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Monday, May 18, 2009

Are they really interested?

Just two weeks ago, our email list included more than 11,000 names, and seemed to be in a trajectory of unlimited growth. Today, the list has 8,500 names but soon upwards of 5,000 will be removed.

Is this marketing suicide?

Your database includes a list of 1,000 "potential clients" for construction, renovation or related services. The names come from "somewhere" but you really don't know them at all -- and they haven't responded or communicated with you in any (serious) way in the past couple of years.

Are they really potential clients?

Sometimes we accumulate names -- or on online services "friends" -- way too easily and superficially to build any kind of meaningful relationship. We diverge from our priorities, and waste money and time trying to convert people who have no real interest in our services.

I suppose if you are maintaining the names on some sort of free service and not spending any money keeping them on file, no harm is done. But would you not be better off marketing wise to have a smaller, but meaningful and manageable, list of real prospects, current and former clients, with whom you can develop rapport, relationships, and new business?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting post Mark. Bigger is not necessarily better. Isn't that the whole theory supporting target/niche marketing.

By focusing and specializing on the interests of the few, businesses can be more successful.

John P. Kreiss
SullivanKreiss, Inc.

Mash said...

I also prefer a smaller but well selected database. After all, you're better of sending mails to 200 interested people than 40000 uninterested people.

Construction Marketing Ideas said...

Thanks for these comments. Latest newsletter has gone out to about 2,000 people -- about half the number of the previous sending.