Buying Email Lists for B2B Email Marketing? Bad Idea. Build an Email List of Your Own

Readymade email lists that promise an Everest-sized bump in sales through email marketing are a lure that even experienced B2B marketers fall for. They don’t work.

The pox of purchased email lists has blighted many a B2B email marketing campaign. Read on to find out why and about the best ways to build an email list that will keep on delivering sales for you.

Why Buying Email Lists for B2B Email Marketing is a Bad Idea

1. A purchased email list, even if purportedly “opt-in” does not mean that the emails have opted-in to receive your emails.
2. Reputed email marketing software disallows email blasts from lists that are not opt-in. The alternative is to use a vendor that lets you do so, but even then such a B2B email marketing campaign is bound to fail because emails originating from dubious email service providers rarely get delivered. Your legitimate business will earn a bad rap, and future emails you send will end up in the Spam folder.
3. Email lists are like a gift that keeps giving. Why would anyone sell a good email list? It stands to reason that such lists are of inferior quality and are very likely in violation of the CAN-SPAM act. Use such a list at your own peril.

Build Your Own Opt-In Email List

1. Give people a very good reason to share their email ID with you. Gated content is the most favored technique with B2B email marketing. E-books, webinars, and product updates work well with decision makers and opinion influencers that businesses seek to target.
2. Web tools are a great resource that offers value to the user and your business. Does your industry lend itself to tools that you can offer in exchange for an email ID? Maybe, something like an industry trend monitor, calculator, resource finder, etc.
3. Everybody loves a good discount, and this includes your B2B email marketing targets. Give your email list members the first rights on deals and discounts that your business may offer. Keep them updated on the latest industry happenings – product recalls, mergers, new launches, and trend forecasts.
4. Create multiple landing pages and promote them via social media and PPC marketing. Content marketing should be a part of your B2B email marketing strategy.