Anti-Spam: Opt-Ins are Email Alternatives

The latest buzz word in the Internet marketing industry is the notion of “permission marketing,” made famous by YoYoDyne founder, Seth Godin (YoYoDyne has since been purchased by Yahoo). The philosophy of permission marketing is turning the marketing world on its head, as it attempts to combat the all-pervasive clutter every American faces each day from all the advertising we are exposed to. Let’s learn what it is and one way in which you can implement it on online to market without the dreaded SPAM.

Dating Your Customer

Essentially, “permission marketing,” to use Godin’s analogy, is like “dating your customer.” Even better, it’s like that decades-old word “courting” your customer. Build a relationship with them, get them to like you, to trust you, to believe that you can bring something special into their lives.

Then, once you’ve achieved that, they’ll be much more likely to give you their PERMISSION (in our terms, they will “opt-in”) to receive what you have to offer (e-mails, newsletters, special offers, etc.). And, once you have their permission, they’re much more likely to give you and your marketing vehicles more of their valuable time and attention.

Opt-In Email: The Spam Alternative

One form of permission marketing we use online is called “opt-in emailing.” Opt-in email campaigns are different than “bulk” or “spam” email campaigns in that the recipients of the email are subscribers who have agreed (given their permission) to receive such email.

How, where and why do people give permission to basically receive junk email?

A. How & Where

1. If someone is interested in receiving information about a particular kind of product or service on a regular basis, they can go to sites offering email notification of such products or services and subscribe to be notified. These kinds of sites are either direct sellers or sites dedicated to subscribing to lists. Examples of these kind of sites are PostMasterDirect and Bullet Mail .

2. Instead of going looking for a list, the other way to be subscribed to an opt-in is when the Web user goes to a site and either stumbles across the list, or is buying something from the site and are asked to join the list. In this case, the seller is taking advantage of the visitor’s interest.

We all know that Amazon and Barnes & Noble do this, but how about TicketMaster.com or SharperImage.com?

B. Why

People impulsively choose to opt-in to a lists. It’s usually because they share a common interest with the list’s focus, or because they’re curious. Receiving the opt-in marketing message via email is also a convenience that sometimes outweighs the inconvenience of the time it would otherwise take to get similar information.

Choosing Opt-In Lists

Since opt-ins allow the marketer to often select very targeted mailings, choosing a list can be much easier?or more difficult as the case may be. Your choices might be limited by the dollars you’re interested in spending (opt-ins cost about $0.15 - $0.20/name on average), the breadth of the audience you’re interesting in targeting, or the list availabilities of the service you are using.

Pre-qualifying lists and their subscribers can also be challenging. I recommend running smaller batches of campaigns and gauging the quality of the list by the number of responses you receive. Some services simply broker lists, so they might be less inclined to have quality lists than if they’ve collected the data first-hand.

Finally, there are a number of features and options that opt-in services can provide you?.if you know what to ask for. For example,

1. What name will the recipient see as “Sender”? It’s been my experience that the Sender ought to be the name of the opt-in service so that the recipient knows from the get-go that the email is not spam.

2. Can the Subject be customized? This is something you ought to have control over (we discuss elements of style further down this column).

3. Who do returned emails or unsubscribe requests go to? This should be the list service themselves. You should not be receiving any nasty, “Take me off your list!” flames (Internet speak for highly-agitated and often negative responses).

4. What about “undeliverables? Undeliverables are those emails that get returned to sender. If you’re paying for 3,000 names, you should get at least 3,000 delivered emails. Can pre-campaign tests be run?The answer to this should be “yes,” and at no cost to you.

5. Do you provide click-thru tracking? Tracking email click-thrus is an option that should be available, and online reporting is preferred. Be aware, however, that in order to do so, a special url (web address) will need to be created so that your firm’s web address will not be evident to the “clicker.”

Constructing Your Message

Once you have narrowed down your list(s), you then need to create the marketing message to cause an action. Those are the key words because without leading the horse to water and making him/her drink, you’ve wasted your money and your time.

Here are some helpful hints to constructing good opt-in email messages:

• Your subject should be short and punchy. Keep in mind that when a message appears in a recipient’s in-box, not much of the subject header is visible to them. You really need your first 3 words to be killer!
• Keep the message brief (I try to not exceed 4 significant paragraphs)
• Speak in a language appropriate to your target audience - if addressing teens, slang is appropriate, but for a business-to-business audience, keep it professional
• Repeat the client’s url as much as 3 times throughout the message, embedding it as a hyperlink (http://www?.)
• Offer an incentive to cause action - dollars or percentages off purchase or free give-aways are always good enticements. This is the “what’s in it for me” factor for your prospect.
• Wherever possible, use a person’s name (company owner or executive). This lends a personalized touch.
• And of course, USE SPELLCHECK and double or triple check your work (colleagues, friends & family are great for this).

Preparing for the Response

The larger your opt-in campaign size, the more of a response you should prepare for. Preparations should include:

1. Being sure that your site server is prepared for an increased volume of traffic

2. Thoroughly review your site ahead of time and correct any glitches or things that might otherwise be amiss - make it look “pretty.”

3. Have a response plan in place. This includes gearing up for greater order fulfillment, possible heavier telephone inquiries, and the need for rapid email response time.

There’s nothing worse than driving qualified leads to your site, having them interested enough to place orders, call or email to ask questions, and for you or your client not be able to handle the traffic! This is all about EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!

You’re now ready for a successful opt-in emailing campaign! If you need professional assistance, please contact Hollis Thomases at Web Ad.vantage, Inc.

© 1999 Hollis Thomases, Web Ad.vantage, Inc.

Hollis Thomases a marketer and public speaker with over 13 years of experience, is president of Web Ad.vantage, Inc., a creative online marketing, promotions and public relations firm specializing in strategy building and implementation. Call 410-297-9495 for more information.

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