Using Purchased Mailing Lists
 

Most business owners have good intentions when they purchase an email list. They're often eager to grow their business and feel these lists will help them grow faster. But beware! There are companies out there looking for people new to email marketing and they promise to deliver lists that are "cleaned", "subscribed/opted in, " verified" and "targeted". The truth is, sending email to a purchased list has consequences. Here are some you might not be aware of:

ISP's (Internet Service Providers) may blacklist/block email coming from your email address.
ISP's can choose to blacklist/block your "from" email address due to a high number of invalid email addresses. Once an ISP blocks you, even contacts with valid email addresses will be blocked for that particular ISP. There's also the possibility that one of the email addresses you purchased is a "spam trap". This means that anyone sending email to that specific address will be blacklisted/blocked because they sent email to a "spam trap" address.

Purchased Lists increase the chance of your email being marked as spam.
Recipients from a purchased list may mark your email as spam because they never subscribed to receive your business newsletter. If a large number of contacts marks your email as spam, that can also cause your "from" address to be blacklisted/blocked.

Purchased lists may keep you from sending email to contacts who actually subscribe/opt-in to receive your newsletter
Once an ISP blacklists/blocks your "from" address, even contacts with valid email addresses for that particular ISP will be blocked.

All of the above can cause your business to have a negative reputation within email marketing.

So before purchasing a list, think twice about the consequences. It may take longer but will be much safer - and produce better responses - if you take the time to build your own list. If you have an on-line store or WEB site, give anyone who visits your site the option to receive email from you. If you don't have an on-line store or WEB site, you can still have a sign-up sheet at your register(s). Be creative. Use a sign that says something like "Be the first to hear about our upcoming sales".  Use something that will draw your customers' attention and will make them want  to sign up.

Talk to you soon  ~Norma