Know-How Exchange : E-Marketing

Hi mm print:

A great resource if you haven't checked is that your same question has been asked and answered multiple times on the forum. If you go click on the email marketing category at the top, you'll find excellent answers, or go to the top right and click on "Search Questions" and enter "lists" in the search term box.

Your Q:I need some advice as to how I can purchase email lists for people who have opted to received email on a specific topic.

A: There are many vendors, the reputable ones are discussed in the archives.

Your Q:Also, after you have the email list how do you mass email them all without being penalized by your service provider? Is there a way or a company that will provide mass email services for you?


A: Depends on how many, you won't necessarily be penalized if you don't jam their server. For the best performance and no hassle, use a third party like Constant Contact, this is the best way to go, then the load is on them and they do it all day long so no big deal to them. Many other benefits also. Again,if you search the archives you will find many recommended providers.

Your Q: This is for non-commercial purposes, it is more like an informational resource. Although, the initial mailing must go to a very large number of people. We are starting an online community focusing on graphics design and publishing. This email would basically be an invitation to join. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


A: Don't be mistaken, it sure sounds commercial, so you need to be abide by CAN-SPAM.

I hope that helps, if you still need help and want to discuss in more detail please feel free to contact me, just click on my name.

One route that allows you to get the targets you are after, but keeps you from looking like you are spamming, is to send an email ad through a publication.

In your case, you could work with marketing media, like the American Marketing Assocation, 4marketeers.com, or even this web site. You provide the ad content, and the publication mails it out to some or all of their distribution list. All the folks on their list have opted in and are in that indsutry.

Maybe I missed it, but I don't see a couple of very, very important points. Pardon me if I am saying something that everyone here knows.

You should not ever (EVER!) "purchase" or "buy" an e-mail list. Never, ever! If you are sending your e-mail to names not on your own house-list, then you should be renting them for a one-time use, and you should never actually be given the data.

A legitimate list owner or manager would never, ever "give" such an asset to someone seeking lists. Think about it. Why would they do that? What stops you from then e-mailing that list a billion times, or renting it to other people? Moreover, even if such a list were available for you to actually buy, think about how many other times that list has been sold! You can bet that that list is full of people who are sick and tired of the SPAM they're getting.

So, in summation. (1) You never, ever BUY legitimate lists. You rent them. (2) You will never, ever SEE the data. You will pass along your creative files with hyperlinks and subject lines to the list owner or manager, and THEY will set up and deploy the mailing.

Having said that, once someone provides their e-mail address to you because they respond to your offer, that e-mail address is yours to do with as you see fit in accordance with your privacy policy and, of course, all applicable laws and regulations (and common sense and good business practices).

Hope this is helpful.

Paul A. Broni
Inbox Interactive, Inc.