Ezines Vs spam! (Full Version)

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David1967 -> Ezines Vs spam! (4/28/2003 12:39:11)

Hoping for feedback regarding this delicate matter.

We have put together a unique opportunity, and would like to contact many targeted ezine publishers and offer them a special proposal.

We have signed up for many newsletters/ezines, and realize that by reading their articles and then making comments about them is one way to get your foot in the door and can lead to mentioning a proposal.

We would like to know of other methods to offering a business proposal to this group of publishers, without a blatant statement of proposal, that may constitute the label of spam to some.

Obviously, we would not send a url on the first contact, but just a harmless offer.

If we need to go the signing up route to get to first base, that is what we will do.

Thank you for any help,
David Mark



Thomas Brunt -> RE: Ezines Vs spam! (4/29/2003 10:47:17)

I think your approach is the right one. I pay attention whenever I get a sales letter that makes it clear that the sales person is familiar with my site.

I get lots of theoretically personal sales letters and even phone calls from sales people who have no idea what my sites are about. I would never do business with anyone who contacts me in that way.

Most all e-zine publishers are looking for good content to publish. An approach that is sometimes tried with me and almost always works is to offer up an article suitable for publishing in OutFront News. That' s an honest basis for striking up a relationship.

I know it' s not easy to take that kind of time and care with each prospect, but I can tell you from experience that it works.

t



David1967 -> RE: Ezines Vs spam! (4/29/2003 11:18:45)

Thomas,

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question.

I appreciate your honesty, and unfortunately it' s the same old story, that because few people abuse priveledges with ezine publishers or any number of internet owners, that more and more of these hard working owners, have to take their precious time and sift through a lot of garbage and spam to find the true good morsels left.

After talking with my business partners regarding how we will proceed, they all agree with you, as there is no way we want to infringe on any ones toes.

I hope to have our sig file up for our new business shortly, and will only contact owners if they appear to be a good target market, and only then if I read their information, and can comment on something they spent their time putting together.

Thanks again Thomas.



Mojo -> RE: Ezines Vs spam! (5/1/2003 2:22:17)

Ahhhh..... spam. Be careful with that word around here. There are many who would rather not see it.

You will have people flame you no matter what you put in your email. Even if people sign up for a newsletter they often forget they did and send angry letters. The new spam law in VA would get you busted (you *could* go to prison longer than a person who commits rape) if you sent email that was fraudulent. This would include faking the headers, the return email address or any dishonest on the email. I like that definition, but have problems with the penalty being so high.

I run regular email campaigns to people who have both given emails and who have not given emails. I get flames from both groups and I get great sales and repeat customers (I have sites selling products - not my signature site) from both the willing and the unwilling. All in all if you treat the people with the same respect that you would a snail mail mailing or a cold call campaign you will be fine. Provide an easy way that people can opt out and obey it. Also, don' t forget to provide an easy way people can opt in...

Targeted email campaigns are excellent $$$ makers. I will make more in these two weeks up to Mothers day than I did in the first 4 months of this year.

I only hope the United States Postal Service goes through with a plan to offer *paid* email. Something like a digital stamp. If this goes through you would pay a fee for each email (just like snail mail) and then they ensure it gets delivered. The big upside for many of us is that the servers that block spam will *not* be allowed to block federal mail. I love it.

If I were you I would send the emails and would certainly include URL' s in the first sending... just make the email informative, appear targeted and remember to include an opt out method.

Hmmm... looks like I am rambling... must be tired. I have been up past 2 am every day for a week and a half already.... there is just too much $ in email campaigns :)



David1967 -> RE: Ezines Vs spam! (5/1/2003 10:25:20)

Thanks Joe,

for taking your time to answer some questions.

I must state however, that I want to announce an opportunity to the ezine publisher, and I DO NOT have an ezine as of yet.

Therefore I am sure NOT to include a url on the first contact.

Joe, I am also happy to hear the law just passed in VA, as that is the start of controlling some of the spammers!

The big 3 of the industry, including Microsoft, AOL are getting together to see what they can do to fight spam.

I am in favor of paying for my emails to be legitamate, if that is the way to market in the near future.

Thanks again Joe.

Dave



Mojo -> RE: Ezines Vs spam! (5/1/2003 15:15:53)

quote:

I must state however, that I want to announce an opportunity to the ezine publisher, and I DO NOT have an ezine as of yet.

Therefore I am sure NOT to include a url on the first contact.


It would seem you are missing an opportunity. If your contacts are not totally sold by your single email and they request to be removed from your " list" then you loose future opportunity.

But, you know your market better than I do.

Good luck -



David1967 -> RE: Ezines Vs spam! (5/1/2003 15:47:00)

Hi again Joe,

I agree with what you just said about losing the customer.

I should have stated before that we will have an ezine.


Thank you Joe,

Dave



PBailey -> RE: Ezines Vs spam! (5/1/2003 18:56:25)

quote:

if you sent email that was fraudulent


Joe,
It was my understanding that even if not fraudulent but you sent 10,000 bulk mails out they would also come get you.

Not only can they put you in prison and practically throw away the key but they can also take any property etc. that you own. Personally, I find this to be a pretty scary law considering that, to my knowledge, we still don' t have a definite definition of what actually constitutes spam. At least with penalties like this for drug sales the product is defined...a drug is a drug....with spam...what is one person' s spam is another person' s newsletter....

My soapbox...content has to be defined!



Mojo -> RE: Ezines Vs spam! (5/2/2003 0:24:09)

I thought it was only fraudulent bulk email. At least that is what this article says - Yahoo article

Either way, I agree with you Paula. Content has to be defined and the penalty should fit the crime. Sending 10,001 emails should not land you in prison longer that someone convicted of sexual assault. I have no spam protection on my computer and get 50 to 100 spam emails a day. It takes about 1 minute to glance through them. I don' t like it. I would rather pay a fee per email myself and leave spammers alone. If they want to pay the price then they should be allowed to send. I am thinking that most would not. Save the harsh penalties for people who don' t obey those laws.



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