Back in the 80’s and 90’s, keeping a customer database was “optional.” (Well, not to me. As a mailing list broker, I always thought it was mandatory.) Now? All three of the top marketing media–email, web, direct mail–are entirely list driven.

List building has become a coveted marketing discipline. The number of new names added to your list in the past week, month and year, is an important KPI. Whoever has the most names wins. With a passionate following of buyers and inquirers, you can reduce your marketing expenses with email and target niche and micro-niche markets with relevant offers to increase revenue.

What do Emily, Angie and GroceryLists.org have in common? Their growing lists helped them leverage infuence and build nationwide reputations. Leverage opens more doors than an individual has time to do on his own.

So how do you build a list?

First, you have to change your thinking. A list is not something you build “when you have time.” There’s never time. A list isn’t something you hand off to “I.T.” You don’t delegate relationships.

If you want the benefits of leverage, you must put skin in the game. From today on, marketing yourself at chamber meetings, networking events and leads groups must be filtered with this question, “How many net names will this activity add to my list?” You’re not “attending an event;” you’re “list building.”

Let’s start with an easy first step: The business card piles on your desk. Invest in a business card scanner. Once scanned, throw the cards away! (Yes, just do it.) The database you create can by synchronized to your PDA phone with a $49 piece of software. Now when you “think” about someone you need to talk or send an email to, you’ve got contact information at your fingertips…not back at the office. Leverage.

This may seem like a simple step, but…have you done it yet?

I’ve got dozens more list building strategies. If you’re interested, attend the City of Experts teleseminar where I’ll be the guest expert speaking on The Top 10 Ways To Build Your Marketing List. It’s coming up on July 9th.

You can also follow me on Twitter as I organize and post my thoughts for the interview.