Is SPAM part of your customer's Diet?
Rules for creating a successful e-mail marketing campaign

Why is mass mailing of e-mail advertising called Spam? Imagine throwing a can of Spam into a spinning fan...get the picture?

I had an experience a few years ago just when the Internet was becoming popular. The on-line service that I subscribed to provided many basic services, and had just begun offering a connection to the Internet. E-mail between any other subscriber and myself was included in the basic service, but an additional charge was added for any message I received from the Internet.

One month I received a ton of Internet junk mail and was charged $56.00! Innocently enough, many advertisers don't look beyond their own costs for sending mail. Be aware that some companies outsource their e-mail requirements, subscribing to outside services for the company's internal mail between employees. Through these services they can also receive Internet mail. Their overall cost of messaging can be based on volume of traffic, including mail from the Internet.

America On-Line estimates that 30% of their overall network traffic is junk mail. In March 1998, Pacific Bell lost their e-mail service for two days when their e-mail servers were overwhelmed by junk mail. Did you know that many corporate executives regularly receive in excess of 200 e-mail messages each day.?

If you are determined to use e-mail to help your business grow, here are some ideas you can use to build and strengthen your relationship with customers instead of damaging it.

Start a mailing list. Your Internet service provider can set you up with a "listserve" or mail responder that allows recipients to add and remove themselves from the list. This can be quite useful for automatically responding to customer requests for information, or distributing your latest tips. Make the information so valuable that people will forward it to their friends. (Within 6 hours from the time a good joke enters an organization it will be forwarded to everyone…just think what could happen with compelling information!)

If you want to get in front of customers quickly, consider sponsoring someone else's list, or offering "electronic coupons" to list recipients. Offer your advice on Internet news groups or CompuServe and AOL forums and chat rooms. Many magazines have focussed discussion areas you can contribute to. Don't come across with a strong sales message. Instead, answer questions and offer advice. If you are a regular contributor, people will seek you out as an expert. Warning: Other less scrupulous advertisers collect lists of e-mail addresses from these areas.

Ask your service provider to create a second e-mail address for you. Use this address in public places. If you begin to receive too much junk mail, abandon this address!

Rules for creating a successful e-mail marketing campaign:

• Establish your own code of ethics.

• Provide something of value in your message.

• Keep information items short and to the point.

• Build and maintain lasting relationships where people will seek your advice.

• Get your own domain name. Promote your business instead of your service provider's.

• Include an electronic signature containing your contact information with any correspondence as I have shown in the sample below:
  
  

Wayne McKinnon. 900 Greenbank Road Suite 531, Nepean Ontario Canada K2J 4P6 phone: (613) 860-1384  Fax: (613) 825-4895

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