Mailing list buying tips

Beware of faux bargains.
An “expired” list may be cheap to buy, but may cost your company more in the long run with poor response rates. Do a thorough review of mailing list details before choosing any one.

Run a test mailing.
Send multiple versions of your mailing to different subsets of the list, looking at the results, then send the most effective version to the rest of the list.

Plan ahead.
If you’re expecting to purchase a mailing list, have a plan of action in place before you get it. If you have the general makeup for the deliverables, your timeline, and your delivery method, you’ll be well prepared to put the list to work for you immediately.

Don't be seedy.
Only use the list as much as you and the broker agreed to. Brokers monitor how many times a list is used by including “seeds” – fake names that go to a real address controlled by a mail monitoring service. Use BuyerZone's free vendor comparison service to learn which mailing list options they can offer.

Heads up!
Avoid e-mail lists that use “gibberish” characters or trick IP addresses to circumvent spam filters. Legit opt-in lists don’t need to resort to such tactics.

Consider follow up phone calls
You can enhance your mailing efforts with a telemarketing program. Most mailing lists have phone numbers available as well. Using both methods in tandem can produce better results than either used separately.