Digital Marketing SEO Consultancy

Use The Data

Lead generation has traditionally been costly. Direct mail is famous for low response rates and high costs per response because they include the cost of paper, postage, printing and whatever you must pay for the list itself. Moreover when you buy a list, you often cannot control how targeted the list is.

In order to turn names on a list into prospects, you must first do a complete mailing to see which names and addresses are good, and which ones might be likely prospects. And then you are able to effectively mail to that list. In addition to being costly, this process is slow. The Internet changes all that, offering focused, targeted communications at a fraction of the cost.

Building Your Database of Email Addresses
 
Developing an opt-in list is done by collecting email addresses from people who have given you permission to email them with information, so that your emails are not tagged as SPAM.

Building this kind of quality, "targeted" list of prospects is a critical step in building your online business. Ideally, the best way to generate repeat visitors to your site is to capture their email addresses by offering an opt-in subscription to some kind of publication or in return for an article or some other item they might value.
Part of the rationale behind building an opt-in list is that it allows you to maximize the potential lifetime value of a customer, as opposed to just going for the one-time sale, which is the strategy behind SPAM. People who buy once will often buy again, and you want to have an easy means of communicating with them on an ongoing basis.
There typically are a few different types of email opt-in lists: Current/new customers, Prospects, and Subscribers (to newsletters, etc), and Other people's customers. And it’s helpful to understand their differences when it comes to these communications.

Customers

Your customers' names and email addresses represent the first best list you own. Once they buy from you, a trust is built and a relationship established, increasing the likelihood they will buy from you again in the future. You should take great care with this list, as you likely invested heavily in building this list in the first place. This investment starts to pay off when you begin selling to them more over time.
So, if you do not already have the email addresses of your customers, start collecting them. And ask all new customers for their email addresses. With current customers, you can collect email addresses next time you send a flyer, or offer some kind of incentive for responding by email. Incentives can include a contest, survey, ebook, discount, gift certificate, special offer, etc.
 
Prospects

You should also start compiling email addresses for your prospects as well. Anyone who asks for more information is identifying themselves as interested in your product/service and they should be placed into an opt-in list.
While these prospects may not buy after the first or even the seventh exposure, they might eventually. Prospect delay purchasing for many reasons: no time, no money, etc, but their interest means that they can be considered a "warm" prospect, and that they might buy in the future, or be interested in something else you offer. Or, they could become a source of referral.

They could also want to become:

Subscribers

Subscribers to your newsletters should also be collected into an opt-in list. And, they can join your list in return for getting something free. For instance, place a form on your website or an email link pointing to your autoresponder, offering visitors to subscribe to your mailing list. In return, offer them something for free. It might be a free report, an email newsletter (or "ezine"), an extra discount, a coupon, a course (with lessons delivered incrementally, like this one!) and so on... Anything free!
Visitors may not buy from you the first time. They may even be targeted, eager and interested in your offering, but fail to buy because of a lack of time, funds, trust or information! You spent all that money and effort in getting them to visit your website in the first place... Why not capitalize on your investment and get the most "mileage" out of your visitors? If you DON'T try to capture your visitors' emails while they're at your website, you will lose these prospects forever. You want to keep them coming back or stay in touch with them! Once you collect email addresses from your autoresponder, add them to your prospect list and send them updates, news and, of course, product offers. Your list is your goldmine!

Other People's Customers

While it is self-evident that building a list of prospects, customers and subscribers is a good idea, what do you do when need to build a list quickly? The short answer is to get access to other companies’ lists through joint agreements. Start by finding an established, non-competitive business that has an opt-in list. Car salesmen might pair up with insurance companies, for example, to make joint cross-offers (newsletters on insurance with purchase of car, etc).