Got an email mailing list? Don’t do this.
Last week I got an email from a potential client, asking for a quote on a project. I replied, suggesting we set up a phone meeting to talk about some specifics. I didn’t hear back from this person, so about 4 days later I sent another quick “hello” email, again letting her know I’d love to talk further and asking when would be a good time for her to talk.
I still haven’t gotten a response, but today I received her latest email newsletter.
Strange, huh? I’ve never met this woman, nor spoken to her. I’ve never even been to her website, yet I’m on her mailing list.
Imagine that.
Do you have an email list that you use for marketing? Do you have a newsletter? If so, let me tell you that this is a perfect example of what not to do when building your email list. If you choose to manage your email list this way, you’re just asking for trouble.
Why, you ask? Spam’s why. Spam is bad. Let’s talk about permission marketing.
The CAN-SPAM law protects people from spam emails, and as responsible marketers, we should get permission from someone before we add them to our lists. It’s called “permission marketing”, and services like Aweber require double-opt-in before you can even send someone an email. Double opt-in means that when someone signs up for your newsletter, they immediately receive a confirmation email that includes a special link. They need to click that link to confirm their interest. If they don’t click the link, they don’t get on the list.
This extra step may seem like a bit of a pain, but it’s the best way to be sure that the people on your list really do want to hear from you. If you don’t follow the rules, you risk being labeled as a spammer.
I know you’re not a spammer, so don’t act like one.
As you work hard to build your mailing list, just be sure to follow the rules. 
How do you get new subscribers? Let’s discuss.
