DM University: Email Marketing

Opt-in

An email subscription practice that occurs when a user deliberately submits his or her email address and requests to be “opted in” or included in an email distribution or mailing list. Typically, users are invited to sign up for various commercial promotions or newsletters on various products or services of interest. Opt-in is generally considered the only legitimate form of email marketing. In contrast to unsolicited mailing or spamming, The Internet Direct Marketing Bureau (IDMB) considers opt-in emailing the best practice for online marketers.

While many companies garner opt-in email subscribers as a byproduct of selling their own products or services, several companies focus solely on amassing sign-ups on their own websites or through other mediums. They then proceed to sell marketers their opt-in mailing lists of those who have signed up for an assortment of categories of interest. Marketers sending opt-in e-mail may find it advantageous to remind recipients that they have previously indicated interest in receiving such e-mail or offers.

Opt-out

An email subscription practice that occurs when a user from a given email distribution or mailing list chooses to no longer receive email information and/or advertisements from your company or organization. Typically, this is carried out by the subscriber clicking on a hyperlink to unsubscribe, or by replying to the email campaign with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line. Email marketers or publishers should always give recipients the opportunity to be removed from the mailing list if they so choose.

Double Opt-in

An email subscription practice that requires users to confirm desired inclusion to an email distribution list or membership to a website, before the subscriber actually receives any further information or communications. This process, which is perceived by some to be the best guarantee of a user’s interest, may also be referred to as “permission marketing”. Typically, the practice is carried out as follows: A user completes a web-based subscription or registration form and is sent an initial activation message via email. To fully activate their subscription, the subscriber must click on a special link in the activation email. This validates not only the user’s email address, but also the recipient’s agreement to receiving communications.

Privacy

Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to stop information about themselves from becoming known to people other than those they choose to give the information to. Many companies exist with the sole purpose of obtaining as much information about customers as possible, through spyware, loyalty cards, and various kinds of customer schemes. Specifically for their marketing purposes, the obtained data is greatly valued by other companies, so much so that they are willing to pay a large sum of money for access to it. Incessant public backlashes against telemarketers and spammers led to the introduction of laws regulating the use of personal information, such as the National Do Not Call Registry and the CAN-SPAM ACT of 2003 in the United States, both of which limit unsolicited commercial communications to a certain degree.

External Links
· More information to your privacy online
o http://www.eff.org/
o http://www.epic.org/
· More information to your privacy online
o http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy

Deliverability

Deliverability is about ensuring emails are delivered to the intended recipient or subscriber’s inbox. Email deliverability is fast becoming one of the most pressing issues for email marketers. Increasing volume in spamming gave rise to an increase in anti-spam technology and compelled ISPs and large email providers to adopt strict measures for the sake of protecting their networks and customers. Incorrect spam filter classification can have an immense negative impact on open and click thru response rates. Deliverability concerns center on a few key barriers, including: email filters, ISP blocking, blacklisting, commercial e-mail laws, whitelisting, authentication, accreditation and reputation services, and feedback loop processing.

Email marketers can improve their deliverability rates in a number of ways: including performing quality list maintenance, requiring double opt-in subscribers, complying with the CAN-SPAM, maintaining a trustworthy reputation, and finally, nurturing relationships with major ISPs and email providers, to let them know about requested subscriber emails. Many large providers such as Yahoo and AOL have specific whitelisting programs and postmaster website areas (each with their own policies and procedures in handling opt-in lists) to ensure opt-in emails are delivered.

External Links
· Tips on improving email deliverability
o http://www.aweber.com/article-email-deliverability-tips.htm
o http://www.constantcontact.com/email-marketing-resources/hints-tips/volume8-issue6.jsp
o http://www.silverpop.com/newsletters/digitalmarketer/eighteasyways_07_05.html

List Maintenance

In regards to email marketing, list maintenance refers to the process of maintaining a quality email distribution or mailing list, primarily to ensure high email deliverability rates. List management can encompass several tasks such as always periodically removing undeliverable addresses that bounce when sending email to them. Email address that repeatedly bounce back with a permanent error should be filtered out from the mailing list. Many large ISPs keep track of the percentage of failed delivery attempts and will block a marketers’ email communications if the marketer attempt to continually deliver messages to closed subscriber inboxes. Good list maintenance pays off in sustaining a high response rate and reducing costs associated with managing complaints.

List Management

List management is the practice of generating revenue streams for clients that possess customer databases or email distribution lists. Companies that offer list management services aim to target relevant offers to customers within their clients’ databases or list and share any profits earned with their clients. Most companies that perform list management work on a performance-based, revenue-share plan, in which there is little to no expense to the database or list owner. When deciding on a list manager, there are several factors to consider including: increasing the list’s rental income, increasing the number of mailers and new tests, and improving reach and usage amongst primary and secondary markets

Bonded Services

Bonded services refer to a type of surety guarantee that a specific project, service or act will be financially covered if performance is incomplete or unsatisfactory. Companies or individuals providing bonded services typically secure a bond from a bonding company, ensuring that if a client’s project is deemed incomplete or unsatisfactorily completed, the bonding company will reimburse the client for any financial loss. Since many large companies and government agencies require bonding services for large projects, many contractors or service providers will secure bonding to secure eligibility to compete for such projects. Typically, bonding companies will charge according to the type and extent of financial risk.

CAN-SPAM ACT 2003

CAN-SPAM ACT of 2003 is the acronym for Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003. On December 16, 2003, President George W. Bush, signed into law THE CAN SPAM Act of 2003 (Public Law No. 108-187, was S.877 of the 108th Congress), which established the United States’ first national standards for sending commercial e-mail and obligates the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce its provisions.

CAN-SPAM also necessitates the FTC to promulgate rules to protect consumers from unsolicited mobile service commercial messages. The bill defines spam as: "…any electronic mail message the primary purpose of which is the commercial advertisement or promotion of a commercial product or service (including content on an Internet website operated for a commercial purpose)." The FTC has yet to define exactly what "primary purpose" means and has delayed rule-making for this terminology. The bill does exempt "transactional or relationship messages." Prior state laws defined spam by incorporating other factors such as bulk (a number threshold), content (commercial), or unsolicited.

CAN-SPAM permits e-mail marketers to send unsolicited commercial e-mail as long as it contains an opt-out mechanism (i.e. an unsubscribe/opt-out link), a valid and straightforward subject line and header (routing) information, a label if the content is adult, and finally, the legitimate physical address of the mailer. The bill also requires that all unsubscribes are processed within ten days of receipt.

External Links
· Full text of the CAN-SPAM ACT in HTML format
o http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/canspam.html
o http://www.emarketingassociation.com/canspam.htm
o http://www.legalarchiver.org/cs.htm
· References
o http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAN-SPAM