Re: Opt-in email

From: Shawn Merwin <merwin_at_netsync.net>
Date: Wed 9 Aug 2000 18:28:41 -0400

DAVE CLARK <mediadc_at_email.msn.com> WROTE:
> Seems to me that you can't buy a truely opt-in list.
> Someone please come up with another discriptive name
> for what Susana is asking for. My pick is the "so damn
> lonely I'll ask for anything in my mailbox" list.

TO WHICH ROB FRANKEL <rob_at_robfrankel.com> REPLIED:
> Dave, I'm gonna disagree with you on that. My
> FrankelBiz list (http://www.frankelbiz.com) is 100%
> opt-in and has been from day one. We've got a few
> thousand members, a great culture and real purpose --
> with no spam. Our advertisers get great response
> because of that, too.

I think Rob misunderstood what Dave was saying. Dave's
comments led to a great discussion among my co-workers
and associates and our clients. He said you can't BUY
a truly opt-in list, and I tend to agree. To me the
only true opt-in lists are gathered for specific
content on a specific site. If I tell the subscribers
exactly what they are getting and how frequently they
will get it, then I have created a true opt-in list. I
don't trust that lists which are bought and sold will
be stocked with people who are truly interested in
exactly what I have to offer, and response rates will
suffer as a result.

Worse yet, people may forget that two years ago they
clicked a checkbox at some site saying, "Please send me
information from your business partners." Then the
message to them, although their address is gathered
from an alleged opt-in list, could be perceived by them
as Spam, with all the negative connotations you have
mentioned.

Rob did not BUY his mailing list (I assume). It sounds
like he created his list the right way, and has gone
about using that list appropriately. With our Informz
product, we have helped many companies (NBC/ABC
television stations, radio stations, grocery chains,
newspapers, hotels, information sites, unions,
political groups, schools, etc.) create their own true
opt-in lists, helped them keep their brand in front of
their best audience, and helped them deliver
advertising targeted specifically to their subscriber
demographic. It's obviously great when the message
recipients ask for the information, but it's so much
better when they REMEMBER asking for it, know when they
are getting it, and can receive it in the format most
useful to them. The more power and control you give
your subscriber, the better your relationship is going
to be.

Just some thoughts and experience from my corner of the
Net.

Shawn Merwin
Director of Communications
Visionary Software Solutions, Inc.
www.Informz.com





Received on Wed Aug 09 2000 - 17:28:41 CDT