I just received this email from a friend'.
Unlike my ‘friend', I've protected the names and email addresses included in this email.
The mistake they made is a mistake that I made almost 15 years ago and never made again.
After sending out a bunch of unsolicited emails through my hosts server, they shut me down until I signed a bunch of papers saying that I wouldn't do so again.
Who knew?
I was using software supplied by a ‘reputable' marketer to collect the email addresses of everyone who had contacted me through my site.
I thought it was OK.
NOT.
It's called SPAM.
In other words, they are email marketing without generating a list of subscribers without an autoresponder.
What I find remarkable is that some newbie marketers are still trying it (marketing to their personal lists through their hosts), despite ALL the spam that is out there… AND all the education available.
I must assume that THEY get unwanted emails, yet think nothing of sending unwanted emails.
REALLY BAD move.
Nowadays, hosting services aren't so lenient as mine was 15 years ago. They'll just kill your hosting and email accounts.
So… if you want to send an email to a bunch of your ‘friends' – build a list using an autoresponder.
My personal choice is Aweber – I've been using them ever since I made that mistake more than a decade ago and have never looked back – not through 100's of thousands of subscribers… AND I've never jeopardized my business again either.
Comments, questions or suggestions? Please leave a comment below!
Cheers,
I know a friend who used to forward ‘funny’ or ‘interesting’ emails to a large number of receivers. She had the same problem as you described in the article. Her ISP shut her down and she had problems resolving the issue. In all fairness, spamming is never OK. Sending mass emails and making everyone’s address available is not OK either. I’m glad you found Aweber. Have been using the service for a while and I’m sure you’ll be happy with it too 🙂
This is exactly the problem with many websites. the fact is, SPAM is out there and is not discerning. Be careful people, because the rules have changed.
I am creating a site using a 3rd party site building tool that includes facility to have people sign up for a newsletter. What is the correct way to handle it from there ? Can I then transfer those names/addresses to Aweber or some other 3rd party email marketing tool to administer the mailing of the newsletter ?
Hi Jerry,
Aweber is very picky about how email addresses are imported into their system. You would need to get confirmation from each one of your existing subscribers about being moved to the new service at which point you’ll lose a lot of them. It’s better to start with a service you can count on for years and years to come.
Cheers,
Ros
Hi Jerry,
Aweber is very picky about how email addresses are imported into their system. You would need to get confirmation from each one of your existing subscribers about being moved to the new service at which point you’ll lose a lot of them. It’s better to start with a service you can count on for years and years to come.
Cheers,
Ros
I also made that same mistake about 7 years ago and got some very angry reply emails.
But then you can’t call yourself an internet marketer unless you’ve made this mistake at least once 🙂
Cheers
Ian McConnell
Western Australia
Thanks Ian – that’s SO true. 🙂
Yeah, protecting your email list is the only way to send mail nowadays. I get so perturbed when I get mail from folks like the one you posted. Most people who send mail without Bccing are just not educated on the correct way to send it. Great advice Ros!
Carolyn
Thanks Carolyn! Always appreciate your comments!
Ros,
Are you saying that ISP’s view a local email or newsletter list as spam?
I’m “experimenting” with (meaning figuring out how to use) phplist to maintain a small newsletter list. I figured there wouldn’t be more than a few hundred subscribers and that I would send them notices and pertinent info periodically.
I guess I better check with the ISP’s customer-support and make sure I’m not stepping on my own foot. I figured since phplist was part of their hosting package, maintaining a newsletter and sending out periodic emails would be acceptable. Worst case would be my need to “upgrade” the hosting package to cover additional traffic or server load.
I never gave it much thought, but I’ve got a few hundred folks in my personal contact list, and more than 30 labelled as family. So, when we’re planning an event, I send an email to the “family” group and it goes to all 30 relatives. I hope they don’t consider that spam! I’m using an email client versus a server-based program, so maybe not.
Gus
Hi Gus,
I do likewise with my ‘family’ and ‘close friends’ groups, neither of which consist of more than 40 people.
BUT, I would never do that with a business list — which isn’t worth a lot if it only consists of 40 people. 🙂
The best way to build THAT list is to get a real autoresponder (not phplist) and market to it.
I really do love Aweber… been using them for well over a decade and never had a problem with them.
https://rosalindgardner.com/go/aweber
Cheers,
Ros
Good Thing I Got Aweber When I Got Started 3 Years Ago,they take care if all the grime in your business!
Great post Rosalind!
Never Post an Email Without An Autoresponder!
Good for you, Daniel. I’m with you on that one!
Cheers,
Ros