Renting lists have had a bad reputation. However, trustworthy list companies who can provide you with high-quality, responsive, clean, and opted-in email lists do exist. A high-quality consumer email list can maximize email deliverability rates and keep you clear of the wrong audience.  A good list can guide you to profitable prospects and boost your business branding efforts. Your company probably has a loyal following of customers already, but if you are looking to expand your audience, renting a consumer email list is a fantastic idea.

A good list company should be able to provide you with list recommendations according to your target audience and goals. These lists are sorted by demographics, household information, purchasing and lifestyle consumer information. However, advanced list companies are able to dive in even further and pull out detailed information such as behavior and specific buying habits such as brand preference. Targeting precision is super important in terms of executing a successful email campaign. When working with a list company, make sure to be as specific as possible about the list you are looking for. They should be able to create a targeted consumer email list based on the audience you want to target, whether it is boys between the ages of 13 and 20 who like pizza, or women between the ages of 25 and 40 who go shopping every weekend. A good list company should also be able to help you brainstorm and identify new opportunities and target markets.

To avoid illegitimate list providers, here are a couple of questions you should ask and look into before working with them: Are the emails CAN-SPAM compliant? How up-to-date are the lists? What are the sources of the emails? Does the list provider have good standing with the BBB?

You will want to make sure that the consumer list you are going to use is cleaned regularly, opted-in, and CAN-SPAMcompliant. It can be tempting to use a cheap list, but don’t fall into this trap! Cheap email list companies will only cause your company harm, and might give you a bad reputation as a spammer. Remember, you get what you pay for, and very cheap lists rarely perform well, if at all. It is important to do your research when looking for a list company. Make sure they have good reviews and testimonials. A great list will cost a little bit more, but it will be worth your time and money.

When renting a consumer email list, it is important to note that they are usually only licensed for a one-time use. List providers “seed” rental lists to make sure that the renter does not use the list more than once. In reality, this practice is to everyone’s benefit; email lists become out-of-date very quickly, so using an old list more than once would not be very effective anyway. Good list companies make sure that their lists are cleaned and verified daily to make sure their customers receive accurate consumer information. As long as you get your consumer email list from a reputable list company, they can provide great opportunities for your business.