Tuesday, August 24, 2010

If I start sending e-mail messages to prospects, will I need to worry about CAN-SPAM?

The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 covers all e-mail whose primary purpose is advertising or promoting a commercial product or service, known as commercial e-mail. The Act defined requirements for commercial e-mail senders (including penalties for spamming) and gave e-mail recipients the right to request removal from an e-mail list.
For more detailed information, visit the Federal Trade Commission CAN-SPAM web site:http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/business/ecommerce/bus61.shtm.
Here are some of the highlights of CAN-SPAM;
1. Deceptive subject lines are not allowed. Be sure the subject line matches the content of the e-mail.
2. "From" lines and other Internet header information must be accurate. Send the e-mail from a real address and be consistent--always send from that address.
3. The e-mail must contain a clear and conspicuous opt-out notice. Even if e-mail is free to send, you still don't want it going to those who don't want it.
4. An opt-out request must be honored promptly. You have 10 days to remove someone from your e-mail list; however, we suggest acting immediately on the request.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Good Content in direct mail or e-mail marketing gives potential buyers what they want. Direct mail marketers and advertisers work hard to determine what type of content motivates buyers. Research consistently uncovers four characteristics of content that score highest in buyer interest. The best content is;
1. Useful or entertaining
2. Relevant to the buyer's interests
3. Timley
4. Unique to the seller, either in content or presentation
These four characteristics are particularly important for opt-in e-mail subscriptions. If a reader signs up for your e-newsletter, the motivation was not to do you a favor--it was because the content of the newsletter had perceived value.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Direct Mail or E-Mail Marketing; Content is King.

Amid the ongoing debate about whether direct mail or e-mail is the best method to market to customers and prospects, very little is being said about the one thing that is crucial to the success of both---the message. Unless the message is relevant to the audience and persuasively presented, it doesn't matter how it is delivered. So while the discussion about direct mail versus e-mail continues, focus on developing good content and honing your writing skills.
Why Market with mail? The objective of both direct mail and e-mail marketing is to persuade a customer or prospect to take action, either now or later. When a seller consistently and regularly sends a communication such as a mailed post card or a newsletter(either mailed or web-based), a buyer is more likely at at future time to take the action desired by the seller. In other words, direct or e-mail marketing is less about an immediate sale than about positioning the business or organization to be top-of-mind when the potential buyer is ready to make a purchase.
This is important in business-to-business selling where the sell cycle is often long (especially when compared to business-to-consumer), and it is hard to stimulate demand. Direct mail is also important during an economic downturn when either budgetary constraints or the unwillingness of the purchaser to spend money creates a long sell cycle for both businesses and consumers.