Warning! 5 Reasons You Should Never Buy A List/Database

One word: SPAM!

About decade ago, I’d have said go ahead and use this method of marketing. It would result in a decent return on investment. Today, with the growth of online marketing and the number of companies and individuals who can access and arbitrage data, the ability to reach any target demographic is significantly enhanced. To do so effectively takes more strategy and consideration than just buying an email list that’s likely been sold to a number of other people.

Ask yourself this: when’s the last time you appreciated receiving a cold email? It’s no different than receiving a call from a telemarketer or a piece of unsolicited direct mail. In any case, you’re hanging up or tossing it into the literal or electronic trash. Mailing a cold list just makes you a part of this garbage problem.

There are many short cuts to generating leads and sales… and a lot of incredible ninja tactics to engage your prospects, but trying to hit their inbox this way is just a big ol’ no-no!  

One crucial factors in email marketing is having your emails opened and getting click throughs (people clicking on the links in your email). These are a huge determination factor on whether your future emails will ever hit someone- or anyone’s- inbox. If your emails get marked as spam, you’re toast. When enough people delete or mark your emails as spam, your SMTP server (email sender) will begin to consider your emails as such. They may even disable your account. 

With the new CANN spam laws, it’s continuing to get harder and harder to even hit people’s inbox. Email providers sort emails by importance on behalf of their users. At best, you’ll hit their inbox, but it’s far more likely your email will land in their promotions or even spam bins. There are too many variables at play, and it only becomes increasingly more difficult over time.

Email bombardment is such a struggle for most people that even if they requested the emails, the likelihood that they’re going to open and read them is less and less. How many times have you had to create a new email address just because your inbox is flooded with garbage? 

To add insult to injury, you’re nearly guaranteed not to be the first one to buy the email list. It’s likely been sold hundreds of times over. That’s right. If you bought the list, someone else has, too. That means they’re getting spammed by everyone and their brother.

Don’t be that person ????????????. We all want our businesses to grow and thrive, but doing so takes time and creating relationships. Those relationships won’t be developed by jamming inboxes with random (and most likely poorly written) emails pitching your offer.

Scary as it may be, Big Data is Big Business. It’s worth billions. That’s why it’s bought and sold. But what do you do? You use big data to your advantage. 

There are some incredible strategies you can implement with these exact lists that will get the same people to engage with you and give you a much better chance of converting them into a lead, sale, client or potential referral.

So, while I maintain that it’s never a good idea to buy a list, if you have, there’s hope for it. Don’t mail the list just yet, though. And even if you have, you’re not sitting dead in the water. We’re going to turn that cold list into a hot prospect list in a surprisingly simple way. Hang on and keep an eye out for my next article all about what to do with that email list you’re purchased.