How do you know when it's OK to send someone your email newsletter?
MF wrote me today asking just that question:
"Initially I added a lot of my friends and family as well as people I thought MIGHT be interested in my occasional announcements to the mailing list because I thought that was something that you had advocated. In a later newsletter, however, you were pretty adamant about not putting people on who didn't actually SIGN UP for the newsletter. (So I took you off.) Of course I know that if people really don''t want to get the newsletters I send out (I only send them out when I have special news), they can unsubscribe, but as far as I know no one has done that. Also... I occasionally get people who contact me using the contact feature of the website, rather than commenting on my blog. On it I offer free note cards if they add in their mailing address and I tell them I'll send them a newsletter. Is it PC to add those people to the mailing list? I guess I don't know the internet protocols and manners for this issue. Thanks, as always, for your advice."
Thanks for the question, MF.
The rule is actually very simple: Do not send a newsletter to anyone that did not EXPLICITLY sign up or ask for it.
I do advocate contacting everyone you know, such as friends and family, but I don't advocate simply adding all those people to an email newsletter list. What I previously outlined was a campaign to individually contact each of those people.
If you have someone you WANT to add to your newsletter list, then email that person a single, direct, personal email and simply ask them if they would like to receive your newsletter. Give them an idea of how often you will send it and what it normally contains. If they say "yes" then add them to your email newsletter list. If they say "no" or do not reply, then do NOT add them to your email newsletter list.
Yes,as you pointed out, it is simple for people to unsubscribe. But, unfortunately due to spammers, we've all been trained not to click on unsubscribe links for fear of simply letting spammers know that our email address is valid. Consequently, a lot of people will never unsubscribe if you add them without explicit permission, they will simply report your newsletters to their ISP's using the ubiquitous "Report as Spam" buttons, which could seriously harm the deliverability of ALL of your newsletters, even to LEGITIMATE subscribers.
You also mention that you tell people that you'll send them your newsletter when they contact you on your website. I would be careful about that. What if someone wants to contact you but doesn't want to be put on a newsletter list? You don't want to make people afraid to contact you. When a person contacts you, presumably you respond. When you respond, ask the person again if they want to receive your newsletter. If they give you explicit permission, then it's OK, otherwise, don't risk it.
As I said, it's really simple: Only add people who have explicitly asked or signed up for your newsletter.
Sincerely,
Clint Watson
Software Craftsman and Art Fanatic
PS - Feel free to add me back to your distribution list - I am giving you explicit permission.
PPS - Ironically, you can send a physical "snail mail" newsletter to just about anyone who contacts you. Fortunately, ISP's haven't found a way to embed "Report as Spam" buttons into the real world. I would suggest following roughly the same guideines though. If you don't have someone's permission to further your professional relationship, then you're probably just wasting your time and money. Don't worry, serious prospects will want to hear from you and will gladly give you permission.
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