ReveNews
Advertising Online Services
I’m not often surprised at the blunders made by online marketing companies, but today was an exception.
Online Marketing is one of those disciplines where, as a merchant, you have to reach out and contact publishers. This is generally done through email, snail mail and telephone contact.
One of the principles we employ is using your common sense…. To differentiate yourself from the ‘general spam’ it’s important to research your prospect, spend the time to identify the decision maker and then ‘reach out and touch’ the correct person.
Though you may reach less prospects – it’s a strategy that ensures that a) you know who you’re doing business with and b) you don’t get accused of spamming.
Now why don’t more online companies do this? Because its easier to believe that by blasting out thousands of unpersonalized emails using a shotgun approach you’ll get the same response. Does it work this way? I cannot speak for others but I certainly don’t respond to these messages.
A case in point is a mail I got from an adware company that’ve done a “180” turn in recent times. I know people that work there – and they have my email address. Instead they chose to use a mail address in all probability was found by spidering my site.
It was not addressed to anyone and promoted a $150 free search marketing credit.
The copy was particularly interesting!
“Been using Overture™ or Google™ to market online? You’ve been missing a big opportunity. With 20 million loyal users, ___________ delivers customers to you right as they’re looking for Web sites like yours. So, you get measurably higher performance.
Customers want to find you. Let them.”
At least they did provide an unsubscribe link :-).
I wonder if Ben Edelman got one of these as well. LOL
Nice post, Jonathan. I didn’t get one of these emails. But plenty of others did. See http://www.benedelman.org/spyware/180-affiliates/installation.html#email . Notice: A total of 23 unsolicited commercial emails from 180 to would-be advertisers. And 6 emails from 180 to would-be distributors.
I will add you to the former list.