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Originally Posted by kiwidesigner
I'm in agreement with most here - I'd never use email marketing as it IS spam so it's best to keep clear of it. Clients and internet users are completely overrun with spam so you'd probably do more damage than it's worth.
Karen
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Karen,
Let me begin by saying I took a quick peek at your web site and compliment you on what you have achieved.
That being said, I have to take issue with the statement:
"I'd never use email marketing as it is spam so it's best to keep clear of it."
Why? Not on the question of what is spam, because unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your perspective:
"what is one person's spam can be another person's email message she desparately wants to receive."
Rather from the perspective, a business person can legitimately market through the use of email, but only if it is done responsibly.
What do I mean by this statement?
* First, in marketing via email, legitimate marketing does not mean and should never be confused with sending unsolicited non-fraudulent bulk email.
* Rather, the underpining for my statement are the concepts found and the suggested approach in the following document:
How to Advertise Responsibly Using E-Mail
I do appreciate that the volumes of unsolicited bulk email has reached a level were the underpinnings of the Internet as a communication medium are in jeapordy.
At the same time, to suggest "affirmative consent commercial email" sent in bulk is spam, meaning it is an abuse of another's property interest misses the point.
For the purpose of this post, "affirmative consent commercial email" means that the recipient gave prior consent to the sending of the direct marketing message, with conspicuous notice given at the time the recipient gave consent concerning the nature of the content that would be delivered.
By following this path, you are marketing responsibly on the Internet and this is legitimate method of generating business.
In today's online enviroment with the volumes of unsolicted bulk email (ube) there are issues surrounding the ability to get your message delivered, given the methods being used by ISP's to block and filter email messages. Also, the volume of "affirmative consent commercial email" or "solicited commercial email" for short has gone up significantly, meaning there is fierce competition among e-mailers for the consumer's attention.
Yet, studies consistently show the use of "affirmative consent commercial email" does remain a viable method of marketing and therefore should not be discounted out of hand.
Having said this, if one were to be confronted with,
"I can only follow one method of promoting my site, which should I follow?"
I would have to agree, again from all of the studies and data, search engine marketing is cleaner and many would argue more lucrative. But, the competition for position in some segments is fierce.
However, since a balanced approach is better, then I would suggest not including email marketing, in your marketing arsenal, providing it is done responsibly, is to put it in the vernacular "leaving money on the table."
At the same time people should not forget "direct marketing mail."
Trusting this helps in seeing the other side of the coin.
Kind regards,
John
P.S. Of course, if we are going to say, all email marketing per se is spam, irrespective of whether you have "affirmative consent" then you and I will part company. My challenge then becomes to show me how sending "affirmative consent commercial email" is spam, if one is to accept the for example the SpamHaus definition of
spam.
As an aside, I put forward the verficiation standard set out in
How to Advertise Responsibly Using E-Mail is a fair starting point, although the standard may have shifted to a slightly higher level, requiring subscriber confirmed consent, as opposed to publisher confirmed consent.
John Glube
Toronto, Canada
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