Should You Rent Or Buy Email List Leads?
In short, renting an email list generally means paying another third party an agreed upon amount on a monthly basis to utilize their list for one email message. Of course, such email list renting arrangements can vary widely with some agreeing to deliver more than one email per month. In addition, some online rental companies have developed tools that help subscribers manage and sort their lists of emails. These programs allow subscribers to make it easier to retrieve emails that have been deleted or simply to manage the list themselves.
The advantages of renting an email list are obvious. With this approach, online marketers get to expand their customer base by reaching more people who would not have visited their site otherwise. Additionally, with these lists many businesses are able to make significant financial gains because they only pay for the people who actually sign up for the service. This is contrary to what many online businesses believe that causes them to overpay for each subscriber.
Renting an email list is also beneficial in other ways. Many internet marketers believe that starting out with just one email list is easier because it forces them to be more aggressive in terms of getting customers. List renting allows them the freedom to try different methods and strategies without having to invest a significant amount of time initially. In fact, many times the only outlay that an internet marketer need to do is to provide their client with a contact list to manage.
However, the disadvantages of renting email lists are also apparent. One major disadvantage is the lack of control over how the list is used. It may be possible that some individuals will sign up only to be ignored after a while. Additionally, it is easy to forget to renew an existing account when doing so online. For these reasons, many email list brokers recommend that users rent their lists to ensure better management of customer contacts.
Another disadvantage of renting email lists is that many times a business owner does not receive any monetary savings. Even though a large number of subscribers are being rented, the cost per subscriber remains the same. Many times these offline direct marketing professionals advise that the small print on contracts should be read in full and should include the charges associated with email lists before signing or entering into any agreements.
Lastly, one disadvantage of renting email lists is that there is often no flexibility with the content of messages. This can prove problematic if the message content requires changes or modifications. As an example, if a prospective customer requests additional information or products and you are unable to modify the initial agreement you have with the customer, this can cause problems and issues. Ultimately, this can prevent your business from making any sales and can ultimately lead to you losing money. The best advice that can help with addressing this issue is to always provide your customers with an "up-front" indication as to what you can and cannot do for them. You should also determine whether these alterations can be made prior to renting your lists.
One final consideration that needs to be addressed is whether it is worth it to rent an email list. You will need to consider the overall cost of doing so. In most cases, this will be determined by the number of subscribers that are being added to your list and the length of time you plan to maintain these contacts. If you are not sure how to determine whether it is worth it to invest in renting a list, you can seek professional advice from your local real estate broker. In fact, many brokers offer a free consultation to potential clients where they can analyze your situation and determine whether or not this is a good option for you.
There are a number of reasons why it may be advantageous for your business to consider buying email lists rather than renting them. However, it is important to address these issues in order to determine whether or not it would be right for your business. When you choose to buy your email leads, make sure you do thorough research to ensure you are getting exactly what you need and nothing less. In order to protect yourself and your business, you will want to conduct adequate research before making any decision.