Ethical Email Marketing

There is a lot of concern over the sending of commercial email messages. Governments have passed laws that need to be followed by ethical marketers. Add to that, that you can be falsely accused of sending spam and you may decide an email marketing campaign just isn’t worth the risk. I will say that it is more risky NOT to run an email campaign if you really want to increase your online profits.

Much of the risk involved with email marketing comes from not doing things right. If you follow the “rules” you will come out ahead, and the few bumps you encounter won’t be felt at all. Let me ask you this, have you ever taken a “shortcut” while driving only to end up lost or way off course? We all have. It seemed logical to take the shortcut, but we really didn’t know the way - we just thought we knew. Email marketing can be the same way.

The overriding concept here is simple: be ethical. That’s it. Of course it wouldn’t be much of a post if that’s all I said. Here are a few ideas to keep you on course.

There is an ongoing argument amongst marketers about whether or not you should use single or double opt-in. Single opt-in means a person fills in their name and email address and starts receiving messages. Whereas double opt-in means people fill in the form, but they must respond to the first message you send to confirm they indeed want emails from you. Both sides have good arguments. As long as you don’t use false pretenses to get people’s information, either form of opting in will work.

Be honest when convincing people to sign up for your emails. Point out the benefits, explain why you’re better and what they get for signing up, but don’t resort to misrepresentation or hype.

So far we have looked at having people sign up using a form that you put somewhere. What about buying a list? This is almost always a bad idea and is asking for trouble. It’s one shortcut you should avoid unless there are extenuating circumstances. Never buy an email list that offers millions of names - ever. However, you may know someone personally who is selling their online business. Even then, you have to be careful. Make sure you really know them. Do they have a good reputation? Have you communicated with them previously? Also, be sure to request that the list seller notifies their list that it will be changing hands. This will give people a chance to opt out if they are worried about a new list owner. If all of these steps are in place, then buying a list could be an option.

Do not spam your list. This includes passing their information on to others, or sending unrelated offers to them. Keep any emails you send relevant to whatever they signed up for. It is okay to send them offers, as long as it’s within the bounds of any promises you have made.

Following these simple guidelines will help to minimize the risks associated with email marketing. You don’t have to rely on cheap tricks, in fact if you do things ethically you will have an easier time on the road to success.