On Wed, 30 May 2001 23:03:19 +0200
Norbert Bollow <nb@thinkcoach.com> wrote:
> I agree that it is not normally a good idea to try turning a
> mailing list into something that generates revenue directly
> (through selling advertising space or even trying to charge for
> subscriptions).
For those lists that take this route I tend to have one of two
simple responses:
1) Unsubscribe and tell the list/list owner why.
2) Write a procmail recipe to strip the advertising from the
messages so I never see them. I then post tht recipe to the list
as/when the subject arises.
I see little need to suffer advertising in email. It is inherently
offensive.
> However you can use a mailing list to win the trust and goodwill
> of subscribers, and if you sell some product or service that is
> somewhat related to the topic of the list, then the list can be an
> important part of your marketing plan.
Precisely. Lists are valuable marketing tools for *people*, not for
advertising. I take a fairly simple tack with my lists: If a member
posts an advertisment or other marketing chest puffing to the list
they, and everyone else from that domain, and all known affiliates
are instantly unsubscribed, no questions asked. Corporate
representation has no place on any list of mine. Personal
representation however is the name of the game.
Aside: I've only had to apply this death penalty twice. In both
cases given that they couldn't advertise to the list, they saw no
reason to continue participating (conversations with them after
the ban)). In one case they tried to do the bombing run from a
throw-away Hotmail account -- I nuked everyone from the domain
being sold by the ad after checking it was them (Hotmail nicely
embeds the posting IP).
Note: I don't prevent them from re-subscriubing unless the offense
is repeated (it never has been).
--
J C Lawrence claw@kanga.nu
---------(*) http://www.kanga.nu/~claw/
The pressure to survive and rhetoric may make strange bedfellows
References:
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