How to choose a mail list broker

What are mail list brokers?What can they do for you?Why would you want one?If you decide that you want a mail list broker, how should you go about choosing the right one for you?

If you own a business that sells a product or service, chances are good that you've been frustrated at some point with your inability to market your products to the extent that you desire.Maybe you've been trying to sell your product or service on your own.Maybe you have an employee whose job it is to sell your product.Maybe you've tried commercials, or magazine ads, or newspaper ads, or even billboards, all to no avail.You still have not reached your sales goals that you set for your company.Here is another suggestion for you: try a mail list brokers.

A mail list broker is a person that provides your company with lists of prospects for your marketing endeavors.The broker does all the research.S/he looks for the best markets for your product.S/he provides contact information for businesses and individuals at home, so that you can contact them on your own, in attempts to sell your product or service.They can also help you find lists of businesses or prior customers who have purchased a product or service similar to your own, and might be interested in trying your product out.A mail list broker compiles lists of people who fall into certain demographic profiles (age groups, gender groups, etc) or income range that you're trying to reach with your product.

Basically, a mail list broker does all the hard work for your company.They find the people, now you just have to get them to buy your product.

However, whenever hiring a service such as this, you must be aware of the type of person you're hiring, the price you're paying and the kind of work that the broker does.Before you decide who to hire, consider some of the following points.

• Be sure you're getting a reputable broker.Mail list brokers usually get their lists through mail list owners, who have huge databases with information on millions of consumers and businesses.But be sure to investigate the history of your potential broker to assure you that you'll be getting a real mailing list, and not a fake one (you wouldn't want to pay all that money only to get ripped off).
• Look for a broker with experience in an area similar to that of your company.Most brokers have more success with areas they're familiar with.
• Be sure your broker is giving you a recent list.Aside from getting a fake list, the next worst thing would be to get a list full of people who no longer live or work where your list says.That can be frustrating and a waste of money.
• Be sure your broker is targeting the proper demographic group.Obviously, the type of product or service you sell will determine what kind of people you want to sell to.If you are a company that sells and delivers prescription drugs to the elderly, you wouldn't want your broker looking for your mail list in an area full of young families just starting out.Most mail list brokers allow you to target certain demographics by choosing specific characteristics for your list.But beware of choosing too many characteristics and therein eliminating possible customers.
• Be careful of email lists.Some mail list brokers may offer email lists.Most of these types of lists, however, end up in the "junk mail" category, which will only hurt the name of your business.
• Ask the broker about customer service and satisfaction.A good broker should stand behind his/her service.If a problem arises, your broker should be willing to do anything to fix it.Look into the broker's past dealings to see if s/he seems to have the type of service you want for your company.