Lesson #9 - The Truth About Direct Email & Email Lists

Part I - What's Unsafe

What you're about to learn will save you time, money, and frustration.
So read carefully. The time you spend today will pay off for years to come and it will put you ahead of most marketers out there.
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The Truth About Direct Email & Email Lists- What's Unsafe
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Unsafe Email Marketing
Unsafe email marketing is a method many people foolishly try, thinking it will yield big money fast. When you send an UNSOLICITED EMAIL to someone --when you invite yourself into someone's email box without invitation or permission -- that's called SPAM.

If the people receiving your messages have no interest in your offer, or they simply don't know you and don't want to know you, chances are they're tossing your message into the trash bin and you're tossing your marketing dollars down the toilet.

Sending spam -- and that's exactly how your unsolicited message will be reviewed, regardless of the value of your offer -- gives your business a black eye and damages your reputation...and the "kicker" is: it doesn't improve business!

EMAIL ON STEROIDS - BULKING UP IS BAD
Conducting a marketing campaign using BULK EMAIL will manifest the same results as spam. You may have seen ads that say, "1000000 email addresses for only $29.95."

Don't fall for that.

You're only going to get spam complaints and your ISP connection may be shut down! The reason for this is that most all of the bulk mail lists you see being advertised online are nothing but a list of email addresses that have been harvested from websites all over the Internet. These addresses are then sold again and again as "targeted" bulk email.

• WARNING: The only "target" here is your money! You MUST stay away from these bulk lists. They're a waste. Remember that a list that's advertised as "Targeted" is probably not accurate, reliable or safe. If you were marketing a revolutionary new gardening tool, would you send 10000 direct mail pieces to names randomly snatched from the phonebook? Or ...Would it be wiser to send your offer a mailing list of people who have recently purchased gardening tools and products through mail order?

BULLSEYE NOT BULL
No legitimate business person would ever send thousands of emails to random people culled from the Internet. Bulk mailing is unprofessional and makes you look bad. Bulk mailing can make your bottom line look bad, too.

You want to do more than hit your target, you want to hit a bullseye on that target. Bulk lists aren't the answer. When you do a direct email or direct mail campaign to a RESPECTABLE rental list, if the people on the list have never heard of you before (called a COLD LIST), statistically, you're likely to get a .005% response or less.

Does this mean that email campaigns are doomed before they start? No at all. As long as you use emails that are safe, you won't be sorry.