Be a Marketer: Ask Dave!

[DaveCharest]

Hello friends!

Do you have a burning marketing question you'd like to have answered on the Be a Marketer podcast?

It’s my goal to make the Be a Marketer podcast your go-to resource for inspiration and practical advice.

To that end, this year, you’ll notice a new type of episode mixed in with our regular interviews.

These new “Ask Dave” episodes will feature my deep-dive answers to your burning marketing questions.

No question is too small.

So, if you’re a Constant Contact customer with a marketing dilemma that's been tripping you up. You can submit your question here for the opportunity to have it featured and answered on the show.

I WON'T be able to answer every question on the show, but I'll do my best!

I’m looking forward to your questions and sharing those “Ask Dave” episodes with you.

Ready to ask your question? Please reply with the following: 

1. Your first name and role
2. Name of the business
3. The audience you're trying to reach
4. Your marketing-related question

[SueK275]

Hi Dave,  I am currently responsible for marketing in my small company, but I don't have a lot of knowledge in this field. I did attend your Marketing 101 webinar and found it helpful. I have a question that I believe I know the answer to, but I wanted to verify with an expert. I have been receiving multiple emails from companies trying to sell me an industry contact list. I would like to know if it is possible to import these contacts into Constant Contact, knowing that I do not have there permission. I would appreciate any feedback you can give me. Thank you.  Sue Kandefer, VP  HeliValue$, we are professional helicopter appraisal business.

[DavidFischerSolutionsForGrowth]

Hi Lindsay,

Thanks for your question about lists in email marketing!

One thing to keep in mind with rented or purchased lists is that Constant Contact has ways to identify lists that haven't been built organically. It's against their terms of service, and if they flag your account, you might need to explain where the list came from.

In the worst case, they might ask you to remove the list and unsubscribe those addresses. It's definitely a hassle!

Here's the key takeaway: In email marketing, the quality of your list is way more important than its size. You'll have much better results by focusing on building an engaged audience that wants to hear from you.

Let me know if you have any other questions about building your email list organically! Remember, a strong list is the wind beneath your wings in email marketing, just like a good rotor is for your helicopters! (I could not resist coming up with a helicopter related joke😊)

[TraceyLeeDavis]

Hi Sue,

You should not do that. All contacts in your account need to fall under one of these categories: Implied Consent or Express Consent. Contacts from a list you purchase wouldn't qualify as either and can get you in trouble. Here's some more info from CTCT about it: https://knowledgebase.constantcontact.com/email-digital-marketing/articles/KnowledgeBase/5924-implie...

It's MUCH better and more effective for you in the long run for you to only add people to your list who are expecting to hear from you. 

I hope this helps!

[DaveCharest]

Sue! Thanks for attending the webinar. Also, we answered your question on the podcast. 

Check out #55 - Ask Dave: Can I import purchased contacts into Constant Contact? 

Thanks for sending it in. 

[MelanieDiehl]

So glad you were able to get some good takeaways from Marketing 101! It's highly common to receive pitches from companies trying to sell email lists. I get them weekly, too. While there's nothing inherently wrong with purchasing these lists, I advise my clients against the practice of importing them into their Constant Contact account. Several years ago I watched a client ignore my recommendation and the fallout was disastrous. Email marketing is permission-based and organic growth is always the best. Good luck with your email marketing and list growth efforts!
~Melanie

[MichaelM5666]

1.Michael my role is an educanť

2. Groupè is the name of my buisness

3. The audience I am trying to reach are the leadership audience and marketing audience.

4. My market related question is “When ascertaining a market goal how does that affect teams who want succeed and innovate others to excel?”

 

[Chris-S]

@MichaelM5666 good question! Market goals provide teams with a clear direction and purpose. When teams understand the specific objectives they need to achieve in the market, they can align their efforts accordingly, focusing on tasks that contribute directly to the goal.