Why do we hate unsolicited email so much? Have you ever asked yourself that? Could it be we have been programmed to do so? With all the hype over the Canadian Anti-spam Law and Trojan emails in the news, we are always on the alert when an email sneaks its way into our inbox from a sender we don't recognize. But, is it really all SPAM?
I have managed email marketing for clients for over 7 years. I see unsubscribe messages that make my toes curl. And the vitriol embedded in the rejection just seems to be getting more intense as time goes by. As with social media, when we can communicate incognito, we tend to use language we wouldn't if it were face to face. What I find very interesting is that often some of the most ungracious unsubscribe reasons given are offered by people who do their own email marketing. I suppose I incorrectly assume a supportive common thread among entrepreneurs. The adage "what goes around, comes around" is very true, as a small business owner you are your brand. If you get negatively personal in any kind of electronic communication, you may find others won't be so interested in what you have to say. But what can be equally damaging, is when an email is reported as SPAM with no reason given.
I have managed email marketing for clients for over 7 years. I see unsubscribe messages that make my toes curl. And the vitriol embedded in the rejection just seems to be getting more intense as time goes by. As with social media, when we can communicate incognito, we tend to use language we wouldn't if it were face to face. What I find very interesting is that often some of the most ungracious unsubscribe reasons given are offered by people who do their own email marketing. I suppose I incorrectly assume a supportive common thread among entrepreneurs. The adage "what goes around, comes around" is very true, as a small business owner you are your brand. If you get negatively personal in any kind of electronic communication, you may find others won't be so interested in what you have to say. But what can be equally damaging, is when an email is reported as SPAM with no reason given.
Cold-calling is a sales person's bread and butter. Whether it be showing up at a prospect's business, getting on the horn, connecting on LinkedIn OR sending an unannounced email. We don't fault someone who has "Sales" in their title for doing their job. As we entrepreneurs know well, for a small business, often the owner is "Sales" and Accounting and Production and... If email marketing is not an option, how else can a budding enterprise find new prospects on a small budget?
Consider this:
Consider this:
- According to EConsultancy's Email Marketing Industry Census 2014, revenue from email has increased proportionately by 28% in one year.
- Email Marketing was ranked as the best channel in terms of return on investment, with 68% of companies rating the channel as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’.
- Email Marketing has an ROI of around 4,300% (according to the Direct Marketing Association)
How do you tell the difference between someone just trying to make an honest buck and an untrustworthy email? What is SPAM?
The Official Definition:
Email spam, also known as junk email or unsolicited bulk email (UBE), is a subset of electronic spam involving nearly identical messages sent to numerous recipients by email. Clicking on links in spam email may send users to phishing websites or sites that are hosting malware. Spam email may also include malware as scripts or other executable file attachments. Definitions of spam usually include the aspects that email is unsolicited and sent in bulk.
*source Wikipedia
My Two Cents
Nefarious emails usually:
Now compare these definitions with a newsletter from a legitimate small business owner. Would you really call that SPAM?
Email spam, also known as junk email or unsolicited bulk email (UBE), is a subset of electronic spam involving nearly identical messages sent to numerous recipients by email. Clicking on links in spam email may send users to phishing websites or sites that are hosting malware. Spam email may also include malware as scripts or other executable file attachments. Definitions of spam usually include the aspects that email is unsolicited and sent in bulk.
*source Wikipedia
My Two Cents
Nefarious emails usually:
- Make an assumption for you - Example: An email that looks like an invoice telling you that you need to renew a service you never signed up for. See an example HERE.
- Closely mirror or illegally represent well-known brands, tell you something is wrong and give you a link to fix it - Example: An email that looks like it is coming from PayPal telling you that you need to change your credit card or social security information by clicking on a link.
- Offer you something personal (usually money or relationships) with an attached file to look at.
Now compare these definitions with a newsletter from a legitimate small business owner. Would you really call that SPAM?
OK - So, you still don't want the email!
As an email marketer, I ask for the reason for an unsubscribe for valuable feedback, so I can do my job better for my client. In a perfect world, I would like to see honest rejections, so we can create more effective emails and target a more willing demographic. Which got me thinking (since I believe you can't go wrong with online marketing if you follow the rules of dating)...
What if we unsubscribed like we would breaking-up with a romantic relationship gone cold?:
All right, do-it-yourself email marketer, I have gone to bat for you. Now you can do your part by making sure your emails have these important elements:
If you would like help developing an effective marketing plan, check out my consulting services. An hour's discussion with me can save you month's of trial and error.
What if we unsubscribed like we would breaking-up with a romantic relationship gone cold?:
- "It's not you, it's me - I just can't handle so much email in my life."
- "After much self-reflection, I have discovered what you have to offer isn't what I'm looking for."
- "Your service just doesn't meet my needs."
- "I've found another product I'd rather be with, I'm sorry it had to end this way."
- "I'm not interested, but we can still be friends. Don't email me, I'll email you."
All right, do-it-yourself email marketer, I have gone to bat for you. Now you can do your part by making sure your emails have these important elements:
- Clearly state who you are and where you are located.
- Give helpful information related to the field your product or service is in.
- Use direct links to your website.
- Always offer an unsubscribe link and diligently manage your unsubscribe list.
- Offer a list of choices for the unsubscribe that will help you target your marketing better.
If you would like help developing an effective marketing plan, check out my consulting services. An hour's discussion with me can save you month's of trial and error.
See my compilation of how online marketing is like dating HERE.
by Rebecca LeClaire - Website Design Company Consultant and Startup, Online Business, SEO & Marketing Consultant