Build Your List to Build Your Business

If you run any kind of business you need to religiously observe the 11th Commandment: "Thou Shalt Make a List."

You should be continually building a database with the name and contact information of every customer, prospect, and referral you have ever had. Any relationship you have invested any amount of time in represents potential future business. Lead acquisition is always the costliest and most difficult part of your marketing, so why would you fail to keep in touch with the people you have already met?

If you continually add to your contact list, you are building a treasure trove of names you can mine in the future for several useful purposes.

Periodic emails, sales letters and promotional mailings can be directed to people who already know you and are most likely to consider doing business with you in the future. You can tap into the potential of your growing list anytime you have a new service to offer, a sale to announce, or a referral rewards program to initiate. Every name on your list is also a potential gateway to finding new business from the people in their personal network. When you maintain a good relationship with former customers through regular contact, you are building a potent "word-of-mouth" sales force. Just Google "mailing list software" and you'll find dozens of affordable software packages that will help you easily keep track of the data you are collecting from past contacts. A small investment (less than $50) in some easy-to-use mailing list software will make it convenient for you to keep your contact info updated. If you are not gathering data and using it to stay connected with past contacts you are missing out on the best source of new business available. Stop throwing money away! Get started on your list today.