You know the basics of how to go about creating your email marketing messages to send out to your list.
If not you can read my article at:
But what type of list do you send those messages too?
Do you know the difference between a list of people who asked for your mailings and the list of people who don’t even know who you are? Do you know the value of each type of list to your marketing activities? Do you know the ultimate cost of each of those two types of lists to your business?
Unsolicited Lists – Are They Worth Your Attention?
You can buy some really huge lists to send your email mailings too. And you can buy those lists relatively cheap.
Those would be lists of people who didn’t ask for your messages. Those would also be lists that are not targeted to people who are potentially interested in the content of the message you’re mailing.
Your cost is higher to create a list of people who ask you to send emails to them. You must do a lot of research to find those people and buy the advertising space to get their eyes pointed your way so they realize their interest in what you offer.
The first type of list I’m talking about here is the bulk list. It’s also called unsolicited because these are people whose email addresses you buy from a vendor who provides them in bulk.
They’re often addresses the vendor compiled from years of collecting them.
These lists are cheap because you’re sending your email marketing message to people who may or may not be interested in your offer. Your conversion to sign-ups or even sales is a very iffy thing.
But your conversion results aren’t the only risk you take when you bulk mail online.
Bulk Mailing Could Cost You Your Business
Mailing to people who didn’t ask you to send them your email marketing messages might get you in trouble with legal authorities in your area. Bulk mailing is against some local laws and very easily can result in your having to pay fines and/or spend time in jail.
Bulk mailing to unsolicited lists can easily get you accused of spamming – the practice of mailing to people who didn’t ask you to and don’t want you to. Too many complaints for spamming will get you blacklisted by your hosting service and your mailing service.
Bulk mailing to people who don’t want your emails very often and quickly causes damage to both your integrity and your business.
Your messages often end up being deleted without getting opened or they go straight to a junk email folder – never to find daylight again.
I have to advise against taking chances on bulk mailing your email marketing messages to people who didn’t ask you to – no matter how appealing the cost and ease of doing so appear to be.
Send Your Email Marketing Messages To People Who Want Them
The ideal list for your email marketing messages is made up of people who subscribe so they can see what you’re sending out. These are people who opt-in to your mailing list because they have an interest in your specific information.
They are very targeted recipients of your mailings.
You build the targeted list through your advertising efforts. People see your ad, articles you write (or have written), blog posts you publish, etc. and – if they’re interested in learning more from you – sign up to get your mailings.
There are also services that help you build your targeted list legally if you choose to hire them. These consist of solo ad vendors, direct email companies, and similar email service providers.
When you mail to your list of opt-in only members you’ll get very few complaints and accusations of spamming. Your email open rates will be high, conversion rates to sales will bring you success, and the activity is legal.
It may cost you more effort and initially more financially to build a targeted list of loyal interested subscribers but over time your business will succeed and your level of integrity will be held in high regard.
I highly recommend that you take the time to build a good quality targeted list to send your email marketing messages too.
I’m thinking you’ll be glad you did.
