what is a good return on cold list emails

[david poole]

Hello

at my present we receive a 12% interested return from cold email lists.

Has anyone any methods on how I can improve this, but the email list has to remain cold.

thanks

David

[Pete Crane]

Just to clarify, by cold you are saying contacts with no prior dealings with you, so a bought-in list for example?

[david64]

I would say a good return would be remaining off email spam lists :p

[DaveyB]

You will get the best return by

1) Ensuring your offer is very targeted - so can you segement the lists in anyway?

2) Warming the lists up by building relationship first before making your offer

3) Ensuring you re-mail your offer to the same list

Not sure where you are getting cold lists - but mailing people who havent asked to hear from you isnt a great idea!

[XanderMarketing]

We typically get anywhere between 15 and 30% when doing this kind of marketing.

Without knowing anything about your current emails, who you target and how it's hard to say how they can be improved! :)

[Pete Crane]

I'm still interested in hearing a reply to the question I put.

[Call Tracker]

Try some split testing. By this i mean carve up your email list and send two different emails with different subject lines. Compare the results and focus on the stronger one. Make sure you include offers that are relevant and to the market and that the design of the email is not being caught up in the spam filter.

[JamesCartwright]

Not sure where you are getting cold lists - but mailing people who havent asked to hear from you isnt a great idea!

It's often best to use opt in lists on your website and promote to people already interested in your services or already clients. You'd be surprised how profitable this kind of 'relationship marketing' can be.

[david poole]

Hi all
Firstly thank you for your replies.

1) Pete Crane - yes the list is a bought in list, with just email name and company name.

2) David64 - we aim to keep off spam lists by making a gentle enquiry

3) jamescartwright - completely agree with the opt in - but are not directing traffic to that site yet as the copy needs to be improved

4) mediamonitor - yes the split testing could work well,

[david64]

There is some email software that has split-testing built in. I think Mail Chimp is one. Maybe Campaign Monitor too.