The future of list building?

**ceo-movement** · 10-05-2010 08:18 AM

I have a quick question for you. List building works well, I agree, but what other methods can be used to achieve the same results? I been thinking about this for a while now because I feel that list building is only going to be effective for so long. Everyone is doing it, which in turn will decrease it's effectiveness in the long run. I could be wrong about that , but does anyone have any ideas? List building is based on relationship marketing, so...there has to be other effective ways besides building a list? By the way, until list building is ineffective I would not abandon the strategy. Just trying to think ahead

**robgr** · 10-05-2010 01:29 PM

Can you elaborate on what you mean? List building will continue it will just morph to other methods, like all the fans you have on facebook, and twitter followers and so on...all forms of lists...just not specific e-mail addresses you can e-mail with some sort of e-mail campaign.

**generationy** · 10-06-2010 11:39 AM

I would agree with the previous member in that you have to clearly define your goal and what you are asking. List building and networking in generatoin are crucial to any successul business and entrepreneur. Make sure you have people that are interested in what you have to say about things that you have to say. You should have specific niches made up that cater to specific categories (email for product launches, news etc.). Good luck!

**rogercbryan** · 10-06-2010 05:13 PM

I think you are slightly right... list building isn't going anywhere... Sears has been doing it for over 100 years. What is going to change is the way we use the lists we create. Using tools to better manage your list will be key in the future. I finally broke down and started using list management software. A few years ago you could send out a simple blast and get results now you have to set-up follow through messages, up sell marketing, retargeting... it keeps getting more and more complicated.

**Stone** · 10-09-2010 11:58 PM

I don't think list building is ever going to go away. It is true that email open rates for many marketers have dropped over teh last 10 years however email marketing is still a very good way to get your message out there.

The graet thing about social sites is that they all almost come with and email messagening service, which means you can build lists on these platforms too and in many cases marketers are having open rates though the roof.

For example you can build a list on facebook, myspace, youtube, linkedin, just to name a few. and you can drive all these subscribers to your email list if you wish.

Even when ppl 'like' you business page on facebook, they are effectively joining your list, as you can also send out an email to all your 'fans' too, if you go to the admin area.

List bulding won't ever die, it will just eveolve in how we build a list and manage it.