Business to business mailing lists are comprised of names and email addresses of businesses seeking potential clients and customers. Purchasing mailing lists allow you to establish a relationship with new customers and potential clients in order to promote your product or service, increase sales, increase your bottom line and enhance your brand recognition. The purchase of such lists is often an integral part of business marketing. The best mailing list providers will provide both list maintenance and sales support. This will allow you to build a long-term relationship with the people on your list.

Industry specific consumer mailing lists will be very specific and tailored to meet the needs of that industry. For example, healthcare professionals will buy mailing lists that have information only pertaining to that industry. Medical doctors will buy email addresses related to their practice and medical hospitals will buy mailing lists focused on their hospital and patient base. B2B industry specific lists encompass C-level executives, technology specialists, financial leaders, sales and marketing managers, business executives and others across all industries. The broader the range of people represented on your contact list, the better.

One thing to consider when buying a mailing list company is the kind of customer you are looking to target. Are you looking for new leads? Do you already have a list with bad addresses and empty names? Do you want a list where you can filter out customers with poor address histories and personal data such as address history, income, marital status etc? Is your list company able to provide you with pre-written letters for different kinds of customers and various mailings depending on their individual preferences? You may also need to buy mailing lists that are geographically targeting.

Many companies using direct mail campaigns buy mailing lists specifically targeted for a certain industry. There are many examples of this, most notable being the National Mortgage Association (NFMA). The main objective of the NFMA is to increase business exposure through various activities such as seminars, product launches and email blasts. While the list is not normally viewed as a necessity, the organizations using the email list for direct mail campaigns clearly see the value of the tool and often use the addresses that buy mailing lists from industry specific sources.

Another option that can be used to buy mailing list by industry is to buy an empty email directory or database. In effect, you get a list of potential customers without needing to bother with the person. These lists are often purchased in bulk and are used by marketing firms and professionals on a daily basis. The advantage of using an empty database is that you can target specific audience segments. An example would be the homeowner mailing list that can be customized for homeowners living in specific zip codes or areas.

The third option, and probably my favorite, is to buy mailing list by sic code. This method requires very little effort on your part because it is done online. Basically, the buyer searches for a sic code using Google or another search engine. Once the sic code is found, you enter it into the sic code finder and the process begins. The sic code buy mailing list company typically provides the names of companies who provide access to a sic code database with contact information.

After purchasing a sic code list, all you need to do is enter the contact information of the consumer and request email addresses. Often times, these emails come with the information that was found during the initial search. Depending on the type of list, the email will also come with an opt-in form to enable you to collect the names of interested people. The advantage of this approach is that there is no cost associated with the purchase. In addition, the emails sent to the customer’s email address are considered to be a blanket solicitation and they are also considered “free” marketing because the name that is entered is a consumer’s first name, last name, or email address.

The fourth option to buy mailing list by industry is by using an autoresponder. An autoresponder allows you to easily create and manage an effective campaign without the use of software. These are especially popular with internet marketers because there is no programming necessary. All you have to do is enter a list and include a form to collect the names of interested customers. The form can be set to collect information on the user’s first name, last name, birth date, email address, and more. This is the ideal way to buy mailing list by industry because you can target a specific demographic and you can also set the length of time for which you wish to gather the information.