Are You A Good Read?

So you have decided to buy space on an email list... good for you.

What list?

I'd contact a like-minded site. A site in your niche. A site that discusses the same themes and thus would have the same type of readers. But how do you know it's a good list?

Reputation? High cost? Dumb luck?

Here are some questions... crucial questions to ask before renting a list:

Are lists opt-in?

To what level have they opted in?

How often do individuals on the list receive offers?

Are new names added regularly?

Are unsubscribes removed?

Is the list exclusive to this manager?

What do the message headers and footers look like?

What does the sender line look like?

What's the average undeliverable rate?

Are there creative limitations?

To what level can you target the audience?

What kind of reporting and tracking is provided?

Most importantly... Is it a good read?

This might be THE Question. So what do you do... you subscribe. Get on the list. Check out what you get. Is it interesting? Good content? Are you reading?

If the eletter is not sending valuable information... if you are not compelled to read every issue... why would anyone read the adverts?

Fact is they won’t… and if folks are not reading the adverts why would you buy that space?

Make sense?

I see this all the time with financial lists that send out closing bell “market notes.” The same info at the end of the day that you can get via TV, Radio, Text messages, throughout the Internet and on hundreds of e-letters.

So how is this different?

Most times it’s not… and most times I walk away with my marketing budget still in my pocket.

Plus, try to unsubscribe. See if you can... you'll be surprised how many lists don't let reader unsub or just leave you on the list after you’ve requested the unsubscribe. As such, these lists have thousands of dead names on their lists. Padding to make more money on the CPM.

Bottom line: Running to outside lists can be expensive. Do the proper due diligence. Spend the time to research and if you’re willing to run at a loss, (80% B/E – see CVoD “A Quick One”), I'm certain in the long run these placements will be productive for you.

Do your homework, and get some names with web site list runs…