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Are you getting enough email newsletters?I don't know if you've noticed it of late, but everybody seems to have discovered the wonders of the email list. If you're not getting 50 or so emails a day yet, many of which come from an email list server of some sort, just wait. You will. And if you're in a corporate environment, figure on more than 150 messages per diem. I was at a trade group meeting on Saturday, and one of the folks at my lunch table suggested - no, URGED - the group to start marketing via email. He described his own successful experience of creating a newsletter and collecting people's email addresses whenever and wherever possible. In fact, he even did it to me a few months ago after we exchanged cards at a seminar. Within a week, I was getting a weekly email blurb from him. We all exchanged cards at the table and I'm sure there are five more people who will be getting email from this guy after this weekend. This guy continued that if the skills to write a newsletter weren't available, just send out the occasional URL, clipping, or tip. But send out something. I can't really argue with the advice. The purpose of this very newsletter is to market The Gadwall Group. Email marketing is cheap, direct, and involuntary. The recipient has no choice but to deal with it in some way, even if they only read the subject line. But beware, everybody is going to be doing it pretty soon. The effectiveness of these newsletters is going to get worse and worse as more companies figure out that newsletters are another avenue for their marketing campaigns. As if commercial use isn't enough, email "marketing" isn't just for businesses anymore. Like many of you, I'm starting to get a lot of "non-commercial" spam. There once was a time when only businesses sent annoying mass-mailed messages. Now, the concept has widened beyond companies to people who feel that your inbox needs to be filled with their thoughts. For example, I'm involved in birdwatching. I participate on a couple of birding list servers, and have a reasonably popular birding Web site. So I get hammered with email from people who want me to participate in their favorite environmental issues or birding activities. I'm also involved in the professional speaking community. At one point, I was the newsletter editor for a particular group. Within a month, I was getting emails from other chapters, members and vendors who all thought that "I would want to get this valuable information." Ugh. In the most novel example I've seen of non-commercial spam, a guy who became seriously ill decided to send semi-regular, long emails to pretty much everyone he's ever met detailing the latest on his treatment and problems. When you're dealing with known and legitimate companies that send out spam, you don't feel bad about asking to be deleted from their list. But when it's individuals, whether they're friends or business associates, it's a little harder. You're afraid of hurting their feelings. Even this newsletter goes to a few friends and associates that never REALLY asked to be on it...I just added them to my personal list. And don't even think of asking to be taken off...you'll crush me. ;-) It's gotten so bad that I've set up an "annoying people" folder and rule on my email system. If a message comes in from "Myrtle," it automatically goes into that folder and sits there until I can mentally psych myself up to dealing with it. That way I don't have to write a nastygram to Myrtle asking to be taken off her list. And she just keeps sending those silly messages to me. Hmmm. I wonder if anyone's doing that for...nah. What's the point? There actually are a couple of them. 1. Ask permission before you bury folks in messages. Don't just find an email address and start emailing, thinking that "they want this information." While my current definition of spam excludes email to people with whom you already had a business relationship, I'm considering modifying it. Finding a business card in your pocket after a day at seminar or trade show does not mandate that you add this poor soul to your newsletter list, and email him or her till they die. 2. If you do want to start sending email to everyone you've ever heard of from organizations you belong to, seminars, meetings and trade shows you've attended, and email lists you subscribe to, you may want to consider sending ONE newsletter first along with an invitation to subscribe. Make it clear that they're not on the list until they take affirmative action. Maybe you could send a second reminder message if they don't subscribe. Or you could send them a simple invitation to subscribe to the newsletter. Listbot, the service I use for this newsletter, won't let me add an email address unless someone actively wants to be on it. 3. If you do send out an email newsletter of some sort, then make it clear how easy it is to get off the list. Don't make it difficult. Just a simple unsubscribe email address ought to do it. 4. Recognize that the effectiveness of newsletters is not going to stay as high as everyone currently brags about. As message volumes increase, more of your recipients are going to delete your words of wisdom without even reading them, just to get some time to play with the kids or maybe get some real work done. I'm sure no one deletes "The Cynical CIO" without reading it completely through. Email is a tremendous marketing tool. But it can be abused, and that abuse is going to generate so much volume that it will become just another marketing channel, like telemarketing and direct mail. So do your part and be polite before inundating people you meet with email newsletters. And if you're getting them, go ahead and ask to be deleted. Except for subscribers to "The Cynical CIO." Don't you dare. ;-)
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