Many businesses are looking for free mailing lists rather than buying a direct marketing list. It is possible to obtain a free list, but it is very labor intense and time consuming. There are two options in direct mail marketing. You can create your own free list or buy a list. Compiling your own list for prospecting is not an easy task. This involves gathering information from online sources and/or county offices. Buying a mailing list for prospecting will save you time and money in the long run. Direct mail marketing is an effective way to market your new product or service. Direct mail marketing gives you the ability to reach a larger group of targeted consumers or businesses.
A free list can be created from customers that have already purchased or shown an interest in your company. If you are looking to increase sales from your current customers using free lists from your current database is extremely successful. This is the most effective way to create a free list. These are people that have already purchased your product or service. A reminder buying data lists for marketing mailing with a new offer is a great way to retain your business and get more sales from people that have bought from you in the past. Trying to compile a free mailing list for new prospects that have never purchased from you is a completely different story. It is a very time consuming and tedious task and it is possible that information that is gathered is old and non deliverable.
It makes more sense to buy a list from a mailing list broker or provider when looking to increase the number of new customers. If you are looking to increase your customer base and gain new clients, buying a list is the most efficient way to market. Buying a marketing list gives you the ability to easily select your target audience. Whether selecting businesses, residential, consumer or specialty lists, it is easily selectable by an array of demographics. Buying a marketing list from a data provider gives you the confidence that your information is up to date and guaranteed deliverable. The money that is spent on printing and postage is not worth wasting by using an inaccurate or old database.

Creating free mailing lists and buying a list, can be both ideally growing your business. The decision needs to be based on whether you are looking to increase sales from current customers or looking to gain new customers. In either case, direct mail marketing with mailing lists is proven effective in any business. A focused message with a great offer and accurate mailing list will ensure a company’s marketing success.
If your customers or patients already fill out any kind of form or questionnaire, just add a line asking for the email address. If you want to increase the percentage of people who do write down their email address, you can review that form and ask them for it whenever you find the email address was omitted. To ease their anxiety you may also want to include some verbiage explaining that your policy is to never allow outside access to their email information by any third party. If you don’t use any type of form or questionnaire, consider creating one.
If you offer any service that requires your customers to email you, for reservations, to confirm appointments, to pre-order products for pick-up, to check availability of items, or for any reason at all, you then can add that email address to your data base. If you don’t currently do anything like this, ask yourself how you might add a request for your customers’ emails. Look for something that will enhance the services you offer. Once you do get their email address you can go to your capture site or autoresponder provider where you can input their information yourself.
If you have a computer terminal available at your place of business where a customer can input their information, you can leave your capture site up as your “home page” and suggest they register before they leave.
Just like anything you sell, your customer must clearly see the value they will get from what you offer. Exchange value for their email address. Consider composing a flyer that tells them why they will benefit by being on your subscriber list. If they see themselves benefitting and don’t see any down side- they’ll register.