9 Tips for Choosing Your Company’s Email List Broker

82% of marketers use email marketing. These campaigns have an astounding 4,200% ROI, a number that other marketing strategies can’t match.

The best way to start is to build a list of reliable addresses from interested customers. That’s easier said than done when 50% of the world has an email address, leaving you with 4.3 billion accounts to sift through.

An email list broker makes the process easier. They guide you to the best email lists for your business so that you can have successful digital marketing campaigns.

Read on to learn how to choose the best list broker.

Compliance

Gathering email lists isn’t as easy as picking them from a data set. There are rules that every list broker needs to follow.

The CAN-SPAM Act regulates how email addresses can be used for marketing. Complying with this law makes sure that you can use them for your marketing campaign and that they’re all genuine.

You’ll also have to find a broker who can find email lists that comply with your Email Service Providers. Certain ESPs have rules about which ones you can use for marketing campaigns and how you can use them.

List brokers who aren’t compliant can’t be trusted. You both run the risk of getting into serious legal trouble.

Reputation and Experience

Check how long the list broker has been in business. Look at what they’re experienced in as well as how. Look for one with a long history of helping clients that are targeting the same types of customers you are.

Look at reviews and testimonials to see what those past customers thought of the broker. Check online or ask in person to see any references they can provide.

Services

List brokers can do more than find lists. They can also help avoid common email marketing list mistakes. Their extra features such as automatically segmenting lists and removing inactive subscribers can be a lifeline to your campaign.

Not all brokers offer them, and some may only work in other forms of digital marketing such as social media. Make sure you know what they can do for you before you sign on.

Check that they’ll be able to gather every type of list that you need. These may include:

• Business
• Consumer 
• Geographic
• Demographic
• Psychological
• B2B
• B2C

Quality of Data

List brokers are data finders, so you should always ask to analyze the data they provide. Ask for a sample to see what’s included in it and how accurate it is.

Find out where it came from. Compiled email lists contain address data from other data sources without the recipient’s knowledge. Response email lists require the recipient to opt in. The latter option is better for marketing campaigns because it provides additional information and ensures that the addresses are genuine. 

Ask the list broker how often they update their data and when it was last used. Otherwise, you could end up sending promotional emails to addresses that no longer exist. 

Test the data before you use it in a full campaign. Run a small-scale campaign with similar providers to the ones you’ll eventually be using. Measure the engagement rates of that campaign. If they’re lower than your standards, it’s a sign that the data may be low-quality and not worth your time and money to use.

Delivery and Rental Process

An email list is so valuable to your campaign that you should treat it like precious cargo. Find out how it’s getting to you and when.

Research the delivery method the list broker uses. Find out what software they’ll use and check that it’s compatible with your email software. Delivery guarantee rates should be at least 90%.

If you’re renting email lists from a broker, find out their rental terms. They may provide lists that you can only mail to once or let you send more than one email. 

Ask about their expected timeline. Knowing when you’ll get your lists helps you schedule your campaign. If you don’t get them in time and the broker can’t give a proper reason why, you’ve chosen the wrong one and should move on to another.

Prices

The price of working with a list broker depends on what type of lists you ask them for. Consumer lists cost less than business lists. The price goes up the larger and more targeted your lists become.

Create a budget for your campaign and give it to the list broker. Remember that quality data is worth paying more for, but try to find a balance between quality and affordability.

Get a full bill that includes everything they’ll be charging you for. Stay away from list brokers that try to lure you in with a low base price then add on extra services to make you pay more. Make sure they’re transparent and ask yourself what you need from them.

Customer Service and Communication

A list broker serves as your guide through the wide forest of available emails to use in your campaigns. You’ll end up lost in the woods if they don’t communicate with you the entire time.

Find out their preferred method of communication, whether it’s email, phone, or another method. A broker who doesn’t use it to provide regular updates or answer your questions isn’t worth your time.

Ask about their customer service and satisfaction policies. They should offer a refund or replacement if they fail to provide you with anything other than what you were promised. The policy should cover missing lists, inaccurate data, and similar issues.

Finding the Best List Broker

A quality email list is the key to an email campaign, and a list broker helps you find the best ones. Find one that complies with local laws and has a positive reputation.

Check that the data they deliver you is accurate and find out how they’ll deliver it to you. Get a bill that includes every service they offer.

You’ll need to communicate with the broker from start to finish. Their customer service policies should protect you in the event of any problems. 

Contact us at The List Warehouse to get the best email lists today.