Today list building is accepted as an absolutely integral part of marketing strategy. It is looked upon as an investment which will deliver long term benefits and escalate profits. By building a list that is effective, you can reach your customers and have an opportunity to build long term relationships with them.
In the book "77 secrets", the author Allen Joseph shares his personal experience on the value of list building.
He says: "I was in Shanghai once and spent an evening in a restaurant. They were running a promotion of sorts. Customers were asked to drop their business cards in a bowl and through a lottery one of them had the chance to take home a bottle of champagne. So I put my business card in the bowl. It has been years since that happened, and I still receive an email from them every three months informing me of the exclusive nights coming up in their restaurant. The next time I go to Shanghai, it's likely that I'll visit them once more if only for their perseverant needling (and who knows? This time I might win that bottle of champagne!)."
What business you do is not important. Having an online existence calls for list building. Without building a list it will be extremely difficult to sell your products or services. If you have the contact details of your prospective customers you can build long term relationships with them and offer your products and services for a long time. Irrespective of where they live, you can communicate with them as long as they are in the list. But never make the mistake of carpet bombing your potential clients with false offers or excessive advertisements. Contact them when you have a product or service that might be of value to them, not you.
Benefits of List Building
Below are some of the benefits of building a list and maintaining it to ensure longevity for your business: