What about email lists...(I'm confused about what to do and who can I trust)?

Big question! We consult with entrepreneurs and business people regarding marketing using email mailing lists. There are a lot of considerations and the best advice we can give is to call us or send us a request for information. You can send your request to us on-line automatically by clicking here.

I noticed that you allow people to "opt-in" to receive opportunity related info. What is this all about and what do you do with the opt-in names and addresses?

We offer a smaller opt-in list for visitors to our web site. This list is maintained by our webmaster and is designed to allow people who are looking for opportunities to get a quicker response. This is a separate service from the opt-in service offered by our partner company. If people are sincerely looking for a way to make money, we allow them to opt-in. This simply means that people who would like to start a business or find an MLM Company or learn about income and home-based business opportunities can join our list. 

Do you have a privacy policy?

We have always enjoyed having an upfront relationship with our customers and site visitors that has been honest and somewhat informal. However, we have added a brief privacy policy page recently so everyone can view our policies and terms.

What is our replacement policy regarding bad postal addresses?  

Our replacement guarantee applies to US Opportunity Seeker/MLM/Home Business RESPONDENT names provided as a postal mailing list as follows:

US Names and addresses are replaced on a 3 to 1 basis. Even though all list sales are final and lists are provided as-is subject to our terms, we want you to be satisfied and interested in how your campaign went and - your feedback is valuable as it helps us to better serve you and monitor the quality of our lists and our sources.

I am involved in an MLM program, but am not satisfied with my income. How can I find out about other programs - can you put me on one of you opportunity lists or add me to your database?

Yes. For sometime now, we have received a steady stream of requests from people who want to be added to our databases because they want to receive opportunity offers. So here's what we have done. In the past, if you want to receive Opportunity and/or MLM offers and info, we encouraged you to just go to our Guest Book - Opt-in page. To make this less labor intensive on our part, you can now opt-in through Opt-In World. The big change is that if you opt-in to the list, you'll need to confirm that you want to subscribe. You will also be able to opt-out anytime you want to. Click here to read about how Opt-In World and how you can benefit by joining!

I need some advice regarding how I can set-up my own web site and start my own on-line business - can you help me?

We have decided to answer this question in some length. Based on the length of our comments, we decided to place this question and answer in the Marketing Tips section of our site.

What types of lists can I choose from?

In the world of postal mailing lists, there are two basic types of lists or broad categories that most lists will fall into. The first is a respondent list. This type of list is made up of names who have responded to opportunity related offers in ads; MLM, home business, business opportunity, income opportunity advertising or offers. Our postal respondent lists contain names and postal addresses. If you are in an MLM program or are looking for business opportunity seekers or home business prospects, we recommend our MLM - Opportunity Seekers Mailing Lists as one of your best list options. In addition, we have added phone and email lists and we have made real-time leads available.

The second major category of  lists can be described as a compiled list. A compiled list is usually a compilation derived from various sources that can include directories, phone books, registries, public and private records, government records and even credit bureaus. We offer a request for information form if you need a compiled list. Note that compiled lists offer depth of information but people on compiled lists have not necessarily responded to ads or requested opportunity information.

Where does APS get opportunity seeker/mlm/home business leads?

We develop some of our leads in-house. We also enjoy solid relationships with a limited number of quality sources that we trust. Given our contacts, we can address the needs of most mailers in terms of quantity as well as quality.As a list broker, we know where to turn to find quality leads. If you have special requirements or special volume considerations, please feel free to contact us. If we can't source a list for you from our own databases, we usually know who to contact to find the right list for you.

Postage is expensive. How do I know I'll get my money's worth and are your lists free of nixies?

It may be impossible to have a mailing list that is 100% free of undeliverables or "nixies" as they are sometime called but we do our best to make sure that your names are deliverable. We currenty buy lists from a source that tries their best to make sure errors in addresses are removed. This means your list will be more "deliverable" than lists from sources that do not take the time to perform this process.The fact that we have invested in CASS software and stay current with the latest releases is just one way that we attempt to eliminate undeliverables. APS also offers PostagePlus+. We will replace any undeliverable respondent address provided from our lists on a 5 to 1 basis. As an option, we may elect to even replace your list if there is a problem with the addresses. When we fulfill large or custom orders and names are obtained from an outside source or compiler, their terms and conditions if any, will apply.

