Effective database marketing should be a key element of your marketing mix. But how can you build your list rapidly and ‘cleanly’?

Like plague rats, bulk email lists are infesting the Internet at a rapid rate. If you have an email account, your details are highly likely to be on any number of bulk email lists currently in circulation. And we bet you didn’t sign up for any of them.

The idea of buying a ready-made list to kickstart your emailing marketing campaign can be tempting. But before you head down this path, heed this warning – not only are they likely to be spectacularly unsuccessful, they could result in your business appearing on Internet blacklists as a spammer.

That’s assuming your email even makes it through in the first place – there is a plethora of spam-blocking software available, all designed to filter out unwanted and unsolicited emails.

Bulk lists can be hot commodities. Spammers regularly make good money buying and selling unsuspecting customer details.

An alternative is list rental, whereby you pay a third party to send an email on your behalf, without you ever seeing the list. Some

more localised options are available today whereby businesses can purchase lists pertaining to a specific geographic area.

But in either case, the people on that list did not sign up to receive your emails. They don’t want to hear from you!

There is no substitute for building your own list of people who do actually want to receive your information. Home-grown, permission-based lists of ‘warm’ contacts are far more likely to result in happier outcomes for your business.