Stop, Stop, Stop the BAD Email Marketing Etiquette…Please

This article is going to touch a cord with some of you I know but for others of you when I write stuff like this you ‘jump for joy’ that someone finally said it!

So, I’ll take my chances with you here and go out on a limb and say “Please Stop with the Bad Email Marketing Etiquette, it’s so annoying and it actually makes you look really, really bad.”

What I’m talking about here is this:

• Many of you may not have a clue what you’re doing with sending emails because you’re new to it and you add everyone you meet to your list and send. You just haven’t been shown that there is a right way and a wrong way to do email marketing (meaning sending email newsletters or eblasts to groups of people who have NOT asked to receive it.).

• Others of you however have a feeling you’re doing something ‘not so right’ but you’re hoping nobody notices or that you don’t get in trouble. Maybe you’re really desperate to do anything these days to get business? (I get that but this is NOT the way to do it)

• Then there’s those of you who KNOW you’re doing something in bad etiquette but don’t care, you’re going to do it anyway.

Well I’m here to burst your bubble either way that adding names and contacts of people you meet to an email newsletter or any email list someone has to ‘unsubscribe’ from in order to stop receiving the emails is not only against THE SPAM LAWS but it’s also very, very, very bad email marketing etiquette.

You can actually HURT YOUR REPUTATION more than help it by doing this.

I get at least one email newsletter or eblast every day that I never asked to receive or opt in to receive on my own. Someone, somewhere just decided to add me to their list because I met them or they picked up my card somewhere or my email address was on some group or social site or on some random list. Half the time I don’t even recognize who the person is and that’s IF they bothered to put their name or picture in the dang email (don’t get me started about that!).

People can actually report you as a spammer you know right? If they do this and you get reported about too many times your email could get shut down or at least blocked all over the place. Then where would you and your business be? Up a river without a paddle, right?

So, I’m begging you, if you’re reading this to STOP, STOP, STOP doing this.

I’m going to give you something to do INSTEAD….

Instead of adding everyone to a subscribed list whether they subscribed or not, send out a series of 2-3 emails to those people you want to join your newsletter list – give them a sampling of what they’ll get, give them a free gift (an audio recording, interview, teleclass, webinar – something of value with content) to try you out. Don’t have this come in the form of a newsletter though, send it from you as a personal follow up note, it will be much more well received.

Don’t, don’t, don’t SELL ANYTHING in that first couple of emails or they’ll for sure delete you. You have to build relationships with them first and even go one step further by asking them how YOU can help THEM? You’ll get much more response, and positive response I might add.

You’ll be able to establish a dialogue, interact with them and THEN hopefully they’ll want to opt in and get your newsletter or better yet do some kind of business with you!

But if you just blast these people and don’t even refer back to how you met, where you got their information or make some personal connection in that first one or two email follow up messages then you’ll definitely have NO chance of getting them ‘legitimately’ as a subscriber on your list.

If you’d like to find out if or how I can help you not only with your email marketing but your entire business and marketing planning, promotion and implementation you can apply now for the opportunity for a complimentary Strategy Session with me or a member of my team. This is a very limited offer, I only meet with a few entrepreneurs each week who are truly ready to make some big impacts on their lives and the lives of others.

Go to www.AskKat.biz now to apply.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? To publish this article in your ezine or website please include the following blurb: Katrina Sawa is an Award-Winning Author, Speaker and International JumpStart Your Biz Coach who’s helped hundreds of small business owners take dramatic steps in their businesses to get them to the next level in business, revenues and their personal life. She offers one-on-one coaching, group coaching and do-it-yourself business-building products. She’s been featured on various news talk shows and radio shows including Oprah and Friends XM Radio. Go online now to get started with her Free Entrepreneur’s Success Kit at http://www.JumpStartYourMarketing.com!

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