Commonly overlooked in newsletters is the role they can play in sales cycles. Analytics allow you to learn information about readers that plays a critical role in your sales cycles and revenue generation. Not only can you identify your readers by their specific e-mail addresses, but you can also learn how they interact with your newsletter. Your sales reps will go wild when they get this information. You can become a hero by delivering a new prospect right to the sales rep's office door!"
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 10:07 PM  |  Permalink

How does your database look? We all know the importance of acquiring visitors' e-mail addresses and obtaining their permission to send them relevant marketing e-mail. But in this climate, it's increasingly difficult to drive folks to your site, demonstrate to them the value of becoming a member of your community, and keep them looking forward to your company's communications.

Let's take a look at a business that successfully meets all three goals. Today, we'll focus on the acquisition piece of the puzzle. Next, I'll show you how the company retains its subscribers."
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 10:04 PM  |  Permalink

We've seen Usenet spam, email spam, search engine spam, IM spam, and Weblog comment spam -- how long will it take before we see RSS spam?

My RSS aggregator looks for new items and lets me know when a new item appears on a feed I read. It's easy to imagine a very malicious feed that would just always make its entries appear "new" -- change them subtly, report that they were just written, or whatever -- so that its items would always show up in my aggregator -- but I'd just unsubscribe. This "Fake New Item" approach could be used more subtly, though, such that I'd be less likely to unsubscribe. Let's say a news site wants to include an advertising entry amongst its news entries -- they could set it up, say, so that the ad shows up as new four times a day.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 2:30 PM  |  Permalink

That was the message delivered yesterday by attorney Martin I. Eisenstein during the "Legal Issues for Catalogers" session at the New England Mail Order Association's spring conference.

The reasons given included: It pre-empts state law; it precludes private class-action lawsuits; and it provides a uniform rule.

The bad news, however, is that state attorneys general can sue under the law in certain circumstances. They can obtain statutory damages of up to $250 per e-mail, up to $2 million in each state.

"You need to make sure that there is an opt-out description in the body of the e-mail that is clear and conspicuous," said Eisenstein, whose firm, Brann & Isaacson LLP, Lewiston, ME, represents more than 70 DM companies. "You have to have a functioning opt-out mechanism that stays available for 30 days. Furthermore, you have to honor recipients' requests to opt out within 10 business days."
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 2:28 PM  |  Permalink

Already a cautious lot, older consumers carry that wariness over to their online behavior, making them less likely to respond to unsolicited commercial e-mail pitches, according to a survey released March 22.

The poll, taken of 1,000 consumers for Internet security firm Symantec by market researcher Applied Research, found that older consumers also displayed less interest in unsolicited offers. Twenty-three percent of senior citizens reported clicking for more information from an unsolicited e-mail offer while more than 33 percent of 18-to 64-year olds did.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 9:44 PM  |  Permalink

With spam unabated and the potential for marketers to pay postage for e-mail looming, now's the time to look long and hard at your database. Plan to mail less. Generate more revenue from fewer e-mail campaigns.

It may sound paradoxical, but it's true. An additional consideration is decreasing unsubscribe rates. Judging from responses to previous columns on database segmenting, more education is warranted in this area.

It's time you, or someone in your company, become the chief slice-and-dice officer, the person responsible for analyzing your database and figuring out how to carve it into meaningful subsets with higher response rates than the list as a whole. The primary tools at the Slicer/Dicer's disposal are reverse e-mail appending and data enhancement.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 9:42 PM  |  Permalink

When is enough enough? Never, if you're growing an e-mail list. You always want to bring in new opt-in subscribers, enough, at least, to replace the e-mail addresses lost each month (via hard bounces and unsubscribes). Hopefully you bring in more, so the list grows. Most organizations can quote a net monthly growth rate. Here are some tips for deeper analysis and really identifying where you can boost opt-ins.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 9:40 PM  |  Permalink

Sometimes, you've got to get a little scrappy to achieve great results, especially when it comes to generating leads by e-mail. In this case study, you'll see how three companies teamed up to create a collaborative marketing campaign that significantly reduced lead-acquisition costs and generated a wealth of new leads (it's also a good step-by-step guide to Webinar marketing).

