http://drcinc.us/blog Sat, 25 Feb 2012 07:13:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 What to do with Email Lists for an online business? http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/what-to-do-with-email-lists-for-an-online-business http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/what-to-do-with-email-lists-for-an-online-business#comments Sat, 25 Feb 2012 07:13:15 +0000 admin http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/what-to-do-with-email-lists-for-an-online-business I’m in the middle of starting a company called fitness industries. its an online company that helps people with becoming more fit regardless of if you are already fit or looking to get in better shape. it will have a store soon and a forum. my question is this…ive read that you can get peoples emails and send newsletters on product discounts and updates to the site and things like this…how do you get emails that target your niche?

Emails are a tough thing to obtain – especially those that target people for certain things. How many times have you had an email that requested information which would allow and advertiser to actually target you as a prospective customer? I haven’t seen any yet.

Also, emails can often get lost in spam.

I work for a direct marketing company. More and more people are asking for this due to the low cost of getting the message out, however they don’t realize the response rate is MUCH lower than about any other advertising medium.

There are many places to go to get data – check out the Direct marketing association to find out what might be the best way to do what you wish to do. Also there are companies list InfoUSA that deal in data mining and may be able to help you.

what about placing an advertisement for your site on other sites that people looking for your services are likely to be visiting? This could allow them to come to your site, enter their information and now you have a viable, accurate email address?

You may also determine what cities and audience demographics are most likely to come to your site also – I don’t know for sure what they’d be, you likely know better, but say "San Francisco – men aged 25- 35" are most likely to be fitness fanatics – or maybe women between a certain age with children of a certain income level are the best place to start targeting. You can purchase "resident" lists quite cheaply for these people – they don’t include the person’s name, only the addresses so they are cheap to purchase. Then if you send out the smallest cost communication you can – such as a 4.125 x 6 postcard simply advertising your site and how to get there perhaps including an offer like "enter this code to receive 10% off when you become a member". If you were to identify say 3 large cities and use very narrow demographics then build on that by offering things like discounts for sharing with friends, a small investment in print/mail might get the generator starting.

I think you’d have to purchase like 10X as many emails as you wish to have people contact you (or more) because you can’t target email nearly as well as you can mail. List companies use public domain information such as information found in phone books or the like to identify a person. they routinely proces their data against NCOA data bases by the post office and update when a person moves and leaves a forwarding address for the post office.

good luck!

]]> http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/what-to-do-with-email-lists-for-an-online-business/feed 3 Where can I get free direct mail marketing lists? http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/where-can-i-get-free-direct-mail-marketing-lists http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/where-can-i-get-free-direct-mail-marketing-lists#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:02:18 +0000 admin http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/where-can-i-get-free-direct-mail-marketing-lists I am completing a marketing plan and must include direct mail lists to new companies. It seems there are only lists for sale, however I am wondering if there are free lists out there. Does anyone know of any good sites to find them?

They don’t exist besides you wouldn’t want them if they did.

You’re going to want a scrubbed list for your target market anyway.

Most websites are extremely overpriced for data lists.

If you shop around you should be able to get 1000 names (and address ect scrubbed to your liking) for under $80 bucks.

]]> http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/where-can-i-get-free-direct-mail-marketing-lists/feed 1 Can I ask a user to add their friends to a mailing list? http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/can-i-ask-a-user-to-add-their-friends-to-a-mailing-list http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/can-i-ask-a-user-to-add-their-friends-to-a-mailing-list#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:50:18 +0000 admin http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/can-i-ask-a-user-to-add-their-friends-to-a-mailing-list I have one of "those" clients, who just won’t take advice, and tries designing things themselves in microsoft word, even though they’re paying me. A question I have regarding them though, is that they want a sports team registration form, and want the addresses, and emails of every person on the team so that the can send them email blasts and direct mail stuff. Can the captain who signs them up, opt them into all of this, or is that sort of unethical…because they wouldn’t be signing themselves up for these mailing lists…I know that most of the players want the details from captains, and don’t want to be bothered with the league sending them all this stuff. So my question is, can they use that information from the form for these purposes? I know there’s always the "unsubscribe" option, but I don’t want that to be the focus of responses.

