Re: Is it Spam?

From: Rob Frankel <rob_at_robfrankel.com>
Date: Wed 30 Aug 2000 10:57:30 -0700

CHRIS YEADELL <chris_at_mymovies.net> WROTE:
> However I contacted a company today via email to see
> if they would be interested in advertising on our site.
> They offer a Broadband connectivity service. (something
> that our audience would be highly interested in as we
> are pioneers in broadband content in the UK.) I wrote a
> very personalised one off email to the guy concerned
> yet I received a rather abusive reply telling me where
> I could go shove my spam!

As most of us feel, I hate spam and I don't use it.
But I've found that doesn't necessarily mean you can't
contact strangers to form a relationship. The key is
HOW you approach them, not IF.

Even if you blast mail to people, you've gotta be
smarter and more respectful of their time and
intelligence than simply sending a message that shows
you know nothing about them or what they offer. THOSE
are the guys that get nailed for spamming.

A few months ago, I started a campaign to get my book
reviewed. And the way I started out was with a huge
e-mail database that had maybe 1,800 names. But I
didn't blast one message to all 1,800. I guess by the
time I got through the filtering and categorizing, it
got down to a few hundred good targets. Then I
composed a customized note that didn't look or feel
like a mass mailing -- because in truth, I was really
asking for help (in this case a review) and I offered
each person my fullest support.

I'm really pleased to report that I didn't get one
angry response or spam accusation. I got lots of
"thanks, but we don't review your kind of book here"
-- often followed up with a "but you know who you
should talk to?" with an e-mail and a referral
permission.

So overall, it's a matter of relationship: respect,
intelligence, not selling hard. The key is keeping
mind that web culture is built on the "reach out and
connect" factor. And the Will Rogers thing: "The best
feeling in the world is helping your fellow man".

Corny -- but effective.

Rob Frankel

-- Rob Frankel, consultant and author of "The Revenge of
Brand X: How to build a Big Time Brand on the web or
anywhere else." on sale at http://www.therevengeofbrandx.com
Big Time Branding (SM) http://www.robfrankel.com
AIM: ROBFRANKEL * 818-990-8623 or 1-888-ROBFRANKEL
Subscribe to FrankelBiz for FREE at: http://www.frankelbiz.com





Received on Wed Aug 30 2000 - 12:57:30 CDT