We all know how much you need email lists; these are the backbones of the email marketing industry. However, actually building one can be tricky, and it takes time and knowledge to do so correctly. With that much work looming in front of you, it begs the question: can you just purchase an email list?
In general, the answer is no. GDPR in marketing states that you need permission to contact people for marketing purposes. The primary issue with bought email lists is that they rarely have this. Even worse, sometimes, these email lists are actually illegal in certain countries.
In this guide, we’ll explain exactly whether you should buy an email list. If you decide to bite the bullet, get ready for definitions, cost breakdowns, and green flags. Give us just five minutes of your time, and you’ll have the answer you need — once and for all.
Should you buy an email list? Read on for the truth, warts and all.
What Are Email Lists?
Email lists are the backbone of any great email campaign. These databases are lists of email addresses of people who consent to receive communication from you. These people could be current or potential customers. You can collect contacts in many ways — it’s great for customer acquisition and retention.
When you collect personal details, you inherit a duty of care. Because of this, businesses usually store email lists in secure databases, often as part of email marketing software. This specialist software is typically cloud-based and offers more enhanced security features.
The contact details sit there and wait, protected, until it comes to marketing “go time.” At this point, if you store them within specialist marketing software, the list automatically syncs. If you store them elsewhere, you can manually copy them and send them as blast or bulk emails.
The list length depends on the business size and how long you’ve collected contacts. Business email lists could be anything from 10 to 10.000 or even a few hundred thousand in length. Obviously, the more you collect, the better capacity your database should be.
It’s also worth considering that lists require close review and monitoring. Email addresses change, and people unsubscribe and subscribe; prepare yourself for bounce rate tracking and monitoring email deliverability. If your database doesn’t automatically delete email addresses that no longer work, you might have to eliminate them manually.
A good email list requires careful pruning and nurturing, even if you use passive methods of growing it.
Can You Purchase an Email List?
The official answer to this question is yes. However, the question of if you should is a whole other kettle of fish.
It is possible to buy email databases online, and we’ll delve into that a bit more below. But we’d actually urge you to reconsider, as it is possible to grow your own list instead. Here are a few reasons why you might want to grow and not shop:
There are tons of target market spam traps online offering fake email lists.
Many purchasable databases are not legal opt-in email lists as they don’t obtain recipient consent.
Often, purchased lists are less effective and poorly curated to accurately reach your target audience.
Email lists ebb and flow — buying one means you fail to establish an adequate maintenance framework.
Many purchasable email lists are only available to rent, so they are unsuitable as long-term solutions.
The last thing you want is a scam, trouble with the law, or a list of email addresses that just don’t work. And furthermore, skipping this stage can just cripple you in the future. You need to have a system that maintains the email list on a long-term basis. Without that, you’re on a doomed mission.
So, yes, you can use an email list creator. However, first, you should question exactly what you’re looking to gain from this strategy. Sure, it can be a great short-term solution. However, it might not be the right move for you and your business.
Where Can I Purchase an Email List?
Do you still think that purchasing a contacts list is the best solution for you? You need to learn where to purchase an email list. This is a vital stage if you want legitimate and legal email subscribers.
Luckily, we have some contacts for you. These are the best email list providers that you should consider when outsourcing this critical task:
- The List Warehouse
- Cognism
- Uplead
All of these providers are reputable, meaning you can trust the legitimacy of their services. For a B2B email list provider, Cognism or Uplead are your ports of call, while The List Warehouse offers B2C. However, it’s still worth checking the marketing regulations in your specific country and region to see if they are legal.
If it is, and you do move forward with finding email service providers for your contacts list, reputation is key. The last thing you want is to fork out on a scam or for no reason. Choosing wisely and checking reviews carefully can eliminate some of the downsides to purchasing email lists.
What’s The Cost Per Email To Purchase an Email List?
The cost per email can vary wildly when purchasing an email list. Usually, reputable options offer a monthly subscription package that includes a set number of credits. You swap these credits for email addresses, building a list over time.