As I see it this is a 2-part process. 1. website getting emails from captain, 2. website communicate with team members.
1. This is no different than those buttons / links to "email this article to a friend", "recommend to a friend", "send ecard to a friend" etc. from many news and blog site. Users who clicked those buttons are exposing their friends’ email. The responsibility is on the user.
2. Team member did not consent to receive anything from the website. The first email from the website should give them a link to sign up for the subscription. If they did not they should not receive any further spam.

]]> http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/can-i-ask-a-user-to-add-their-friends-to-a-mailing-list/feed 1 Marketing Experts: How do You Convert Your Direct Mail Recipients to Email? http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/marketing-experts-how-do-you-convert-your-direct-mail-recipients-to-email http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/marketing-experts-how-do-you-convert-your-direct-mail-recipients-to-email#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:03:07 +0000 admin http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/marketing-experts-how-do-you-convert-your-direct-mail-recipients-to-email I run a nonprofit and our main marketing asset is a direct mail list of 50,000 names – but all physical addresses. Our email list pales by comparison – and in fact pales in comparison to most of our competitors. We would LOVE to convert our snailmail list to email, but it’s a challenge. Are there best practices for getting your list off of the very expensive and time consuming direct mailings and onto email? Thanks for any suggestions.

I suspect you would want to mail out an invitation to a sign up at a web site. Email is somewhat more tightly regulated than postal mail, some measures are required to remain legal and to not get blacklisted by email postmasters.

To conform to the U.S. can-spam regulations you generally have to ask people to opt-in to your mailing list, for best deliverability rates and for help conforming to regulations one can employ an email list management services like Aweber.com, they actually prefer a "double op-in" in which users first sign up on a web site then verify their registration in an email reply. Aweber provides the email submission form that you install on your site that communicates directly with their site.

Marketers who live off email lists will often setup opt-in capture pages offering some sort of incentive like a small free ebook to get them to sign up.

You could throw in an opt-in form in the easy to type-in home page address of your existing site (rather in some lengthy inner page address they would have to transcribe off a postcard), or for better conversion from a mailed out invitation by having a short easy to type in domain name for a page optimized for maximum conversion.

Aweber is the biggest of the ‘autoresponder’ mail services designed to mail out a pre-programmed email message sequence starting day one as each user opts in, there are others like ConstantContact geared more for email blasts to the entire list at once.

Here’s a comparison of some popular email services:

http://workhomebusiness.org/autoresponder-services-review/

]]> http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/marketing-experts-how-do-you-convert-your-direct-mail-recipients-to-email/feed 2 How do I stop sending email with a virus? http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/how-do-i-stop-sending-email-with-a-virus http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/how-do-i-stop-sending-email-with-a-virus#comments Mon, 26 Dec 2011 03:48:20 +0000 admin http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/how-do-i-stop-sending-email-with-a-virus I have been sending an email out to my contacts list with a hyperlink in it and have had no knowledge this has been going on for months. I use this as my business email and don’t want to change the address.

If web based email, log in, change security questions/answers, change alternate email, and make sure there are no alternates that you are unaware of, and change password to one with 10 characters or more. Your pathetic password got you hacked.

If Outlook type email, the scan your computer with MBAM:

http://www.techspot.com/downloads/4716-malwarebytes-anti-malware.html

Full scan

Superantispyware:

http://www.superantispyware.com/ Full scan

Then your AV.

]]> http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/how-do-i-stop-sending-email-with-a-virus/feed 4 How to get email addresses for marketing my business? http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/how-to-get-email-addresses-for-marketing-my-business http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/how-to-get-email-addresses-for-marketing-my-business#comments Sat, 03 Dec 2011 00:00:26 +0000 admin http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/how-to-get-email-addresses-for-marketing-my-business Hi,
I am looking into doing some email marketing for my business. My list of emails is relatively small at the moment and these are made up of existing customers and enquires etc. I have tried searching at Google, sorry Yahoo and going through website after website to get emails but it is taking ages.
My web designer gave me some software to help but it is so complicated that I am still no further on.
Please any help in this area would be great.
Many thanks
Sharon

Hi Sharon
I am not totally surprised by what you are saying about that email harvesting software your web guy gave you, there are lots out that are way to complicated and just don’t work.
The software I use lets you do a complete search and save plus use the data completely free, so worries about wasting money on duff software.
When you first install the software it pops up a wizard that guides you through the process but it is really just typing in one box, so not rocket science.
If you are looking for thousands of email addresses then you can import a merge list which will increase the number of searches done.
Try it and I will be shocked if it doesn’t work you.

