The discussion of “permission” and “opt-in” is one that keeps popping up again and again. I am working on posting some more thoughts about permission and consent. While I’m still thinking about what new I can say, here is a list of articles Word to the Wise I’ve posted in the past on permission: Permission-ish based email marketing Customers want to get mail...
There was a recent question on a mailing list during a discussion of spam and delivery problems. A number of folks who work in delivery were discussing how a bad address got on a list. Someone who works on the spam blocking end of things asked why do you care how a bad address got onto a mailing list? For recipients, they usually don’t care. They just want the unsolicited mail to stop...
Despite what some email marketers may tell you there are times when it’s really not appropriate to try and add someones email address to your list. I just opened a pot of yogurt and instead of a smooth, creamy dessert there was a sticky brown slurry dotted with firm white chunks – looking like hot-and-sour soup, and not in a good way. No, this isn’t an email marketing metaphor...
Jeanne has a great post up at ClickZ comparing the performance of mail to an opt-in list to performance of mail to an opt-out list. The article looks at opens, clicks and click through rates over 7 quarters (Q1 – Q4 2010; Q1 – Q3 2011) covering 330 million emails. I strongly suggest anyone interested go read the whole article. The short version, though, is that the opt-in lists had...
Do you know all the ways subscribers can get on your lists? Are you sure? I recently used the contact form belonging to a marketing company to inform them that someone had stolen my email address from their database and I was receiving spam to the address only they had. They had an opt-out link on the form, allowing me to opt-out of personal contact and a demo of their product. But that opt-out...
The EU has published consumer protection directives. Members states have 2 years to implement and enforce these directives. The interesting bit is this: 3) Banning pre-ticked boxes on websites When shopping online – for instance buying a plane ticket – you may be offered additional options during the purchase process, such as travel insurance or car rental. These additional services may be...
Spamfiltering blocks email. This is something we all know and understand. For most people, that is everyone who doesn’t manage an email server or work in the delivery field or create spamfilters, filtering is a totally unseen process. The only time the average person notices filters is when they break. The breakage could be blocking mail they shouldn’t, or not blocking mail they...
How many readers have ever submitted an email change of address form? How many readers even know where to go to submit an email change of address form? And I’m not talking about going to a particular retailer and saying “change my email address” I’m talking about using one of the companies that offer email change of address as a service. Where do they get their names and...
There was a bit of discussion about yesterday’s blog post over on my G+ circles. One person was telling me that “did you forget you opted-in?” was a perfectly valid question. He also commented he’s had the same address for 20 years and that he does, sometimes forget he opted in to mail years ago. As an anti-spammer with the idea that it’s all about consent, I can see...
Yes, really. I’m sure I didn’t opt-in. I get a lot of spam. I get a lot of spam to addresses that aren’t used to sign up for mail. But it seems inevitable that when I bring up examples of receiving spam I inevitably get asked, “Are you sure you didn’t opt-in?” On one level I can understand the question when I send in a complaint to an abuse desk and...
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