By now we have all heard content is king when developing great marketing strategies. But in the content push, it seems a long lost core requirement for great marketing has been set aside. The saying used to be “your list is everything.” At Plumb Marketing, we know all too well how important this concept still is. So how can you accumulate a great list of targeted people to market to? We have a few ideas for you.

1.      Buy a list, but only from high quality vendors. We had a client recently share with us that they purchased a list from another group. When the mailer went out, several hundred were returned undeliverable. When we provided the list, we had 32 returns. When you are considering purchasing a list, ask your vendor partner about their data processing capabilities and list sources. Not every purchased list is the same. With a great list, you can save money and get a better return on your investment.

2.      Develop your list over time. Start with your existing clients. Your current clients already know, like and trust you. They will be happy to hear from you and you will achieve a higher retention rate by remaining top of mind. As new prospects arrive, add them to your list even if they do not become clients initially. Studies are showing people need to interact with a brand 7 to 12 times before they will do business with them.

3.      Ok, content IS king. Make sure everything you send to your list creates value, whether it is a promotional offer or a blog post, always keep your market in mind. Not sure what they may want to see? Create a persona for each main demographic on the list. Then speak to that persona. If you find you have multiple types of people that you market to, begin to segment your list to personalize and customize to each demographic. Need a great tool? We have one for you. Just click “developing an ideal customer profile.”

4.      Create compelling web form offers. By adding great content to download on your website in exchange for an email list, you can begin to market online. Overtime as you build trust with your list, ask them for an address in exchange for an offer. At Plumb Marketing, we often get an email address, send out our monthly newsletter, then remind people to provide us with an address so we can send a physical quarterly newsletter with offers and great marketing tips.

These are just a few ideas for accumulating high quality lists for your business. If you need additional ideas, contact us. Print, mail and fulfillment is our business. We know all too well how important that list can be! 

Need more ideas? Download our 19 Strategies To Increase Revenue Booklet!