Nexterna, a field-service software provider, was looking for a way to boost its lead-generation efforts in a slow economy. It turned to MarketCapture, a consulting company specializing in enterprise software, to help. With its help, Nexterna implemented several successful lead generation campaigns, including a Webinar with the Aberdeen Group, an executive summit at a trade show, and a monthly newsletter.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 9:32 PM  |  Permalink

Dr. Ralph F. Wilson gives us "20 Ways Opt-in E-Mailers Can Outsmart S**m Filters" An overview is included here. Visit this web page to see full details of each point:

1. Avoid E-Mail Software or Listservers Used by Junk Email Senders
2. Use Capitalization Carefully
3. Keep HTML Simple
4. Watch Your Hyperlinks
5. Use Color Judiciously
6. Use Large Fonts and Characters Judiciously
7. Avoid Suspect Junk Email Phrases
8. Be Careful with Subject Lines
9. Carefully Word Your Method for Removing a Name From Your List
10. Flaunt Being a Newsletter
11. Use a Signature
12. Don't Mention "Monty Python's Favorite Processed Meat Product" Law Compliance
13. Message Size of 20K to 40K Helps
14. Remove Junk Email Flag Addresses from Your List
15. Monitor Your "From" E-mail Address for Challenge Systems
16. Ask Subscribers to Put Your Address in their "Whitelist" or Address Book
17. Monitor Blacklists and Test Accounts
18. Move Immediately to Confirmed Opt-in
19. Use the Habeas Header If You Qualify
20. Use a Junk Email Checker to Test Your Message
View Posted by: DTB at 2:37 PM  |  Permalink

CAN-SPAM Act: Definitions, Implementation, and Reporting Requirements
The FTC is requesting comment on various topics related to Sec. Sec. 3(2)(c), 3(17)(B), 5(c)(1), 5(c)(2), and 13 of the
Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 (``CAN-SPAM Act'' or ``the Act''). In addition, the FTC is requesting comment on topics relevant to certain reports to Congress required by additional provisions of the CAN-SPAM Act.
Read Act >>

Visit the FTC Site:
FTC Spam Site >> Posted by: DTB at 1:55 PM  |  Permalink

AOL announced that last month's rate of spam decreased significantly. The attempted sending of spam decreased about 27 percent, and the actual amount of spam that reached in boxes decreased 37 percent.

Officials attributed the decreases to both a deterrent effect from the lawsuits that AOL, Yahoo and Microsoft launched against alleged spammers and new spam filtering software installed in the middle of February. The new Can Spam Act may have also had a deterrent effect.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 1:49 PM  |  Permalink

JupiterResearch, a division of Jupitermedia Corporation (Nasdaq: JUPM), today announced that, according to its latest forecast, spending on e-mail marketing in the U.S. will rise from $2.1 billion in 2003 to $6.1 billion in 2008. The report finds three critical factors driving the market: the dramatic cost reductions of e-mail marketing, the growth of sponsored and acquisition e-mail campaigns and the ever-increasing challenges presented by spam.
Posted by: DTB at 8:25 PM  |  Permalink

NewMediaZero asked major email marketers if they'd be willing to pay a fee to make sure that their messages got to the right email boxes without getting sidetracked by spam filters. The brunt said that would be a wonderful thing, if it worked. Right now, up to 40 percent of emails from these marketers aren't reaching the would-be recipients.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 8:20 PM  |  Permalink

Last time, I gave a quick reference version of a report I put together for myself and my clients based on my reading of the CAN-SPAM Act. Today, tips for the unsubscribe process.

