Spam-Free Marketing

Written by Donna Schwartz Mills


I received an emailrepparttar other day from a work at home mom who recently started a small publishing company. She wanted to start selling advertising to other WAHM businesses but was concerned about bulk emailing them... with good reason.

Spam isrepparttar 132823 four-letter word that most offends those of us working online. Everyone with a website receives it and like bad art, we all know it when we see it. But also -like art- in a way, spam is inrepparttar 132824 eye ofrepparttar 132825 beholder. I have participated in discussions that disintegrated because each member had his or her own definition of spam and was angry at those who disagreed.

Inrepparttar 132826 offline world, it is perfectly acceptable to cold-call or snail mail a business to tell them about a product or service you offer. When I worked in an office environment, I took such calls allrepparttar 132827 time. Often, I said 'no thank you' and that wasrepparttar 132828 end of it. But every once in a while,repparttar 132829 call came in at justrepparttar 132830 time I was searching for such an item - and a sale would be made.

Of course,repparttar 132831 power and low-cost of email make this an inexact comparison. So what do you do when you have a product or service that you *know* your target market *needs* -- and you want to userepparttar 132832 power ofrepparttar 132833 Internet to let them know about it?

THE PERSONAL APPROACH

The keywords are 'target market.' Find out who they are by doing an Internet search to find them. Check out sites which include directories of businesses in your target market. Then, visit those sites - and send their owners a *personal* email pitching your product. Be sure to use their *names* and comment on something you learn about their businesses from their sites. If they offer newsletters, sign up for them and comment upon something you read there. This establishes a prior business relationship and is not considered spam by *most* people.

However, even this personal approach will offend *some* webmasters, and it will cost you a lot of time relative torepparttar 132834 number of people you reach. A more efficient means of getting your message out would be to join discussion groups geared to your audience and announce your product there.

ONLINE NETWORKING THROUGH DISCUSSION LISTS

But message boards and discussion lists have their own spam issues. When joining a list, you must read their guidelines and follow them. Sending out a blatant advertisement torepparttar 132835 members of a discussion list will not be tolerated - but you are welcome to describe your business where it is *appropriate* (i.e., someone asks where they can find a product just like yours and you announce that you just happen to sell that).

You are also allowed to put information in your sig line that directs people to your website - so whenever you contribute torepparttar 132836 discussion, you have an opportunity to promote your business.

When you join, sit back for a couple of days and followrepparttar 132837 conversation so you can get a feel forrepparttar 132838 tone ofrepparttar 132839 discussion,repparttar 132840 people involved and what is customary among them. Then, introduce yourself as a new member (which also give you an opportunity to bring uprepparttar 132841 subject of your business, website, product - withinrepparttar 132842 guidelines they set when you join).

An added benefit to marketing through discussion groups isrepparttar 132843 fact that you will build new relationships with other business people that can lead to joint ventures, assistance and even friendship. Inrepparttar 132844 offline world, it is similar to being part of a chamber of commerce or other networking group and it works just as well onrepparttar 132845 web.

Atrepparttar 132846 ParentPreneur Club, we have our own discussion group, PPC Advisory, where members brainstormrepparttar 132847 issues they face as work at home parents. To join, email < mailto:ppca-subscribe@topica.com > .

Here are more of my favorite groups targeted to work at home parents. You'll find others specific to your needs by searching for them at < http://www.yahoogroups.com > and < http://www.topica.com >

< mailto:clubmom-affiliates-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > This group is made up of members ofrepparttar 132848 Club Mom affiliate program. All members have websites with mom-related content and products, which makes them ideal partners forrepparttar 132849 Club Mom membership program. You must be an affiliate of Club Mom to be a member of this list.

Spam Cop... Public Servant Or Self- Proclaimed GOD!!

Written by John Colanzi


Everyone onrepparttar internet is concerned aboutrepparttar 132821 prevalence of unsolicited email, AKA spam.

I understand their concern, but there has to be a better way to handlerepparttar 132822 situation than throughrepparttar 132823 bully tactics of elitist groups such as Spam Cop.

I've been a target of their guilty until innocent tactics and no matter how many times I prove that I've spammed no one they twistrepparttar 132824 situation into it being my fault.

They remind me ofrepparttar 132825 Spanish Inquisitors torturing "heretics" atrepparttar 132826 stake,repparttar 132827 truth be damned. They twistrepparttar 132828 wording of emails to make any answer wrong.

I don't know how in a country like America where we're innocent until proven guilty, it is justrepparttar 132829 opposite with repparttar 132830 IRS and Spam Cop.

It's like an analyst asking a patient if they still hate their mother. There is no possible way to answer correctly.

It's time for marketers to wake up torepparttar 132831 fact that anyone is their target. They can cause you more hassles and affect your business for any reason or no reason.

Where arerepparttar 132832 advocates of free speech? Where arerepparttar 132833 advocates of free enterprise?

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