This should be common sense, or at least common sense to a marketing or public relations agency, but apparently it’s not. Do NOT put people onto email lists that you think might be interested in what you are trying to sell – be it a product, service, or news updates.
In the last few weeks, I must have been added to three or four different email lists for companies wanting to spread the news about gTLD domain names. It’s one thing if a company emails me to ask me permission to be put on an email list (although some would argue that’s spam), but it’s another thing to just add someone and assume they are interested.
Personally, I feel that an email request sure beats getting added to an email list, and it shows me that the sender actually respects my time and the CAN SPAM laws in the US.
I also want to add that people should be sure to have an easy opt-out link on the email in case the person decides to opt out of receiving emails from the list. I get enough emails every day as is, and I only want to receive marketing emails that I choose to receive.
Incidentally, one of the public relations companies that added me to their email list not only didn’t have an opt-out link on the email, but also kept me on the email list even after acknowledging my opt out request. This is not a good way to do business, it doesn’t do the client any justice if they aren’t aware of the tactics, and it’s likely against the law.
I hate when people from domain forums email me telling me they are selling a domain name, and am I interested. Just post it in the for sale section of the forum, don’t be emailing or PM’ing people about it unless they have asked you about the name or similar themed names in the past!
It is absolutely against the law to fail to honor an unsubscribe request within 10 days.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAN-SPAM_Act_of_2003
You can report CAN-SPAM violations here.
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/
@ LS
Yep… but it happened to me by a supposed professional PR company working on behalf of a domain company. The person acknowledged my request to be deleted from his list, but he sent me a subsequent email at a later date.
Speaking of Opt-Out. I tried to Opt-Out of domaining.com’s daily news letter a while back, but when click on the opt-out link on the email, they required that I sign in before I can unsubscribed…so of course, I didn’t remember my sign on information….and never able to opt out…really annoying getting domaining.com email everyday. Why do websites make it hard for people to opt-out?
Now that I think about it…domaining.com is the only website that I had personal experience that required me to sign on in order to opt-out even thought I clicked on the unsubscribe link that they provided in the email they send me. SIGH!
Now…that I think about it some more…I don’t think I given domaining.com permission to send me email everyday. Really Really annoying.
@ Uncle
I would send an email to info@domaining.com to cancel.
So I guess this means you won’t be signing up for the domainhole.com newsletter? 🙂
While I appreciate the point of view and logic behind the statement don’t add me to your email list, from my perspective it’s nearly impossible to enforce. My Coldwell Banker email account is bombarded with trinket offers, insurance offers, etc. One agents husband spams every agent in every metro location offering his inspection services. Never ending stream!