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E-mail marketing that works now

May 13, 2003 |

After weeks of spam forums, and anti-spam legislation many marketers find themselves wondering if it's a good idea to keep a distance from e-mail marketing for a while.

After weeks of spam forums, anti-spam legislation, and headlines such as “Spam Becomes Public Enemy #1” in trade publications, many marketers find themselves wondering if it’s a good idea to keep a distance from e-mail marketing for a while.

For several years, e-mail has enabled advertisers to reach consumers via the Internet’s popular application. They could inexpensively incite immediate customer response. Now, media planners’ attitudes toward e-mail marketing are changing. Suddenly, we feel the need to distance ourselves from the controversy surrounding spam. We’re tired of trying to defend this marketing method to clients. Above all, we’re concerned with the effect renting e-mail lists might have on clients we represent.

Some Web users see the enemy in every e-mail marketing message, whether they gave the OK to receive it at their e-mail addresses or not. Online marketers may know the difference between legitimate e-mail marketing and spam. To many consumers, unwanted e-mail is unwanted e-mail. It’s dumped in the Deleted Items folder. With a daily spam flood that’s billions of messages strong and deep-seated resentment toward this sleazy online marketing approach, consumers have a new e-mail mantra: Delete first, ask questions later. This hostility can not only result in poor campaign results but also engender a negative perception of clients’ brands.

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