encourage people to join your mailing list.
  • Give them a Reason to Join – Don’t just ask people to join, tell them why they should join! Will you be featuring exclusive content, special discounts, or giveaways? Your audience won’t know unless you tell them and encourage them to sign up.
  • Utilize Industry Tradeshows – Tradeshows can be an excellent place to collect qualified leads.  Again, you can use giveaways or special discounts in return for sign ups, or, make your sole purpose of the show to gain qualified leads.  Meet as many new people and collect as many business cards as possible to add to your list.
  • Add an “Email to a Friend” Button to your Emails – If you prefer to push your messages electronically, add the “Email to a Friend” button to your email communications. People are far more likely to join a list that someone they know suggested. Let your current subscribers promote and grow your list for you.

While there may never be one clear way to build a successful direct mail list, using these tips and tracking new additions, can surely get you off to a great start.

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