R as in responsible.Despite recent efforts to limit or filter out unwanted commercial e-mail, marketing via e-mail--if done correctly--remains a viable tool to advertise your products and services, solidify so·lid·i·fy v. so·lid·i·fied, so·lid·i·fy·ing, so·lid·i·fies v.tr. 1. To make solid, compact, or hard. 2. To make strong or united. v.intr. existing relationships and generate new customers. Here are five tips to help you responsibly use e-mail as a marketing tool. 1. Check the law. Currently, there is no broad federal law prohibiting e-mail marketing Email marketing is a form of direct marketing which uses electronic mail as a means of communicating commercial or fundraising messages to an audience. In its broadest sense, every email sent to a potential or current customer could be considered email marketing. , although several bills have been introduced in Congress. On the other hand, 26 states (excluding Michigan) have some form of anti-spam legislation with specific rules for sending e-mail advertisements and significant penalties for violations. For a comprehensive list of pending federal and state anti-spam legislation and summaries, see www.spamlaws.com/index.html. 2. Create your own "double opt-in" mailing list An automated e-mail system on the Internet, which is maintained by subject matter. There are thousands of such lists that reach millions of individuals and businesses. New users generally subscribe by sending an e-mail with the word "subscribe" in it and subsequently receive all new . Opt-in lists are those in which you receive the permission of the recipient to send e-mail solicitations. A "double opt-in" model is one in which you send a message asking the recipient to confirm that he or she intended to join your mailing list. You will go a long way to protecting the image of your company and increasing profitability if you send "permission-based" e-mail messages to those who actually want them. 3. Don't buy "junk" or "spam" lists. Often advertised as offers to e-mail your ad to a million people for under $100, these lists will cause you nothing but trouble, including potential legal liability. Make sure you deal with an opt-in e-mail See opt-in. list broker who is legitimate and has a good track record. Often, you can contact these companies and ask them how their lists are compiled and whether the recipients consented to having their names on the lists. For a good starting point Noun 1. starting point - earliest limiting point terminus a quo commencement, get-go, offset, outset, showtime, starting time, beginning, start, kickoff, first - the time at which something is supposed to begin; "they got an early start"; "she knew from the , see www.emailresults.com/emaillists.html. 4. Make sure you have a conspicuous opt-out mechanism. Recipients who originally consent to receiving your message may, at some point, change their mind. Make sure that your message includes clear and unambiguous directions of how they can be removed from your opt-in list. 5. Test your message on yourself. Many e-mail programs Software in the user's computer that can access the mail servers in a local or remote network. Also known as an "e-mail client," "mail client," "mail program," and "mail reader," it provides the ability to send and receive e-mail messages and file attachments. can be configured so that the user may filter out "junk" or "spam" e-mail based on a set of basic rules. Such filters, of course, will prevent your legitimate e-mail message from getting to its intended recipient. Thus, before sending a message to your opt-in recipients, send yourself a copy of the message or otherwise take steps to ensure that your message will not be blocked by basic filter rules. Visit the Detroiter Online at www.detroitchamber.com for a link to Websites dedicated to responsible e-mail marketing. Click "Detroiter" on our home page and go to: "E-mail marketing: online resources." FREE! Palo Alto Palo Alto, city, California Palo Alto (păl`ō ăl`tō), city (1990 pop. 55,900), Santa Clara co., W Calif.; inc. 1894. Although primarily residential, Palo Alto has aerospace, electronics, and advanced research industries. Software of Eugene, Ore., offers free marketing plans for a variety of small businesses at www.mplans.com. By Adam S. Forman, Esq. Adam S. Forman is an attorney with the Detroit office of Miller, Canfield can·field n. Games A form of solitaire. [After Richard Albert Canfield (1855-1914), American gambler.] Noun 1. , Paddock paddock a fenced field or enclosure. joining paddock used for mating. & Stone PLC, a Silver-level member of the Detroit Regional Chamber. This article is for general information only and should not be used as a basis for specific action without obtaining further legal advice. |
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