26
Mar
Mar
Re: Stop Adding Me to Your Email Newsletter
We had a huge discussion at Friday 2.0 this morning (a social media networking group) about Chris Brogan’s recent article “Stop Adding Me to Your Email Newsletter.”
In sum, Chris defines SPAM not just as “email that illegally comes from people you have never met or done business with before” but also “people you know who add your name to their email list without permission.”
OK, point taken. It can be annoying to get unsolicited emails – even from people you know – trying to sell you their product.
But are there situations when it is OK to send people unsolicited emails?
After discussing Chris’ post, reading some of the comments, and sharing our own stories, this is the conclusion we came to:
- Trust and Relationships are what matter. Period. So whatever decision you make should be based on this.
- There are many different types of businesses, targets, geographies and goals. So there may be some cases or businesses when it is perfectly legitimate to add people to your email mailing list. I live in a small city, for example, and everyone pretty much knows everyone… so in this case it might be OK to add people to your newsletter list.
- Getting email newsletters or email marketing is no different than getting a piece of junk in the mail… sometimes you read it, sometimes you don’t. Either way, you have the opportunity to throw it out.
- The kind of people who don’t want your information might be the kind of people you don’t need to know, anyway!
- If you aren’t sure, it doesn’t hurt to just ASK PERMISSION! Most email programs allow you to “double” opt in people, meaning that once someone subscribes, they have to confirm their subscription. SO, if you subscribe someone from a business card they gave you, they will have the opportunity to confirm their subscription.
Some other tips we came up with:
- Make it easy to unsubscribe
- Put a disclaimer on the top
- Put the words “save money by_______” to catch someone’s attention
Thoughts?
It sounds like you’re looking for excuses to do something you know isn’t right.
I will share your criticism with my Friday morning group and see what they have to say.
I totally disagree you I’m afraid. SPAM is a huge problem. Adding people to your mailing list and sending out willy nilly, with the attitude that “if they don’t want it, they can always unsubscribe” is EXACTLY why DM campaigns are deemed successful if they achieve 2.5% Valid permission based email is the true way to a great relationship. Spam (no matter how valid you think it is) destroys consumer confidence in the channel and negatively affects other people’s valid campaigns.
That was part of our debate in our discussion on Friday. “What is SPAM?” We think of SPAM by its definition: mail that comes from someone you don’t know and have never done business with.
That isn’t what we are talking about here.
Well Jen, the definition of SPAM is where we disagree I guess
What is SPAM? “Getting email / newsletters from ANYONE whom you have not specifically requested said email / newsletters from. ”
“…email marketing is no different than getting a piece of junk in the mail… sometimes you read it, sometimes you don’t. Either way, you have the opportunity to throw it out.”
No. You see, I throw the junk mail away because I didn’t ask for it – it also makes me angry with the company for wasting resources. Whereas I read the email I subscribe to and trust the company that sends it.
I agree with Brian, it sounds like you’re bending ‘digital law’ to suit your sales and marketing needs, rather than the wants and needs of potential recipients. If as you say, this isn’t what we are talking about here, then I’m sorry to have wasted your time.
I welcome the comments, I do not however appreciate criticism without conversation. Our discussion involved Chris Brogan’s definition of SPAM, that is why I clarified in my last comment. However, I think a lot of people probably agree with your definition of SPAM.
I, too, sometimes get frustrated when companies send me unwanted junk mail that I didn’t ask for, completely wasting their resources. However, it is THEIR resources and I don’t NECESSARILY count out a relationship with that company just because they sent me mail I didn’t ask for.
And that was the whole point of this post, was to say that every situation is different and every person is different. You cannot put a blanket rule over everything.
Sorry Jen, it wasn’t supposed to be criticism and I greatly appreciate conversation. It was just that I disagreed with the way I INTERPRETED your post. I did take part in the CB discussion but clearly came to different conclusions.
It may well be the senders’ resources, but in using paper, ink and transport they are wasting natural resources which belong to all of us (hippy look out I know). Not to mention the energy taken to pick it back up, pulp, bleach and recycle.
By sending out unsolicited email, companies are wasting our time resources (in sorting through our inboxes and deleting them). Inboxes full of unsolicited messages affect the impact and therefore ROI of permission based email campaigns, thereby wasting other companies’ (my clients) resources.
I think you can put a blanket rule over email marketing:
If someone asks you to send email newsletters, send to them, get feedback, make them better
If someone gives you a business card, market to them in a different way (dm, telephone etc) and let them decide on the value of the relationship and whether they subsequently want to subscribe to your email newsletter. It’s a long way round but will develop stronger, more profitable relationships.
Anyway, I think I’ve probably annoyed you enough for today
Sorry if I caused any offence/ irritation. I’ve followed you on Twitter so will look forward to more lively debates soon.
Thanks Justin I really appreciate your comments and will be bringing your suggestions to my discussion group Friday. Great input and hope to see your comments again soon!