The 5 Mail List Selection Tips You Aren’t Using

Getting the word out about your business can be one of the toughest things you have to do as a business owner or manager. As much as you want to simply shout from the rooftops about your fabulous product or service, or brag about your spotless reputation, there is a lot of competing ‘noise’ out there. How can you get your prospect to ‘hear’ you among so many other voices, and hear your message over theirs?

The first place to start is deciding to whom you’re going to focus that message. That is the concept of Target Marketing that we’ve talked about in the past. The first step in THAT process is putting together the list of prospects. List construction is critical in several areas, not the least of which are finances and potential impact. You don’t have to spend a ton to get your message out. And you want to ensure that you’re hitting as many high-value prospects as possible, that population of businesses or individuals most likely to find what you’re selling impactful and important to them.

I’ve found over the years that there are a ton of ways you can reach prospects, and I’ve clarified what I’ve learned into these Five Easy Tips for Target List Creation:

1.) Detailed Definition – First and foremost, you want to make sure the list you’re making (or renting) speaks specifically to your ideal prospect. We’ve talked about using the method for anything other than a ‘general announcement’ which goes to out the masses (e.g., a Grand Opening of your donut business). Clearly define your target market and go after those names first.

2.) Start from within – Depending on how long you’ve been in business (and the nature of the business, itself), you might have a treasure trove of names to start with. Are you capturing contact information from your existing clients?  What about other sources like conference attendees, or subscribers lists, or industry directories? Make the most out of what you have under your nose.

3.) Be ‘Selective’ – Probably goes without saying that a list broker can help you quickly and easily narrow down your audience by targeting selective segments whether by state, zip code, company size, etc. It might add a little bit to the cost, but the time and effort saved can be positively illustrated as part of your ROI.

4.) Use multiple sources – Just like your retirement account, you don’t want all your eggs in one basket. Trade magazines, marketing classified and websites, and even word of mouth are great ways to identify different list broker sources.  Don’t limit yourself to the reach or talent of an individual broker. Testing brokers and their lists can be just as valuable as testing your message.

5.) Start small – You don’t necessarily need to shoot for the moon on your list generation. In fact, I think it’s better to start small. Not only is it financially beneficial, but you also ensure that the numbers of prospects on your list relative to the number you expect to respond is a number you can manage. We’ve talked about that before. There’s no need to rent a broker’s entire list, especially if you’re using multiple brokers, or if you’re testing both their services and the message you’re sending to prospects. Rent a couple thousand names (that might be a LOT for some of you, so figure out what’s right for what you can handle), and then go back for more if what you’ve done has been successful.

Building great lists – which are profitable and sustainable and repeatable – is a powerful and extremely intelligent concept you can rely on to steadily watch your business grow. It can be easier said than done, which is why you will want to consult professionals, get second opinions, and pay close attention to the results.

Give Opportunity Knocks a call today. We’ve got Success Coaches standing by to help you understand the Ins and Outs of building a great list of prospects, and efficiently getting the word out to those prospects with the right messages.