Compiling your own list is perhaps one of the more unproductive things you could possibly do to start off your own direct marketing campaign, and there are several reasons for this. Previously, compiling your own list was the only possibility for those who had just entered the direct marketing industry, and this usually meant spending days, even weeks getting the numbers to effectively launch the campaign.



With an average hit rate of anywhere from 1% to 10%, direct marketers needed numbers on their side, and this meant a huge investment of their time and effort. But even then, the success rates of these people were not always reflective of their efforts. Some of them didn't even manage to generate a single sale in days, and when you're working on your own time and effort, this can mean disaster and financial turmoil within a quick length of time. Compiling your own lists and looking up fax numbers (if you are doing direct fax marketing) is no longer the way to go for several reasons. One - the number of places that you can legally and safely compile lists for your business list is usually few and far between.

This means you need to go the traditional route and compile business information, usually through corporate gateways or even online and offline directories. Be warned that this will take hours and hours of your time. Also, the legal guidelines are pretty much blurred when it comes to compiling lists on your own. Most places don't advertise nor do they give the fine print on where exactly they get their information, and this is usually a very dangerous option for those who want to get their direct marketing campaign of to a safe and prosperous start. You cannot validate the correctness of these places and more often than not, after a few weeks of restless searching and collating, individuals will usually go with the easy route and download entire directories from “fly by night” websites who offer them as an “opt in” to giving out your email.

The last thing you need is be accused of spamming, because it is one way to shoot yourself in the foot and have your name as a direct marketer tarnished. Your email will be banned and your I.P will be placed under the universal “spammers list” found on many reputable search engines and online forums. Also, the last reason why you should not be compiling your own list is that you do not have the resources necessary to ensure that the business list that you are compiling is tailor made to the product/service that you are selling. Having a highly targeted business list means that you will be able to enter into a market with plenty of purchase potential, which will increase the odds of you making a sale. Get the right business list and look up fax numbers no more, increase your odds at success and make some money with your marketing campaign.