In my day job I receive lots of offers to buy lists of email addresses. “Do people really fall for this stuff?” I think to myself. Buying email lists is so … 1997. But email marketing is still extremely effective when done the right way: permission-based, educational, helpful, and entertaining.
Why It’s Important to Grow a List Organically
Nobody likes getting email from people they’ve never heard of, so buying a list or importing the addresses of people cc’d on an email you received is a huge no-no. You’ll annoy far more people than you delight, and you’d be violating CAN-SPAM laws, which can carry a hefty fine.
Another downside to spamming is low deliverability rates and a black eye on your IP reputation. This means that even legit emails you try sending in the future will have a hard time getting where you want them to go. Convinced that buying email lists is always a bad idea? Great, let’s move on!
