No matter what size of company you are, list building can be extremely important.
If you ever have any hope of sending out a direct mail campaign or email blast, then this is the crucial activity to get you to the results you are after.
Building a list is an ongoing process as you are constantly pulling names and contact information from a wide variety of sources.
You need to have somebody within your organization focused on the right ways to build your list and the appropriate ways to manage the list that you have.
You can get contacts from any number of sources and if you are just starting out, it can be helpful to work with an outside company that specializes in this sort of activity.
Companies that focus on customer service types of activities are a great starting point.
You may need to start with something as fundamental as cold calling just to get some names on the list and get things moving.
After your initial efforts you can become more elaborate with your efforts at list building, but you need a starting point.
You will find that there are various events, groups, forums, and website activities that can help to build up your list over time.
If you run into an obstacle, keep at it and try other avenues.
Talking to a local chamber of commerce or national business organization within the given industry or profession you are after can be of great help in building your master list.
Creating the most effective list for your marketing activities will take time, but you will learn a lot in the process.