Having tired of reading about AOL here every day, let me introduce a new
controversial topic dear to my own heart.
I am a marketing consultant. I advise businesses how to market and promote
themselves in new media, including CDROM and online services. I am also a
long-time net user who manages a manual mailing list (the reason I
subscribe).
I am NOT a naive newbie asking others to do my homework for me.
When promoting clients on the net, my partners and I would like to
distribute announcements and special offers to relevant mailing lists, but
we DON'T want to antagonize subscribers or list owners. So how should we do
it?
I've listed a few questions below to prime the pump. Please don't hold back
from a sense of civility-- I know this is a VERY sensitive topic--
especially in light of the recent spamming. On the other hand, please don't
mail bomb me.
1) Have you ever accepted publicity/advertising announcements on your list?
Would you?
2) Would it matter if you were contacted personally by email or phone
_before_ someone sent an unsolicited announcement to your list?
3) Would you allow an announcement that included offers, prices, or
ordering instructions for a product or service? If not, how should offers,
prices, and other clearly commercial material be handled? Web pages? Email
address for info?
WARNING: STOP HERE if you have high blood pressure
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4) How would you react if someone offered to pay you to post an "ad" to
your list? Would your reaction change if the "ad" was clearly relevant to
the list topic? Would it matter how much money you were offered?
5) Would you open your subscriber list to an unsolicited direct emailing
under any circumstances? What if you got paid for it? What if you could
review the proposed mailing beforehand and were assured no other mailings
would go out?
That's it. I'll supply my own views as the discussion develops.
Neil Ruggles
RUGGLES INTERACTIVE MEDIA (718) 476-3692
35-45 78 Street, Suite 52 (718) 426-3370 fax
Jackson Heights, NY 11372 nruggles@panix.com
Innovative marketing, promotion, and advertising
using CDROM, phone/fax, online services, and the Internet
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