]]> http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/how-to-get-email-addresses-for-marketing-my-business/feed 3 I would like to know if anyone knows where to get FREE direct mailing lists.I startted a home biz. http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/i-would-like-to-know-if-anyone-knows-where-to-get-free-direct-mailing-lists-i-startted-a-home-biz http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/i-would-like-to-know-if-anyone-knows-where-to-get-free-direct-mailing-lists-i-startted-a-home-biz#comments Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:59:05 +0000 admin http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/i-would-like-to-know-if-anyone-knows-where-to-get-free-direct-mailing-lists-i-startted-a-home-biz
Wow! Great question! Good lists are never free. It would pay you to pay for the lists. I have used Cheap lists with poor results and really good, fresh, "never been used" lists with great results.

Also, you can use Free classified ads. There are a bunch of those. It takes time, but can be effective if you track the results.

there are some free videos, or a Video Service that teaches all kinds of marketing for a home business. http://www.thebigsuccess.com. They are helpful and they will tell you exactly how to work your mailing piece and how to word classified ads and other free or less expensive ways to market your business. They’ve really helped me.

]]> http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/i-would-like-to-know-if-anyone-knows-where-to-get-free-direct-mailing-lists-i-startted-a-home-biz/feed 2 i have questions about targeted/direct mailing. any help is appreciated.? http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/i-have-questions-about-targeteddirect-mailing-any-help-is-appreciated http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/i-have-questions-about-targeteddirect-mailing-any-help-is-appreciated#comments Wed, 09 Nov 2011 08:43:04 +0000 admin http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/i-have-questions-about-targeteddirect-mailing-any-help-is-appreciated me and my dad want to promote our business we buy diabetic test strips and we want to target senior apartments and any other place we might want to send them. our question is how do we go about this? we know you buy postcards and you must either create or buy mailing lists. then you mail them out. but we dont know how to make a list or the targeted places we want. and if its really expensive to do this. and how we get them mailed out like do we take them to the post office or what. so any help is really appreciated because we would really love to do this. thanks
im sorry im not more specific but i am new to direct mailing and i need to know just the flat out process it takes. thanks

Okay, so…

The best way to tackle this is by purchasing a mailing list, info.usa is a good website to start.
You ideally want to search for a relevant age range where diabetes prevails.
After getting the mailing list, you need to create some mailings! You would have to figure in printing costs, I’m assuming you’d probably want to start somewhere in the 1,000-2,000 mailings a week.
Your situation is a bit vague and I’m having a hard time answering it, try to be more specific.

]]> http://drcinc.us/blog/direct-mailing-lists/i-have-questions-about-targeteddirect-mailing-any-help-is-appreciated/feed 1 Where can I get the best clean, targeted email lists to market my business opportunity to? http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/where-can-i-get-the-best-clean-targeted-email-lists-to-market-my-business-opportunity-to http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/where-can-i-get-the-best-clean-targeted-email-lists-to-market-my-business-opportunity-to#comments Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:47:16 +0000 admin http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/where-can-i-get-the-best-clean-targeted-email-lists-to-market-my-business-opportunity-to
From a broker who you would talk to on the phone so you can give him your demographics and psychographics. If you buy them online you will be subjecting yourself to spamming complaints. The other way is to generate your own from squeeze pages, Joint Ventures or forums.

I heard Russell talking about buying targeted leads from a broker on one of his recent webinars. Actually that course is still current and the webinars are archived. You sign up for free and check it out yourself. I remember him talking about using brokers because I questioned him about it being spam and he explained it a little more in detail about why it wasn’t. I don’t remember all he said so I don’t want to give you bad information. I believe it was either the first or the second webinar he talked about it.

