Spam and permission
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If you're familiar with terms like permission, opt-in, spam and the like, then you'll know that this is not a topic area for the faint of heart. The hills and valleys of the Internet continue to echo to the sound of raging debate over what does, and what does not, constitute spam and permission.
If you're not familiar with the concepts, then stop reading this page and visit the section on Permission.
In a discussion of professionalism and permission, there is only one thing you need to know:
Don't send anyone anything they didn't proactively request.
Remember that we're not interested in making a quick sale or getting a quick response from our emails.
We're not even interested in making a short-term profit, where we can balance a few irate subscribers against the sales we get by sending material not specifically requested by the recipients. (I'm not condoning that activity, just pointing out that even would-be spammers should see my argument.)
We are solely interested in building long-term influence and impact. And the whole premise behind this drive for professionalism is that it builds the trust and respect on which long-term influence, impact and relationships with readers are based.
Abusing permission is a fast track to losing this trust and respect.
This means get direct permission before adding anyone to your subscriber list. Direct permission means direct. Don't assume permission because of some other action that subscriber took. The fact that they bought a product from you or sent you an email does not constitute permission to sign them up for your newsletter.
Once you have that permission, keep your promises. Deliver what you said you would deliver.
If you want to send them the odd separate promotional email, make sure it was clear to readers before they signed up that this was part of the newsletter package. Anything you deliver that goes beyond the material your subscriber specifically requested will diminish that trust and respect.
If we flip that on its head, then if you do want to change what you send to your subscribers, give them plenty of advance warning (at least 2 weeks or 3 issues, whichever is longest), and thus the opportunity to unsubscribe. Do this when you want to:
- substantially change newsletter content, for example by switching emphasis from product reviews to company news.
- increase the frequency of the newsletter, such as moving from monthly to weekly.
- undertake additional mailings with different content, for example a monthly promotional email with a subscriber-only special offer.
- switch from one format to another (from text to HTML, for example).
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