Email lists

[bu06nne]

How valuable are email lists? I currently capture around 9,000 email addresses through a sign up form every month, but don't really do anything with it.

Each person that completes the form hands over there email, full name, tel and email.

Is it worth storing this information? There is no opt-in button, and opt-out is written in the T&Cs (very small print!)

 

[martin-s]

Are you joking?

 

[spiderspider]

Its 99.9% useless. Unless someone has said 'Sure send me more shit, other than what I'm signing up for here' you may as well junk it.

Read this:

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-pecr/electronic-mail/

For more info, and what to add to the sign up form. Just a simple change, would make it more worthwhile.

 

[bu06nne]

Are you joking?

Nope, not joking. Why do you ask?

Thanks spiderspider for sending over the link - I will take a read through.

My question still stands though, are mailing lists valuable? Is it worth adding additional fields on the form?

Just to add, I don't store these emails or send spam. If I was to start sending mailings I would start a new list.

 

[Adam H]

Depending on what they are signing up for a mailing list could be your single most important marketing tool, if those 9k subscribers had willingly signed up to hear news about a particular product or future product that you could continuously promote new offers to then its easy money.

Its hard to say with out knowing why they are signing up.

Most affiliate marketers would die to have 9k subscribers to pitch to a month, obviously change your opt in T&C's and any future subscribers could be invaluable.

For most companies email marketing is still the best form of boosting sales with very little overhead which means bigger margins, repeat custom from existing customers and pitching to people you know are already interested in what your offering, there is no better person to pitch a new product to than someone already interested.

 

[martin-s]

Nope, not joking. Why do you ask?

I'm asking because they're probably the most valuable thing you have.

9,000 people signing up to an email list every month could be a gold mine if they're signing up with the right intentions.

Are you ICO DPA registered? If not, that's your first step.

 

[martin-s]

Not to mention the potential for co-reg.

 

[Skinner]

IF you have permission on the part they sign up to send them stuff (especially from third parties, if you don't already ADD this), then that datea is probably worth more than your website.

If you integrate with a mailing solution (we use campaignmanager and previously mailchimp) they manage your subscribe/unsubscribe, fake addresses, failsures and helpt with spam filter clearance, you could be a winner depending what they signed up for and what permissions you have.

 

[bu06nne]

They are adding there information during the purchase of a product. The product is quite high value and is something you would probably only buy twice in a lifetime.

Sounds like opt-in is the way forward, will get out forms updated. It's a shame because we would probably have a database of over 30k+ by now.

 

[mojoco]

They are adding there information during the purchase of a product. The product is quite high value and is something you would probably only buy twice in a lifetime.

Sounds like opt-in is the way forward, will get out forms updated. It's a shame because we would probably have a database of over 30k+ by now.

Am I reading that correctly, you sell 9,000 high value products per month ?

 

[bu06nne]

Yes - we are an affiliate though. We also captured the email for a 'user guide' so it's a mix between sales and guides.

 

[ian]

Are you opting customers into a database with no option of opting in or out at the time of purchase (ignoring the t&c's)? If so, good luck with that one!

 

[philiporchard]

If you find you can use the emails - then building a email list would be v valuable to you.

We use Campaign Monitor - v reasonable and great for tracking all responses.

 

[martin-s]

By the way, for everyone running email lists through MailChimp, Campaign Monitor, Aweber, Vertical Response and the like...

If you are remotely techie, get yourself setup with a Sendy.co and Amazon SES combo.

The majority of the same functionality and you pay $1 for every thousand emails sent through SES. Sendy is about $60-70 to purchase.