Day 1: Define My Target Audience
Narrowed down the industries and business types I wanted to reach (e.g., real estate agents, local small businesses, healthcare providers).
Decided on geographic scope — local, regional, or national.
Day 2: Source Reliable Data Providers
Researched and contacted reputable fax list brokers with verified data.
Explored niche and industry-specific list providers.
Compared pricing, data freshness, and compliance certifications.
Day 3: Aggregate & Combine Data
Purchased and downloaded multiple smaller lists.
Started merging data into one master spreadsheet.
Standardized fax number formats and cleaned duplicates.
Day 4: Clean & Verify Contacts
Used bulk fax verification tools to remove invalid or inactive numbers.
Scrubbed against Do-Not-Fax and opt-out lists.
Verified compliance by ensuring numbers fax lists had prior consent or an established business relationship.
Day 5: Segment and Organize
Tagged contacts by industry, region, and business size.
Created targeted sublists for better campaign relevance.
Day 6: Test Campaign
Sent small batch test faxes to validate data accuracy and measure response.
Monitored delivery, bounce, and response rates.
Day 7: Finalize List & Scale Up
Removed unresponsive or invalid numbers based on test results.
Prepared the final 5,000-contact list ready for full campaign launch.
Key Tips I Learned
Data quality beats quantity. It’s better to have fewer verified contacts than thousands of bad numbers.
Compliance matters. Avoid costly fines by respecting opt-outs and consent.
Test and iterate. Small tests saved me from wasting resources on bad data.
Use automation for cleaning and deduplication to speed up the process.