The Importance of List Management

Whether you use mailing list services, manage your own telemarketing or email lists, or are just now thinking of building a marketing list, the importance of list management cannot be stressed enough. After all, several consumer protection laws cover who you can call or email. In addition to complying with CAN-SPAM and Do Not Call laws, managing your email and telemarketing lists is a great way to ensure that you send the right messages to the right recipients. Here's a quick look at the importance of list management from several perspectives.

Complying with CAN-SPAM Laws

The CAN-SPAM Act applies to all commercial email messages - not just bulk email. If you fail to comply with this law, you could face a fine of up to $16,000 for each separate email in violation of the law. The law defines commercial messages as "any electronic mail message the primary purpose of which is the commercial advertisement or promotion of a commercial product or service."

In order to comply with CAN-SPAM, your messages must meet specific requirements. The main requirements cover: how you identify yourself in the message header; subject lines; identification of the message as an advertisement; including an acceptable address (such as a street address, P.O. box, or USPS-approved private mailbox); providing an opt-out mechanism; and third party compliance issues.

Most commercial email service providers such as Aweber or Get Response have built-in checks in place to make sure that your messages comply with the law. However, if you have ordered a list from a company offering mailing list services and you plan on sending emails on your own, you may not have these checks and balances and opt-out mechanisms in place. In this situation, you must be fully prepared to comply with the law and manage opt-outs promptly. If you continue sending messages to people who have opted out, you could find yourself in trouble.

Complying with Do Not Call Laws

Buying telemarketing lists is a convenient and fast choice for businesses. However, it's crucial to make sure your telemarketing lists do not contain numbers registered with the National Do Not Call Registry. Various "Do Not Call List Scrubber" services are available to scrub telemarketing lists of numbers currently listed on the National Do Not Call Registry. However, not only are there national do not call laws, there are state ones, too. This makes compliance a difficult do-it-yourself task. A better choice is to buy your telemarketing lists from reputable mailing list services such as ProMarketing Leads that deliver fully compliant telemarketing lists in the first place.

Managing Lists for Improved Message Targeting

Once you've ensured that your email and telemarketing lists are compliant with applicable laws, the next list management task involves organizing your lists into segments and eliminating duplicates. Your lists should be organized into categories that make sense for your business. For example, if you're a real estate agent, you might have separate lists for buyers and sellers as well as for commercial and residential prospects. By segmenting your lists, you can target your messages accordingly. Eliminating duplicates ensures that your agents do not call the same prospects more than once.

If you have an email or telemarketing list, list management helps you to comply with applicable laws and send the right messages to your contacts.

Laura Webb is the author of this article on the importance of list management. In the article she explains why telemarketing lists management can help return a positive ROI for your business.