In business, success relies on knowledge. The more you know about your customers, vendors, and competitors, the better prepared you are to provide meaningful products and services. An appropriate email discussion list can be a vast pool of knowledge if used correctly.

Which list is right for you?

There are over 200,000 mailing lists covering every conceivable topic: Health matters, legal concerns, global and regional news, new technology, product support, computer virus alerts, software updates and investment tips to name a few. Some may have only a few members, while others have thousands. They form virtual communities that join people together with similar interests.

Finding the most appropriate lists will take some time. Becoming part of an active list has many rewards. You can solicit opinions from myriad viewpoints to improve your product or service. You can be made aware of events in a particular geographic region. You can correspond with people who are at the forefront of (and sometimes creating) new technology. These are just a few examples of the diversity you will find.

The different kinds of lists.

Moderated lists have one or more managers who review and approve posts in an effort to keep the discussion on-topic. Unmoderated lists are a free-for-all where anybody can post anything. In both list formats, all subscribers to the list receive an email every time a message is sent to the list.

Newsletters are a subset of lists where a structured document is sent ‘one-way’ from the publisher to the subscribers. Some newsletters include advertising or sponsorship opportunities. These can be a great way to get a targeted message across to a receptive audience.

Filling up your mailbox can be a good thing

My previous article (April 8) described some techniques to reduce spam. When you subscribe to a mailing list, you could potentially start receiving a large influx of email. The tips presented earlier, especially those about using an alternate name and/or email address or filters will help to keep your incoming mail organized.

To reduce mailbox clutter on lists that you will seldom post to, consider subscribing to the digest version of a list and have an entire day’s messages stitched together into one long email.

Code of conduct for effective participation

In order to get a good return on your time investment, follow these guidelines to build a strong presence while being respectful of others:

1. Listen (or ‘lurk’) in a list for the first few weeks to get a feel for the atmosphere and language style that is prevalent. This is your chance to observe the interactions that take place in the list so that your contributions can be perceived as helpful.

2. Quote posts you are responding to. Copy-and-paste enough of the message you reply to so that the thought process can be followed from question to answer. Messages that only contain an answer are not very helpful.

3. Offer information or advice in a timely manner when you see a post asking for guidance. Include a signature block in your emails that includes your company name and a brief (one line) description of your services. Become known as an expert.

4. Never use hard-sell wording or advertising in your messages; it will be considered as spam. If your business has a solution that members of the list have a need for, mention it – but don’t push it. Be willing to accept feedback, both good and bad.

5. Always scrutinize your own posts. Posting to the list puts your (possibly misspelled or grammatically incorrect) message onto many people’s screens. Make sure the image you portray is professional and accurate.

6. Include a disclaimer like the following if you are posting as an individual and not as a sanctioned representative of your company: “My words are my own opinion and do not represent the views of my employer.”

7. Read your sign-up information for list-specific rules and instructions to unsubscribe.

Here are some web sites where you can locate and join mailing lists appropriate to your needs.

http://groups.yahoo.com

http://www.listtool.com

http://www.lsoft.com/lists/listref.html

http://www.google.com (Search for “join our mailing list TOPIC” where TOPIC is a brand or company, a town name, or area of expertise.)