In general, we suggest budgeting between $40 and $150 a month. It is worth noting that providers often offer a free amount, too — for instance, 50 complimentary verified email addresses.
Be wary of anyone promising an upfront fee for a set number of email address contacts. It may be a scam, or they aren’t verified.
When indulging in these email marketing efforts, you need to know that the list you’re buying is worthwhile. Whether you want to grow conversion rates or boost profit alone with marketing emails, your list will be your foundation. That’s a lot of pressure, isn’t it?
You need to know the green flags to make the right decision when buying a readymade list. Here are a few to watch out for:
- The emails are verified, meaning the provider guarantees their legitimacy.
- There’s a clear cancellation or refund policy.
- The reviews are absolutely glowing (but not so much it’s suspicious).
- It’s a monthly subscription package rather than a one-off payment.
- You’ve checked, and it’s legally compliant in your country and specific region.
Even after purchasing an email list, it’s worth checking its legitimacy. For instance, you could use a trusted tool to verify the addresses.
It’s also important to frequently check in with great analysis software to see how it’s performing. Great email marketing software tends to come with analytical dashboards that you can use to measure things like bounce rates.
How To Collect Email Lists More Effectively
So, how do you collect emails if you don’t buy an email list? The truth is that there are many ways to collect all these contact details. Sometimes it can be better email marketing practice to go it alone and play the long game. These are just a few to consider:
- Host competitions on social media and require email addresses to enter.
- Create loyalty programs that allow you to entice subscribers through reward programs.
- Set up captive portal WiFi so you can collect email addresses from network users.
We’ll delve further into how to collect emails through WiFi in just a second. But first, why are these more effective? It’s a great question.
By targeting and building your own email lists, you ensure they include your target audience. This makes them more effective in the long run (you don’t want to target irrelevant people). Furthermore, it establishes frameworks that enable you to maintain your list passively.
You can also use email list builder tools to help organize everything, including popular software like MailChimp.
Beambox: Collecting Emails Through WiFi
So, you know that collecting email lists can be more effective in the long term. And similarly, you know that you can do this through WiFi. The only question that remains is how.
Captive portals are useful software to attach to your pre-existing WiFi network. When guests click on your network to join and access your WiFi, they are taken to a webpage that pops up. This pop-up contains a form, and (ta-dah!) this form is customizable to collect the details of your choice.
This clever setup allows you to collect emails through the captive portal form. When guests comply, they gain access, and you gain a marketing contact. It’s a perfect solution for everyone involved.
At Beambox, we offer an all-in-one WiFi marketing platform that curates customizable captive portals for businesses like yours. We’d love to help you start your email list journey and offer flexible monthly subscriptions. Start your Beambox free trial today and use WiFi rather than planning to purchase an email list!
FAQ
Are you disappearing already? Don’t go hurtling off; we’ve got some essential information to establish with you. What do you remember of everything we’ve covered so far? A quick pop quiz is the best way to consolidate all this new knowledge.
These are the most common questions people have about purchasing an email list.
What is an email list?
An email list is a collection of contacts businesses store and use for email marketing. It can be five to five million contacts long — it entirely depends on the business. Companies store these contacts in secure databases, like email marketing software.
The best email lists contain people in the company’s desired target audience. They have a low bounce rate with verified contacts, something which takes careful work and maintenance.
Is it legal to purchase an email list?
In certain circumstances, yes. It depends on whether the email lists come with recipient consent and on the laws of the business’ specific country. In the US, it is illegal unless it meets certain terms and conditions. Illegal email lists do not provide the business or recipient with the chance to gain consent, breaking GDPR laws.
It’s also worth considering that email lists might be fake and just scams to target businesses wanting a quick fix.
What are the benefits of email lists?
Email lists are fantastic as they keep all the contacts in one place, secure and accessible. You must obtain consent to send people marketing content, so you don’t want to lose anything. A list format is brilliant as it keeps everything organized. It also makes protecting people’s vulnerable data easier; you aren’t scattering it across different locations.
The main thing to consider is whether you collect them ethically and legally — otherwise, there are tons of benefits.
