By industry, B2B mailing list encompasses C Level executives, software professionals, marketing professionals, finance managers, sales and product development managers, health care professionals and so on. This is a huge database that contains personal information of millions of companies and individuals, including mailing lists, contact information, sales pitches, pricing strategies and so on. It is considered a gold mine for marketing companies who need to target their market by promoting new products, services and advertising campaigns. However, despite its potential, there are many myths surrounding this powerful tool.

Many believe that these lists are generated randomly. In fact, the majority of lists come from compilers, not marketing firms. A compiler gathers contact information from businesses, marketing firms and people with similar business interests. These companies, instead of spending time and money developing their own mailing list, outsource the task to a compiler. A good example of such a company is Direct Mail Association International (DMCAI).

Another common myth is that marketing companies buy lists from compilers and sell them to businesses. While some marketing companies do purchase mailing lists from compilers, the vast majority of lists come from other sources. There are sources that specialize in collecting contact information from businesses, such as Direct Mail Association International, iContact, and US Mailing Lists. These companies then categorize the names into categories, such as direct selling, bulk mailing, non-direct selling, multi-list sales and so on.

Other popular myth is that marketing companies buy straight from the consumers themselves. In reality, many marketing companies purchase consumer mailing lists from professional mailing list companies such as Direct Mail Association International, Direct Marketing, Inc. and others. These companies then compile the lists they receive from these companies and put together mailing lists for their own marketing campaigns. Some examples of direct marketing companies are Kinko's Mailing Lists and Lending Tree.

There are also companies that specialize in collecting contact information from the public. For example, you can buy public mailing lists at various retail outlets, from mall membership cards to telephone directories. These companies compile contact information from a variety of sources, including government agencies, schools, hospitals and even newspapers. By compiling consumer mailing lists from a variety of sources, these companies make it easy for anyone who needs mailing information to find your business.

You can also buy mailing lists to target your own customers. For instance, if you run an auto detailing service, you might want to buy a mailing list of customers who have recently been in an accident. This information will allow you to send out a specific mail to your best customers asking them to opt-in to your website or newsletter. It will also give you detailed statistics about how many people have opted-in to your website, allowing you to plan your advertising budget.

Another way to buy a mailing list is by purchasing an industry email database. An industry email database contains customer information from various industries, including realtors, contractors, manufacturers, service providers and health care providers. The advantages of using an industry email database are that it allows you to target mail prospects industry wide, as well as email prospects based on geography and zip codes. It also provides industry-specific tools, such as real estate contact information, phone numbers and email forwarding. Although the database costs money, it can help your marketing efforts significantly.

When you buy mailing lists, you are giving your decision makers access to you and your company. With the information contained in the lists you provide, they will know more about your product or service than any other source. By putting a little thought into where you buy your lists, you can give your marketing campaign the boost it needs to succeed.