How do no-call lists affect me if I market by telephone?

We are not in a position to offer legal advice. However, it is a good idea, from a common-sense point of view, to join a marketing association such as the DMA and to make sure that people you might call have not added their telephone numbers to a state or federal do-not-call list. Even though you purchase a so-called opt-in list, a respondent could have added their telephone number to a do-not-call list at any time. Another person in the household could have added their home telephone number to a do-not-call list without the other person's knowledge. The best policy is to always check first before you call.

Can you provide me with names from a particular State when I order? If you can, how can I let you know that this is what I want to do?

If you want to obtain names from a particular State, we will allow you to select two States on any list of 500 names or more. However, the reality is that it is truly a matter of luck if we have names available in a particular State. This is because the response to any Nationwide print ad cannot be predicted as to who will respond and where they may reside.

To request names for a particular State or States, after placing an order online, just send an email to info@leadlists.com after your place your order on-line, to advise us that you wish to have us select names from a particular State or States. We will match your email and order based on your email address and/or name and provide names from your preferred area if they are available.

Are your mailing lists with telephone numbers the same as everyone else's? I ask because my downline has found that the other two quality list sources, Pro-Step, and Cutting-Edge are saturated with people who are in the same program that I'm involved with.

APS develops telephone lists in a different manner than the competition. Our respondent lists are run through proprietary programs that actually match the respondent's name and address against the records in a high-end commercial database. We are also try to avoid renting the same names to people who are in the same program. 

Do you provide opportunity seeker lists that contain respondents from countries other than the United States?

At this time most of our respondents reside in the U.S. and some lists will have a few names from Canada. We do not have respondents from other countries at this time as advertising is placed in print media that enjoys a domestic and Canadian distribution.

Do you ship lists to other countries (not the U.S.)?

We will send non-domestic orders via email as the cost to ship outside the U.S. is very high and our we only charge the minimum for shipping and handling.

Why are your list prices so low?

This question has been posed a few times to us by some experienced and novice list buyers alike.We just raised our prices and may need to do so again in the 1st quarter of 2001. However, we will always strive to be a leader both in terms of quality and low prices. Even though our prices are low: we do replace names, we do CASS certify our mailing lists addresses, and ship our lists via Priority Mail...not by first class. Leadlists continues to be the leader in overall value.

For example, compare our prices with ProStep, Cutting Edge Media, and others, you'll appreciate what a bargain our lists really are. Plus, we don't recycle our lists unlike our competition. The result is a newer list of respondents that have not been overworked.

I want to save as much money as possible. Any suggestions?

You can save even more money with APS if you agree to purchase names every month for 6 months or more. This savings applies to respondent lists that include name and addresses. If you would like additional information regarding this option, please send a request for information using this email link.

Do you provide any warranty other than name replacement when addresses are not deliverable?

Unlike some list sources, APS functions as a list broker and therefore we do not guarantee response rates. This is due to the fact that we cannot control the various factors that are associated with a mailing or telephone campaigns undertaken by our customers nor can we guarantee or provide any warranty related to the use or abuse or our lists or the information contained in lists nor do we guarantee or offer a warranty regarding results that may or may not be obtained with a list that we provide. In short we supply lists as-is and only offer lists if customers agree to hold us harmless and without liability of any kind. We are not qualified to offer legal advice regarding how our customers should or may market. We do ask that any customer who purchases a list from us comply with any and all relevant and applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations that may pertain to marketing via direct mail or by telephone. It is the sole responsibility of those who purchase (rent) our lists to comply with any and all laws and regulations or rules that govern the actions of marketers. Since so many factors are outside of our control, we cannot be held responsible for your response rate or results. We supply lists described as opportunity seekers as that is the term used by list suppliers that we order from. We cannot and do not offer a guarantee or warranty related to merchantability or any other kind of warranty. We strictly limit our total liability to the amount paid for your list although this may vary by State. We do not accept any responsibility for results that you may or may not obtain and cannot warranty a list as being appropriate for a particular sales or marketing campaign nor do we provide a guarantee or imply that a list is suitable for any particular purpose whether it is stated or unstated. We suggest that all customers approach any marketing endeavor as an experiment that is subject to the laws of chance. Therefore, it is suggested that customers adapt a cautious approach and test any list to see if the list is deliverable and to see if the list is compatible with the type of mailings or offers that are being marketed. Our primary list category is described as "opportunity seekers" as that is the term used by vendors who provide lists to us for resale. We do not pre-qualify our lists or leads and do not assert or make any claim regarding the quality of a list other than the deliverability of a list. We do have a replacement policy whereby we will replace any undeliverable name with 3 different names.

