It's Still Spam!

Every day through NetManners.com I get inquiries about the appropriateness of e-mailing other onliners about commercial ventures, new businesses or "information I know they can use." Whenever this question is asked it is because the person making the inquiry has an inkling that they shouldn't but want to see if there is an excuse or a reason to override what they pretty much know is not a good idea.

*"Can you e-mail someone you don't know whose e-mail address was included with yours and a whole bunch of others in the To: field of a forwarded e-mail? I have some information about my company I know they can use." Nope, spam!

=> Just because you have a contact in common, doesn't mean you have the right to e-mail everyone they know. Because the knucklehead who forwarded the e-mail didn't use the Bcc: field for their list of contacts thereby displaying everyone's e-mail address publicly to strangers doesn't give you the right to e-mail those whose addresses you are now aware of. You don't know them--why would you want to e-mail them?

No matter how important you think your information, product or services are you don't e-mail others about them unless they specifically gave you their e-mail address and asked you too.

*"Can you e-mail business associates you've known over the years about your new business?" Nope, spam!

=> That would be taking a liberty with the e-mail addresses of those associates--and hope they appreciate you doing so. Did they provide their e-mail address because they wanted to know about your new business? If not, don't spam them. Why not send an old-fashioned snail-mail letter on your new nifty letterhead and send them a business card with the introduction? Certain business practices will never go out of style!

*"Can you e-mail addresses found publicly listed on business sites about your commercial venture?" Nope, spam!

=> If an e-mail address is listed on someone's business Web site that doesn't mean they want to be sold to or hear from anyone who feels they have a service or product to offer. You're still spamming them--because they didn't ask for your information. Instead, use their contact form to ask if they would be interested and to whom specifically you can send more information. Don't use their server resources and include your whole sales pitch in the form. Short, sweet and ask if they are interested and if they would like to know more. If you don't hear back, you have your answer.

The fact remains that unasked for e-mail is spam. If an onliner did not directly provide their e-mail address to you to know about your commercial venture, you don't e-mail them. There are all kinds of nifty and creative marketing tactics one can use to get their business exposure and to make announcements. If your credibility and legitimacy are important to you, blindly e-mailing others isn't one of them.