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How to Put People on Mailing Lists

by Devra Gartenstein

Overview

The best way to put people on mailing lists is to gather the names of people who truly want information about your products and services. By developing effective strategies for building your mailing list, you will save yourself the expense of sending materials to people who are unlikely to use your products and services, and you will save the recipients of your mailings the hassle of receiving items that they will treat as nothing more than a nuisance.

Step 1

Gather names of potential customers at trade shows and other venues where you meet customers face-to-face, such as at your permanent storefront. Have a clipboard and a sign up sheet available. Place a fictitious name or the name of one of your employees at the top of the list so customers won't feel awkward about being the first one to leave their name. Divide your sign up sheet into columns for people to write their names, addresses and, if applicable, their phone numbers and email addresses. Keep track of the event where you gathered each of the names on your mailing list so you can use this information to target people for future mailings.
Step 2

Save contact information for people who have made purchases that involve providing you with a name and address, such as mail order purchases and payments you receive in the form of checks with addresses printed on them. Whenever possible, also note what someone purchased, or any other impressions you had that might be relevant in the future. Keep a dedicated field in your mailing list database for this type of information and refer to it when you choose customers for mailings with relevant content.
Step 3

Provide an online form on your Web site for potential customers to fill out to get on your mailing list. Offer customers options for receiving different types of mailings to assuage their concerns about receiving too much unwanted mail. Use the information you gather to create both a postal mailing list and also an email mailing list. Electronic mailings save you time and money, and they also make it easier for customers who do not want to receive future mailings to ask you to delete their names from your list.
Step 4

Share mailing list information with like-minded business, provided you haven't promised the people signing your list that you won't share their information with anyone.