You Might Be A Spammer If...

This entry was actually written for one of my blogs at work, which are typically more B2B or product related, however, I think this topic applies to all of us in marketing.

Everyone gets spam. I even consider a lot of the emails I somehow, someway opted-in to a million years ago a form of spam. I have quite a few clients who I consider "spammers," but of course, they don't think so. That means you - yes, you - may be considered a spammer and not even know it. So, please enjoy...

No one wants to be labeled a spammer, but the reality is sometimes your customers might consider your messages spam, even when you consider them permission-based marketing. So here are some tips on keeping yourself on the "nice list" and preventing customers from hitting the dreaded unsubscribe link.

Give the People What They Ask For
Make sure it's clear what they are getting when customers or prospects sign up for your list. If they ask for your monthly newsletter, send them a monthly newsletter. Do not let that monthly newsletter turn in to a weekly (or daily, yikes!) newsletter. Companies should fully disclose the type of content the list provides and the frequency of the mailings.

Don't Assume They Are Interested
Addresses should only be used for the list they signed up for. Just because you have a prospect's email address doesn't mean you should add it to every mailing list you use. It is more appropriate to include information about other offerings that may interest your readers and provide a link to a preference center, where they can manage their own list subscriptions.

Buying Lists Can't Buy Happy Prospects
Obtain all your lists and a legitimate manor through prospecting, conferences or other ways of building contacts. It is not advisable to purchase lists, since those people did not request your emails, and therefore, did not give permission to begin a relationship with your company.

Better Safe Than Sorry
It's unlikely that someone would provide you with an email address that is not their own, but you can never be too careful. It's easy to set up an auto-responder message or send an email asking people to take the step of verifying their email address in order to be added to your list. Requiring a subscriber to take action to be added to a list is known as closed loop confirmation.

And if All Else Fails...
Make sure you have a clear, simple way for your readers to unsubscribe from your message. This will ensure that you're in compliance with CAN-SPAM regulations and help prevent ISPs from blacklisting your content. Stick to your word - when you say a customer is unsubscribed, all correspondence should halt immediately.

via Pardot