by: Alex Edevane
If you are still trying to build up your own opt-in list but need to start marketing your products then you may look at buying leads. Buying leads however can become very costly and in some cases may not be worth the return on investment so what do you look for when buying leads?
1. How Were Your Leads Collected?
The first thing you should know when you look at buying leads is how these leads were collected. The best way is if leads were collected by means of a double opt-in system. Do not buy leads that were simply drawn from the internet without the lead’s consent as you will probably be accused of spamming if you use these leads.
2. How Fresh Are the Leads?
Another consideration to look at when buying leads is how fresh they are – how recently were they collected and how many times have they been sold? Leads that are old or that have been sold to many other buyers will probably not be worth the investment you spend in buying them.
3. Are These Leads Targeted?
Targeting is important for the success of your internet marketing business so before buying leads consider how targeted these leads are. If you find leads that are targeted to the group of people you are trying to reach you will have a lot greater success than simply buying leads that are not targeted.
4. How Often Do They Clean These Lists?
You do not want to buy leads that no longer work and so it is important to know how often the leads you are buying get cleaned up and how gaps in the lead list are filled.
5. Do They Have Testimonials and What Are These Like?
Does the company you are looking at buying leads from have testimonials on their web page? What do these testimonials have to say about the company and the results they are getting from the leads they bought? If a lead company does not have testimonials then be very cautious about doing business with it.
6. Seek Referrals First
If you know of other website owners who are also buying leads and have had some success with their leads then ask them to suggest a lead company to you. If you know and trust someone then they will be more likely to be honest with you about what works and what doesn’t.
7. Find out What Advertising Methods They Use to Get Leads
This may be similar to the first point but before buying leads find out what advertising methods the lead company used to get their leads. If they are using advertising methods that appeal to your target market then you will be more likely to have success with the leads that they provide. Also consider how effective their advertising methods are – if the people they are advertising to are just interested in getting something for free then you will probably not make any money from them. If they are using spam methods to get leads then you could find yourself in serious trouble.
In conclusion, when buying leads there are a number of important factors that you should consider – how were the leads collected and how did the company advertise to get these leads? How fresh are the leads? Is the list you buying clean and how were the gaps filled? Is the list targeted? Can you get referrals and testimonials for the lead company? Although it is always best to create your own double opt-in lists, if you are just starting out then you may find success with buying leads if you find a good lead company to buy from.