Having a working unsubscribe mechanism in your e-mail is not only a key provision of CAN-SPAM, it's always been a best practice in e-mail marketing. Are you taking full advantage of the opportunity? Some marketers view unsubscribe as their nemesis. But if you optimize the process, you can not only make leaving easy for readers, you can gain valuable feedback and possibly get them to opt-in for different e-mail communications, or plant a seed for them to resubscribe.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 8:18 PM  |  Permalink

Now that Congress's spam debate has subsided, all eyes are on spyware. In the past month, a number of states have either passed anti-spyware laws or introduced anti-spyware legislation. Congress even introduced a bill addressing the issue.

If you think spyware has nothing to do with your e-mail marketing efforts, think again. Many of these bills could have a dramatic impact on e-mail campaigns.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 8:17 PM  |  Permalink

The false positive problem is growing, with 18.7 percent of opt-in e-mail now blocked by major ISPs, according to a study by Return Path.

The e-mail deliverability company analyzed 30,000 campaigns sent by more than 100 of its clients in the second half of 2003. The 18.7 percent false positive rate represents a 1.7 percent increase over the first half of 2003, and a 3.7 percent increase over the same period in 2002.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 8:14 PM  |  Permalink

The Institute for Spam and Internet Public Policy (ISIPP), an anti-spam consulting firm, joins the ranks of companies providing e-mail sender databases.

The ISIPP Accreditation Database (IADB), like similar reputation services, is aimed at helping e-mail receivers make decisions about e-mail legitimacy so they can appropriately block messages, as well as deliver desired opt-in e-mail.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 8:14 PM  |  Permalink

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued its request for public comments regarding the CAN-SPAM Act. You've got until April 12 to submit suggestions and proposals.

The act, which became federal law on January 1 of this year, is far from complete. The FTC must recommend to Congress how numerous aspects of the law should be shaped going forward. It wants to do so with your help.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 8:09 PM  |  Permalink

Anti-spam legislation, the CAN-SPAM Act, hasn't made a dent in the volumes of unsolicited messages, according to a new survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. In fact, nearly one-quarter of the respondents reported a greater influx of spam in their personal e-mail accounts since Jan. 1, 2004, when the legislation went into effect.

Of the nearly 1,400 Internet users that were surveyed by phone between Feb. 3 and March 1, 2004, 24 percent reported more spam in their personal e-mail accounts, and 19 percent saw their spam volume increase in their work-related accounts. More than half (53 percent) haven't noticed a change in either work or home e-mail accounts.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 8:05 PM  |  Permalink

Harsh words made all the more famous by a reality TV series. In real life, being fired is seldom a surprise. There are signals: a warning; ongoing performance issues; a sudden management change; or the power of consumers, stakeholders, or shareholders voicing concerns or dissatisfaction. In most cases, there's opportunity for change or improvement through a performance plan, role switching, product improvement, or a change in attitude or approach. Whatever the situation, the message is simple: Shape up, or ship out.

Recently, my company teamed with NOP World Research/Roper ASW to survey retailer shoppers and assess consumer perception, satisfaction rate, and interest around e-mail and retail shopping for the 2003 holiday season. We looked for signals to further guide and educate clients on their customers' needs, interests, and satisfaction.

Some signals are clear and direct. The most glaring is over 40 percent of consumers who purchased at a retailer in the past three months "believed their retailer could be doing a better job sending more relevant e-mail communications based on interests and past purchase behavior."
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 8:43 AM  |  Permalink

The 'Big 4'The uniting of the Internet big foursome, Microsoft, AOL, Earthlink and Yahoo on a series of anti-spam enforcement actions stole many headlines yesterday, spam clearly being on the minds of many annoyed readers.
Direct Marketing Association (DMA) CEO H. Robert Wientzen jumped on the bandwagon, telling the AP that this shows that the new anti-spam law works. The DMA just a few months ago was arguing that many of these unwanted emails do not constitute "spam," and that the law should apply only to fraudulent offers.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 8:41 AM  |  Permalink

A California ISP filed suit Friday in the first action under the recently enacted federal Can Spam Act, naming BobVila.com as the defendant.

