SPAM!
But, it’s not 100% *unsolicited* spam. You did opt-in and, in most cases today, you double opted in.
Unfortunately, people who are just starting out do not realize that, when they sign up for a free ebook to learn how they can make a few dollars online, their inbox is about to get massacred by tons and Tons and TONS of UNSOLICITED spam.
And, yes, I did say “unsolicited.” It is unsolicited. Remember; people are opting in for your ebook, report, or even a free membership at your website. They are not expecting you to smash them with promotions for a minimum of 365 different products each year (and do you even own one of those?).
The case is somewhat different with Traffic Exchanges and Safelists. If anyone doesn’t know what they are getting into with Traffic Exchanges and Safelists, especially Safelists, they should probably spend less time squinting on the fine print and read the line that clearly states, “If you sign up… you agree to receive” tons and Tons and TONS of promotional mail.
— And expect the amount of mail you receive to number in the multiple thousands!
I get, at least, 3,500 messages per day from Safelists alone. Add to that the 100+ spam messages from other internet “marketers” and the very few, perhaps five, educational and otherwise useful messages that I receive from other internet marketers (without quotes).
Oh, and I use an email client. So, all of this is being downloaded to my computer. My current data file for Outlook is over 670 MegaBytes and growing rapidly! That is a LOT of mail! Consider that, on average, each internet marketing email message (usually text) is between one and three kilobytes in size and that there are 1,024 kilobytes in one MegaByte. Get it? TONS!
My point is, don’t save everything and don’t be afraid to unsubscribe from blatant spammers, or you WILL find yourself unable to catch up.
A perfect example of messages that I delete and lists that I opt-out of:
When your “good friend” Wutsiznuts “gives you permission” to give me “backdoor access,” I might go through the front door you send me to, if I’m in download mode. But, more than likely, you’re only going to watch me leave, because that’s just retarded.
Don’t promise your subscribers backdoor access and then loudly declare, “You can only access the back door if you first walk through the front!”
* Squeeze page = front door and
* Download page = back door, so
* Backdoor access = no opt-in
It is not a hard concept to grasp, which says nothing good about a whole lot of people. You owe yourself an apology if you find yourself on that list.
***
I do realize that there are a few marketers who actually put on their subscription form that “subscribers” will receive “occasional” promotions. And, hey, that’s good; thank you for that. But, most of those that are up front about it are not very up front about it. “Occasional” apparently means “At Least Three Times Per Day.”
If you’re new to having a mailing list, don’t fall into that habit. It is exciting and easy and you just get carried away by it all. I did. And, I imagine, nearly everyone does when they get that first taste of “Ooh, I’ve got my own subscribers… and replies… and someone bought something… and…”
… And you just keep promoting and promoting and promoting…
… AND LOSING SUBSCRIBERS!
Above, I quoted “subscribers.” Here’s why. (And, especially if you are a new marketer, you need to keep this in mind)
I don’t know if anyone else sees things this way —maybe it’s just me— but there is a major difference between a subscriber and an opt-in. An opt-in is the person who you bribed (or “forced“) onto your mailing list in return for an ebook or whatever. A subscriber is ‘natural’; unsolicited. They are those who, for example, go to your website, find interest in your website and want to stay connected. Subscribing is a choice. Opting in is a take-it-or-leave-it only option.
Again, maybe that only makes sense to me. But, in this view, if you treat your opt-ins like subscribers, I guarantee you will see a lot less unsubscribers (or, uh, unopt-inners?).
