| I have seriously considered an email | | | | a name for a comparable list, maybe List |
| campaign. But I have three overwhelming | | | | A will come down to 6 cents to get your |
| concerns: | | | | business. |
| #1: Finding a legitimate company that | | | | Look for CPA (cost per action or cost |
| will do an email campaign that will not | | | | per acquisition) advertising media. |
| get me in trouble. | | | | Under this model, you only pay for |
| #2: I must get this at a reasonable | | | | recipients who respond to your |
| price and with a guarantee of success | | | | advertising, such as by clicking through |
| for my money. | | | | to your Web site. CPA deals are much |
| #3: Possibly a free or reduced cost | | | | harder to find than regular straight |
| trial run to prove to me that their | | | | advertising, but it can be done. |
| lists are good and that I won't get | | | | Ask the list owner if they will be |
| flamed with negative responses from | | | | willing to review your creative (email |
| irate recipients. | | | | ad copy, design, Web site) and make |
| The problem is that everyone on the 'Net | | | | suggestions on how you can be more |
| promises the world with no proof to back | | | | successful getting a response from their |
| them up. Can you help? | | | | audience. Generally speaking, the |
| 1. Finding a legitimate email list | | | | supplier will want to help you to be |
| provider: | | | | successful, because that means you're |
| You are right to be cautious about this, | | | | going to come back to buy more |
| as there are many unscrupulous | | | | advertising. |
| businesses offering email lists. Many | | | | Try email newsletter advertising. I'm |
| claim to be opt-in mailers when in fact | | | | astonished at how many advertisers |
| they are spammers. Here are some | | | | ignore this superb advertising medium. |
| suggestions for finding a reliable | | | | It's much less expensive than commercial |
| supplier: | | | | opt-in lists but can give you access to |
| Before using anyone's services, call the | | | | a targeted, responsive audience. Using |
| company. Make sure that you talk with an | | | | our site (http:/ |
| actual human being. Find out the source | | | | market.emailresults.com), you can send a |
| of their lists and ask how they are | | | | request-for-proposal to 168 newsletter |
| compiled. Make sure that the recipients | | | | publishers, or find them through our |
| on their lists have given explicit | | | | directory. |
| permission to receive email advertising | | | | 3. Doing a trial run: |
| of the type you are planning to send. | | | | I always recommend testing with any kind |
| Avoid anyone who says they are in the | | | | of direct response advertising. Many |
| "bulk email" business or anyone who says | | | | list owners will let you try mailing to |
| their lists are compiled from public | | | | a smaller sample to test the response. |
| sources -- this means the addresses have | | | | If the response rate is promising, you |
| been harvested using spammers' | | | | can roll out to the whole list with more |
| extraction programs. Another red flag: | | | | confidence. The burden will still be on |
| extremely low prices, such as a million | | | | you to pay the cost of the advertising, |
| addresses for $199. | | | | but your risk is reduced because you're |
| 2. Reasonable price and a guarantee of | | | | making a smaller buy. What constitutes a |
| success: | | | | smaller sample will depend on your |
| In this area you need to be realistic. | | | | marketing plan and the size of the list. |
| After all, this is your business and | | | | A sample could easily fall anywhere |
| your product. Advertising is part of the | | | | between 5,000 and 100,000 names. |
| cost of doing business, and the burden | | | | Again, I urge you to be realistic about |
| is on you to bear that cost. This is a | | | | this matter of advertising. It's an |
| reality of business. That said, here are | | | | unavoidable cost of doing business. |
| a few things you can do: | | | | You're going to have a very hard time |
| Dicker on price. The list owner's rate | | | | convincing anyone else to share that |
| card is only a starting point. Often an | | | | cost. Many promising businesses (and |
| advertiser can get a lower price just by | | | | their products) simply never get off the |
| asking. | | | | ground because they don't put in the |
| Shop around. If List A's price is 10 | | | | time, effort, and money necessary to |
| cents per name but List B quoted 7 cents | | | | promote the product. |