I've noticed several similar web sites that have the same description as LeadLists.com. Can you tell me if these are managed by APS or leadlists and if not, why are they the same?

Competing companies often-times rely on search engines to drive traffic to their web sites. We have noticed the same "cloning" if you will, of our web sites.

By the way, we think that healthy competition is actually fun and do attempt to legitimately achieve the best possible rankings on search engines. However, we do not condone practices by competitors that involve cloning of descriptions and other material when the result is that the consumer becomes confused when they are looking at search engine listings.  To avoid confusion, our company name, Advantage Publishing Services is clearly displayed on all of our sites, we are located in Hiram, GA (in the U.S.).The easiest thing to do is to press the Ctrl key and the D key, on your keyboard, CTRL - D which will automatically add www.LeadLists.com to your browser's Bookmarks!

How many times can I use a list that I purchase from APS?

You can use a postal list one time unless you request unlimited use in advance.  Members of your organization that would like to work the names on your mailing can do so and names can be shared with business partners, etc. The guiding principle is that a mailing list name should only be mailed to, or called one time, other than for follow-up when the person contacted has requested additional information or responded to your initial offer. Please refer to terms associated with other types of leads on the relevant information pages.

Do you offer legal advice regarding marketing by direct mail, email, or by telephone?

No. We do not retain a staff attorney to advise clients about regulatory issues. If you are looking for legal advice, the best bet is to consult with a qualified advisor or join a marketing association such as the DMA. Trade Organizations related to direct sales do a very good job of staying current with regulations that are of interest to marketers.

What is the Secure Order Form used for?

The secure online order form can be used to order postal opportunity seeker-mlm lists and other leads that are featured such as our surveyed leads. In respect to postal lists, you can either fill in the form, make your selections and print it out and mail it with your check or money order, or, you can actually enter your order online and order using your credit card. Using the online order method is the fastest way to get your order processed and shipped out to you. We provide a different form if you need information about compiled mailing lists or surveyed leads. (Please note that we do not currently offer brokerage services for compiled mailing lists. This is because most list compilation companies have evolved over time adn now offer self-service sites that make it easier to obtain information directly on the web sites.

I've heard that on-line ordering using a credit card is not always safe. Is ordering on-line with APS really secure? I mean can some hacker get my credit card number?

If an on-line shopping cart is not setup correctly, it could be a problem. We can't speak for other web sites but we can flatly state that, ordering a mailing list from APS using our Secure Order Form is safe. 

As of 1998 our statement was: All of the programming and set-up related to credit card processing was done by professional programmers. Our secure server and credit card processing is managed professionally by one of  best web site providers and on-line card processors. Therefore, all credit card information related to your purchase is encrypted and resides only on a secure server. In fact, should you need to setup a web site and want to accept credit cards on-line with the peace of mind of bullet-proof security, we would recommend without any hesitation whatsoever, that you call InterLink Advertising Services (www.hypermall.com) and let their professional programmers go to work for you. If you want to have professional order processing as part of your web site, I'd recommend that you call them today at 1-888-HYPERMALL. Ask for Erik and tell him that we recommended them...he'll get a kick out of that.

As of 2011, we recommend considering HostGator - especially if you plan to accept credit cards at some point in time as they are security compliant and very inexpensive.

How many names should I order?

No matter what we say, people who are new to mailing do not always appreciate the fact that mailing is a numbers game and you have to send out your mailing or obtain phone and email leads in sufficient quantities to obtain a good response. If you want to test a postal list to see if it is responsive, we suggest a minimum quantity of 1,000 names. Otherwise, you aren't really giving a list or a list source a fair chance. However, if your offer and mailer are really good and compelling, you may be surprised at the response you receive even using smaller lists.
Click here to check out our LIMITED-TIME Special MLM-Opportunity Seeker List Offer