| Many marketers are hesitant to try email | | | | low-risk methods for using email. I've |
| marketing, because they're afraid | | | | formulated an Email Marketing Hierarchy |
| they'll be accused of "spamming" and get | | | | of Risk, which lays out email marketing |
| in trouble. Here's how to minimize the | | | | methods in a spectrum from highest-risk |
| risks. | | | | to lowest-risk, like so: |
| Anti-spam advocates argue that spamming | | | | Highest Risk |
| is unethical and that it robs users and | | | | Rented spam list |
| Internet service providers of valuable | | | | Homemade spam list |
| computing resources. Whether you agree | | | | Targeted spam list |
| with this ethical argument or not, | | | | One-time unsolicited invitation |
| you'll have to agree that spamming is a | | | | One-to-one cold canvass |
| risky proposition. | | | | Rented opt-in list |
| Spamming is widely hated among Internet | | | | In-house opt-in list |
| users, and those who hate the practice | | | | Lowest Risk |
| can do real harm to your business. | | | | The highest risk comes from engaging the |
| Getting labeled as a spammer can do much | | | | services of a bulk e-mail company, which |
| more than subject you to a deluge of | | | | will send your ad out to a blind list of |
| unpleasant flame mail. | | | | recipients, many of whom will object to |
| Some Net users are capable of | | | | receiving your message. Building your |
| technological retaliation, such as | | | | own spam list or a so-called "targeted" |
| sending e-mail bombs -- large e-mail | | | | list are also high-risk activities. |
| messages that can clog or even shut down | | | | Somewhat less risky is sending out a |
| an e-mail server. One company naively | | | | one-time invitation for people to join a |
| hired a bulk e-mailer to send out an ad | | | | standing list. And a personal message |
| for them. The company received thousands | | | | sent one at a time to a carefully vetted |
| of complaints. Someone set up a robot | | | | group of recipients might not be |
| that called their toll-free number over | | | | unwelcome -- if the message is carefully |
| and over for three days. | | | | crafted, short and tactful. |
| Spamming can also get you in trouble | | | | Least risky on my hierarchy is the |
| with your ISP. Most service providers | | | | opt-in list, whether "rented" or |
| prohibit unsolicited commercial e-mail | | | | developed in-house. This is a list of |
| on their systems and will shut down your | | | | recipients who have actively requested |
| account -- or even remove your Web site | | | | to be on a list. Opt-in recipients will |
| -- if they find out you've been involved | | | | welcome e-mail from you, as long as it |
| in the practice. | | | | is relevant to their needs, and as long |
| As an email marketing consultant, I | | | | as you don't mail so often it becomes an |
| recommend that online marketers seek out | | | | annoyance. |