E-Mail marketing is a wonderful tool a small business to use. You can communicate like the big boys with inexpensive tools to create and send mailings to your clients and prospects. These systems allow messages that are not only targetable but also accountable (you can see who opened the e-mail, when they did it, and what actions they took). Just keep in mind that there are some things that are ok (when creating your lists) and some things that are not.
DEFINITELY NOT OK TO USE
- You obtained the email addresses from a third party: Whether you purchased a list, were provided one by a partner or bought a bankrupt competitor’s customer list, those people never gave YOU permission to email them and they will consider your email spam.
- You scraped or “copy and pasted” the addresses from the Internet: Just because people publish their email address doesn’t mean they want to hear from you. (see Seth Godin about permission marketing)
- You haven’t emailed the recipient’s address for more than 2 years: Permission doesn’t age well. Even if you got their permission legitimately, they won’t remember giving it to you. If you haven’t sent something to that address in the last 2 years, you can’t start now.
OK TO USE
- Opted in from your site: Each subscriber opted in from your own web site where you explained when and what you would be contacting them about.
- Purchased a product from you: This person is a customer that purchased from you within the last 2 years.
- Handed you their business card at a trade show or other event knowing you would contact them: If you told the card owner you would be in contact, you have permission. If you did not suggest either with a sign or verbally that you would be contacting them, you do not have permission.
- They completed an offline form and indicated they wanted to be emailed: If someone completes an offline form like a survey or enters a competition, you can only contact them if it was explained to them that they would be contacted by email AND they ticked a box indicating they would like to be contacted.
Follow these rules and maintain an automated “suppression list” or “blacklist” and you’ll do fine. Often people who are truly interested in what you have to say are happy to receive your e-mails. Think about the e-mail you like to receive (i.e. local show announcement from a comedian or musician that you like, a discount or special offer from a company that you often buy from, etc).
