Why Should a Micro Business Build an Email List?

“DigYour Well Before You’re Thirsty.” —-Harvey McKay

Before email became popular with over 3.5 Billion addresses all over the world, there was snail mail. Remember that? We had a box outside our home office where we collected paper envelopes with letters inside them. 

Harvey McKay had an envelope company. He built a mailing list of people he met, knew, or had a referral from a friend. Yes, he would spend a day a month and call people from his Rolodex list just to say Hi and see how the person was doing. Often they would speak of business. He never asked for the order during these calls. He cultivated relationships.

His book, “Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty,” explains how he built a Rolodex file of over 5,000 names! He not only put the essential information of address and telephone number (remember the days we had just two numbers?), he also put the spouses name, children’s names and significant events to remember about that person. It jogged his memory when having a conversation.

This list built his envelope business into a thriving enterprise. He decided to write a book, “Swim With the Sharks,” and went to his publisher to make his pitch. He was from a midwestern state and not known nationally. But he had that list of 5,000 names and addresses that virtually ensured a successful first print run.

The book made the New York Times Bestsellers list right out of the gate. How? He informed the people on his list about the book and sold all of them since his contacts knew him and wanted to see what pearls of wisdom he had to share from his business experience. 

He met a famous cable news interviewer in a cab, and he told him about the book and the interesting stories he had to tell. Alan King put him on the air and Harvey McKay became a household name in the early 1980’s. 

How an Old School Method became a New School Phenomena:

Today, it is the email list that has replaced the snail mail list. People look at their email box at least once a day, like we used to do for the mailbox outside our door. 

You don’t need a huge list, but quality counts. Be sure to define your target market. Send out content in a drip autoresponder to ensure your list is populated with your target. 

How would a micro-business use a mailing list?

Here are a few suggestions to consider:

1. A real estate agent could announce a new listing with the email. This is a powerful incentive to offer a home owner to list with you.
2. A restaurant could announce a discount for their premium dinner.
3. A chiropractor could announce a free spine exam during national spine month.
4. A Dog Groomer could ask for referrals of new dogs and puppies in exchange for a free grooming.
5. A hearing aid dispensing practice could announce a year’s supply of hearing aid batteries for a referral.
6. An automotive tire shop could offer a free oil change with the purchase of tires.

There are countless ways to use the list to increase business. 

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