San Francisco attorney John Fallat filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of Foster City-based Internet Service Provider Hypertouch. It alleges Sacramento-based BlueStream Media and Boston-based BVWebTies, owner of BobVila.com, violated the federal Can Spam Act by sending Hypertouch and its customers Bob Vila's "Home Again Newsletter."

The suit alleges the defendants sent spam e-mail advertisements with fraudulent headers and no legally required physical address. According to the plaintiffs, they also sent e-mail to randomly generated and harvested addresses, even to addresses that had been submitted to the "opt-out" links of other spam.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 10:51 PM  |  Permalink

Despite all the publicity the CAN-Spam Act has received, 62% of small businesses with web sites have never heard of the legislation or are unaware of how it affects their business, says a survey from Interland Inc., a provider of web hosting and online services for small businesses. Yet 85% of survey respondents use e-mail to communicate with customers and 67% use e-mail to communicate with prospective customers. CAN-Spam is federal legislation that regulates e-mail marketing practices.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 8:49 PM  |  Permalink

Legal experts warn that the recently passed Can-Spam Act targets marketers as much as spammers, recognizing that catching the emailers is much harder than punishing the source of their revenues - typically marketers who turn a blind eye to the tactics used by affiliates and other third party marketing helpers.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 8:48 PM  |  Permalink

DM News: Senators Introduce Children's Privacy Bill

A bill newly introduced to Congress would prevent list brokers - traditional and email - from trafficking in the addresses of children under the age of 16 without explicit opt-in permission from their parents. The bill is sponsored by Ron Wyden, D-OR and Ted Stevens R-AK.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 8:47 PM  |  Permalink

According to new data based on results from 100 local retailers, 57% of consumers will fill out a form giving their florist, beauty salon, auto mechanic or favorite restaurant permission to email them on a regular basis.

When you couple that with data revealing that consumers prefer local business email alerts far above news from national marketers, a huge opportunity emerges. And, yes, there are ways for nationals to take advantage of it, even if you don't run local brick and mortars.

This quick article includes data and advice on collecting emails at the brick and mortar POS (point of sale), and typical responses to campaigns:
Read Article >>
(Open access until March 14th) Posted by: DTB at 8:34 PM  |  Permalink

In Part II of our Special Report on marketing with coupons online, we bring you three new exclusive Case Stories of campaigns that worked. Includes:

- Lots of data from Land O' Lakes' campaign
- How Act II handled security problems
- Viral email tactics Krispy Kreme used

Yes, includes creative samples for all three campaigns:
Read Article >>
(Open access until March 12th) Posted by: DTB at 8:33 PM  |  Permalink

About now, with one quarter of the year almost gone, New Year's resolutions have been made and forgotten. People get down to work to meet their sales numbers for the year. Real trends and success tactics start to emerge.

Jakob Nielsen hit the nail on the head in a recent newsletter: "Email newsletters are so powerful that the best of them do have a future, despite increasingly adverse conditions."
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 8:30 PM  |  Permalink

In spite of widespread spam concerns, e-mail--especially e-mail sent by retailers and consumer products and services marketers--performed well as a marketing medium in the fourth quarter, e-mail marketing services company DoubleClick Inc. reports in its latest E-mail Trend Report. Retail and catalog e-mail experienced click-through rates in Q4 of 7.5%, up from 7.1% a year earlier. Consumer products and services marketers’ open rate increased from 9.7% to 10% in the quarter.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 9:09 PM  |  Permalink

Is the CAN-Spam Act an effective tool for eliminating spam? While merchants like multi-channel bike retailer Performance Inc. expedite e-mail marketing improvements due to CAN-Spam, some experts say the lack of an opt-in rule will lead even legitimate marketers to increase the volume of unsolicited e-mail.
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 9:07 PM  |  Permalink

At a recent event, a speaker advocated e-mailers place a real person's name in the sender field to be in compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act. He claimed a person, rather than the e-mailer's brand, should be liable for the message content.

Who, or what, really should be in the sender field: brands, products, list owners, or individuals?
Read Article >> Posted by: DTB at 8:50 PM  |  Permalink