Hope this helps,

Roy

]]> http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/where-can-i-get-the-best-clean-targeted-email-lists-to-market-my-business-opportunity-to/feed 2 where can I get free email lists for my ecommerce business? http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/where-can-i-get-free-email-lists-for-my-ecommerce-business-2 http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/where-can-i-get-free-email-lists-for-my-ecommerce-business-2#comments Sun, 30 Oct 2011 03:48:16 +0000 admin http://drcinc.us/blog/business-email-lists/where-can-i-get-free-email-lists-for-my-ecommerce-business-2 I need customer’s email to traffic too my online health, beauty, and food business

"If you build it, they will come" is not necessarily true on the Web. Putting a website up is one thing, but getting visitors to come to your site is another. The process becomes even more difficult if you have limited resources to market your business.

The only free email lists are those you build yourself in your site — either lists of previous customers or visitors who have expressedly agreed to receive your mailings. You need to have the permission; otherwise you’d be labelled a spammer

Here are some shoestring marketing ideas that can help you get the visitors you need at the least cost possible:

1. Create the best content you can with the best products you can possibly offer. Your content is your best advertisement – if visitors love your content, then they will go back and spread the word to others.

2. Make it easy for users to recommend your site. Viral marketing is very important — and easy to tap on the Web. But give your users the tools. Get a Recommend this Site script from websites such as cgiscripts.com and similar directories of scripts. Some even go as far as giving incentives to those who recommend the site to their friends. If only 10 people go to your site, but these 10 people invite 10 more – that’s additional traffic that you get for FREE!

Recommend Site Scripts (various) http://php.resourceindex.com/Complete_Scripts/Website_Promotion/Recommend_Site/
Big Nose Bird Recommend this Site http://bignosebird.com/carchive/birdcast.shtml
CGI Resource Index http://cgi.resourceindex.com/Programs_and_Scripts/Perl/Website_Promotion/Recommend_Site/
Hostscripts http://www.hotscripts.com/PHP/Scripts_and_Programs/Site_Recommendation/index.html

3. Rank well in the search engines (organic search results, not the pay per click). SEs can be a big source of traffic. The key is to create the best content in your niche. If you have good content, other websites will gladly link to you and offer your site as a resource to their audience. Check the on-page factors and be sure to get linked from authority sites in your topic area.

If you are going to read only one piece on search engine optimization, I suggest you read Brett Tabke of WebmasterWorld.com’s "Successful Site in 12 Months with Google Alone: 26 steps to 15k a day." http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum3/2010.htm

SEO for Google http://www.powerhomebiz.com/052006/google.htm
SEO for Yahoo! http://www.powerhomebiz.com/052006/yahoo.htm
SEO for MSN http://www.powerhomebiz.com/052006/msn.htm
Tying It Together: SEO For The Big Three http://www.powerhomebiz.com/052006/seo.htm

4. Send out press releases. While outfits charge as much as $650 per release, there are free press release submission places on the Web. Press releases allow you to (a) attract media attention; (b) get more back links to your website without sending each website an email request; and (c) get more visibility especially if your press release gets in Google News or Yahoo News.

http://www.prleap.com/sign_up.html

http://i-newswire.com/

http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/

http://www.pressbox.co.uk/cgi-bin/links/add.cgi

http://www.pr.com/press-releases

http://www.prfree.com/

http://www.clickpress.com/releases/index.shtml

http://www.theopenpress.com/

http://www.przoom.com/

http://www.prweb.com

http://www.newswiretoday.com/

http://www.free-press-release.com/

5. Submit articles. Write articles and submit them to websites accepting author submissions. You get exposure for your business; establishes you as an authority in your field, and allows you to get backlinks for your website. If 50 websites publish your article and it contains a link back to your website, then you easily get 50 links from a single article. The more links you have, the greater your chances for increasing your search engine rankings.

Here is a comprehensive list of where to submit your articles http://answers.yahoo.com/question/;_ylt=AhzreGmnCUicOoyedqypscUjzKIX?qid=1006022407481

6. Improve your conversion. Getting visitors is one thing; getting them to buy your products is a whole different story. Read the article "10 Ways to Convert Visitors to Buyers" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/072005/conversion.htm for tips on how to improve your conversion rates.

7. Post a link to your site for free where it is allowed (always read the Terms of Use). Examples are:

Craigslist http://www.craigslist.com
Google Base http://base.google.com
Classifieds for Free http://www.classifiedsforfree.com/…
Text Link Exchange http://www.txtswap.com/
Recycler.com http://www.recycler.com/
Yahoo Classifieds http://classifieds.yahoo.com/
US Free Ads http://www.usfreeads.com/

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