[thelist] Clients want email marketing

Max Schwanekamp lists at neptunewebworks.com
Sat Nov 26 12:56:49 CST 2005


Ken Moore wrote:
> I have about a dozen clients that want to advertise locally or state 
> wide in email campaigns. The lists must be highly qualified: double 
> opt-in, middle to upper class, sort by ZIP. I do not want to do this 
> myself. I have looked around and I cannot tell the rip-offs from the 
> real thing.

In my experience, even so-called legitimate list providers meeting the 
criteria you describe turn bad sooner or later.  It goes something like 
this: provider builds a solid list of interested eyeballs using proper 
double-opt-in etc techniques.  The process is slow, but it does work. 
Then they start renting that list, and they get successful.  Problem is 
they cannot build new lists (and thus grow their product) fast enough, 
and they get start using "third-party" providers for new lists. 
Predictably, one of those providers is a spamhaus, and everyone involved 
goes into a tailspin.

The first, best, way is to build your own double-opt-in, well-pruned 
list.  There are scads of resources on how to do this reliably and 
relatively quickly (GIYF).  This ensures that you have people who are 
willing to hear from *you* (or your client), not just someone fitting 
certain vague criteria.  Done well, this technique results in an 
enthusiastic audience, not just a tolerant one.

If you must go more quickly, you need to find some other business 
compatible with yours (or your client's), and approach them with a JV or 
advertising proposal.  The best such partner would be someone who is 
both sold on your product and has a goodly-sized list.  They'll 
recommend your product to their audience.  You'll give them a referral 
(i.e. affiliate) commission, and you get very quick traffic.  But, this 
is generally a one-off, or sporadic, thing.  Building your own list 
works much better.

Hope this is helpful in some way, if only to help you dissuade your 
client from taking the quick-but-risky route.

-- 
Max Schwanekamp
http://www.neptunewebworks.com/



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