While it’s no secret that individuals and businesses alike market themselves through email discussion groups, online bulletin boards and chats, what can create a problem and even legal entanglements is when posts are done unethically or in poor taste. A question that came in to our @ Your Service emailbox and a recent discussion list thread about this very subject prompts me to write this week’s tip.

For starters, let’s be clear: marketing oneself or one’s wares through discussion groups and the like is a perfectly legitimate thing to do. In fact, I’d venture to say that a good portion of you readers came to join our list through that very route. We Web Ad.vantage folks are very active on discussion lists, a fact I’m quite proud of. There are ways to go about this form of marketing, however, that not only demonstrate good etiquette and ethics, but they typically prove to me more effective.

Understand Where You’re Posting

Don’t just presume that you can plaster your message from here to kingdom come. That’s the equivalent of discussion group spam (and there are more appropriate places at which to do that, namely Free-For-All (FFA) boards). Instead, spend a little time belonging to the list before posting (this is called “lurking”). Learn the tone of voice used by its participants, the types of subject matter that’s discussed, and potential sore spots. Once you think you have a handle on this, only then is it time to consider posting.

Don’t Come Across Sounding Too Commercial

Just because you’ve made a decision to “de-cloak” doesn’t mean you come out a scream from the hilltops, “I’m John Doe and my product, Super Formula, is number one!!” That’s considered VERY poor etiquette and will probably only generate a lot of nasty emails in your inbox. You’ll want to keep your marketing subtle and indirect.

Play Upon Your Expertise

It’s best to not even mention your product or service if you can help it (unless someone’s directly asking for it). Consider instead answering a thread with good, legitimate information that proves to the list that you’re an expert in your field. Then, be sure you sign your name and include your company name, url and phone number with your post. That ought to get you some qualified visitors.

When All Else Fails, Ask!

If you’re not an expert on the subject matter but you still want to get the word out, another effective thing to do is to pose a question to the discussion list. Employ the same signature file at the end and you’ll be surprised that your response may not only generate interest in your company, product or service, but you might also get some really great pieces of advice!

Other Do’s & Don’ts:

Using An Alias

I feel on certain occasions it’s acceptable to use an alias, especially if you’re uncomfortable in revealing your email address or true identity. This is especially valid if you’re asking a sensitive question. Realize, however, that in using an alias, you’re not going to be able to market through a signature file.

CAUTION: Do NOT use an alias to malign or abuse a group. That kind of behavior could potentially bite you in the behind in the long run, and might even result in legal action being taken against you, especially if you defame someone or something to the point of financial damage.

Don’t Carry on a Conversation with Yourself

This is definitely taking the alias thing too far. The scenario of you posting something as one person and then responding to it favorably as another is not a very reputable thing to do and could again get you into legal trouble.

“Snipping”

When responding to a post, particularly in email format, it’s considered better etiquette to only include the part of the post to which you’re responding rather than force list members to have to re-read the same post. Using chevrons << >> to indicate the snipped portion of text is the acceptable method.

Tracking Traffic

If you’re truly trying to measure the effects of your discussion group activity, try setting up some sort of tracking capabilities be it something as simple as unique landing pages for traffic or using a doorway page to identify and track visitors by way of cookies.

Be conscious of your privacy policy when it comes to any personal information you may be collecting from visitors. The same rule of thumb used for other online interactions ought to apply to discussion group efforts as well.

For related information (marketing through newsgroups) read our tip titled Marketing Through Newsgroups

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