How to Develop a List of Email Addresses

Develop targeted lists for greater ease of communications.

Developing an email list for mailings targeted to a specific collective or interest group helps to keep multiple recipients apprised of business, hobby, group or organizational updates. You can create email distribution lists by typing or importing email addresses to Microsoft Outlook (licensed required), Gmail Contacts (free), or premium programs such as Constant Contact for larger email lists. Use programs that capture contacts directly to spreadsheet, such as Broadlook Technologies' Contact Capture (free), or by placing HTML code from a free or premium mail list service on your site to develop and manage lists.

Things You'll Need

• Email program
• Microsoft Office Outlook
• Gmail Contacts
• Other software programs

Instructions

Developing Smaller Email Lists

1. 

   Develop email lists to increase efficiency and productivity.

   Use Microsoft Office Outlook and Gmail Contacts for developing and organizing smaller lists. Develop these lists from email address owners who want to receive your mail, e.g. friends and business relationships:

   To make a distribution list in Outlook 2007: Click "File," then drag your mouse to New to select "Distribution List". Start the list by naming it. In the Ribbon, find "Members" and click "Select Members." Double click on each contact to place them in the "Members" text box. Click "OK" after adding all members from your contact list. In the "Distribution List", go to the Ribbon and in "Actions" click "Save & Close." A new distribution list appears in your Contacts.

   Some email list and marketing services work effectively with Outlook to develop your list, such as OutlookCode.

   Google Contacts allows you to send simultaneous group emails. In Gmail, click "Contact Groups" and click "Contacts" from the navigation list, then click "New Group," name the group and click "OK." To add contacts to the created group, select the drop-down menu for Groups to open. With "Add to...," pick the group to which you want to add a contact.

   Bulk email senders do use Gmail, as per "Bulk Senders Guidelines".

2. 

   Email quickly and cost-effectively connects people to business and services.

   Use free programs such as Broadlook Technologies' Contact Capture to instantly capture of information to spreadsheet format. Then use "mail merge" features in Microsoft Office to make mailing lists from Excel. Also, import data with Excel from Microsoft Access of SQL Server or from other databases and file types, such as .htm or .txt.

   Programs like Constant Contact enable creation of HTML emails without special design and technical skills. Use a free mailing list development service or list host then place HTML code of on your site to create email lists.

3. 

   Developing customized business to business lists adds instant marketing access.

   Use social network sites such as LinkedIn (free) to develop a business-to-business email list with MailChimp (free) from those connected to your personal or business page.

   Customize business-to-business lists directly via sites such as Hoovers (free trial). Business-to-business email lists coalesce through collection of customer information and prospective customer lists. Hoovers, a division of Dun & Bradstreet, provides tools to create and customize lists through the site.

Tips & Warnings

• Compare costs and features of many email list development services before you spend your money. Many sites offer a free trial before purchase.

• Maintain highly accurate mailing lists to avoid perception of your email as spam.

References

• Microsoft Office Outlook: create email distribution lists
• Google Contacts: free
• Microsoft Office Excel: capture directly to spreadsheet
• OutlookCode: work effectively with Outlook to develop
• UWGB.edu: spreadsheet format to make mailing lists

Resources

• Broadlook Technologies
• "From Workplace to Workspace: Using Email Lists"; James and Rykert; 1998
• "The Constant Contact Guide to Email Marketing"; Eric Groves; 2009
• "Email Marketing By the Numbers"; Baggott; 2009
• "Professional Excel Development..." Rob Bovey; 2009