As more and more companies start to explore their marketing options online, one obvious place to start is with e-mail campaigns. The first question is ostensibly “where do we get email addresses?”.
Option #1: Your internal database, CRM or customer lists. This is where most businesses will start that have an established business.
Option #2: Buy e-mail lists. Similar to direct mailers, there are hundreds of companies out there that will rent their vetted e-mail lists to you. Attention needs to be paid to the bottom line, as the list and services to send out the emails could be much higher than expected, and the focus needs to be conversions.
Option #3: Build your list on the website. This option takes time. Typically, websites will have a box for the visitor to enter their email address, and then click a subscribe button. Follow-up is key, inluding sending a confirmation email, thanking them for subscribing. Placement of the subscription box is also important. People are three times as likely to subscribe if: a) The box appears on every page; and b) the box is located above the “fold” or scroll line for the page.