Stupid email practices and the marketers behind them (Repost)

Posted on September 2, 2008
Filed Under Email Marketing | Leave a Comment

(from iMedia Connections)

by G. Simms Jenkins

Ignorant and offensive tactics continue to persist in the email marketing space. Learn what they are and why you should avoid them.

Recently, I have noticed a rising trend that might be due to this rough economy or perhaps just sheer laziness. Quite a few emails are finding their way into my inbox without any direct permission being granted to the sender. I am not talking about the usual spam that inevitably clutters our lives. I am talking big brands, real marketing messages and conflicted and confused senders.

Below I provide several examples of emails my team and I have received without having provided any specific opt-in to the senders or their companies, affiliates, friends or family.

First off, a major seller of concerts tickets targeted a colleague of mine with its ongoing promotional emails without his opt-in. The company disclosed this move in small fine print at the bottom of the email, which noted that you had to opt out to stop receiving the messages.

Would it hurt so much to ask for an opt-in rather than assuming this is OK?

(see the rest of the article on iMedia Connections)

G. Simms Jenkins is founder and CEO of BrightWave Marketing, an Atlanta-based email marketing and customer relationship services firm. He is the author of “The Truth About Email Marketing,” published in August 2008

 

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Seth Godin’s Email Checklist

Posted on June 8, 2008
Filed Under Email Marketing, Seth Godin | Leave a Comment

I am a big fan of Seth Godin. I have read his book Permission Marketing many times over and I see him as one of the best Email Marketing Gurus on and off the Internet.

Before you hit send on that next email, perhaps you should run down this list, just to be sure:

1. Is it going to just one person? (If yes, jump to #10)
2. Since it’s going to a group, have I thought about who is on my list?
3. Are they blind copied?
4. Did every person on the list really and truly opt in? Not like sort of, but really ask for it?
5. So that means that if I didn’t send it to them, they’d complain about not getting it?
6. See #5. If they wouldn’t complain, take them off!
7. That means, for example, that sending bulk email to a list of bloggers just cause they have blogs is not okay.
8. Aside: the definition of permission marketing: Anticipated, personal and relevant messages delivered to people who actually want to get them. Nowhere does it say anything about you and your needs as a sender. Probably none of my business, but I’m just letting you know how I feel. (And how your prospects feel).
9. Is the email from a real person? If it is, will hitting reply get a note back to that person? (if not, change it please).
10. Have I corresponded with this person before?

To See The Full List Please Visit Seth Godin’s Blog

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Future of Email - eMarketer Report

Posted on May 31, 2008
Filed Under Email Marketing, VerticalResponse | Leave a Comment

Janine Popick
CEO and co-founder of VerticalResponse

eMarketer published this recent survey that Ipsos conducted for Habeas about email usage among adults. Two-thirds of adult respondents said they preferred email for communicating with businesses. Just as many said they expected to still prefer email five years from now, however, they’d like their messages more targeted to them.

Check out the VerticalResponse List Segmentation tool to help you target your messaging better, it’s free in your VR account. Get the whole study.

To see the full report please go to VerticalResponse

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Return Path’s Email Expert Roundtables in Colorado and Texas

Posted on May 25, 2008
Filed Under Email Marketing, Email Marketing Events, Return Path | Leave a Comment