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We get asked a lot if it’s ok to add so and so contacts to your mailing lists, here’s a list of pointers to help you out in building your contact lists.
Your list is good if…
- People who have opted in to your list on your website
- People who have opted in to receive emails from you offline
- Your customers who have a prior business relationship with you (but if you haven’t contacted them in ages, be sure to send a re-introduction email)
- People who opted in to receive emails from you at a co-registration site
- You’re sending on behalf of your customer, and they comply with the above.
- People who purchased one of your products, or attended an event, and gave you their email address so they could receive updates from you.
- Your internal employee list (such as for company notices)
- Press releases sent to reporters who signed up at your website
Your list is bad if …
- Lists that you purchased from a 3rd party (even if it’s « opt-in »)
- Lists that you are renting from someone else
- Lexis-Nexis, Real Estate MLS databases, Advertising Redbooks, AdBase lists, D&B, Experian
- Lists from a local Chamber of Commerce or local club or organization.
- Do NOT export your entire email address book
- Emails that you « scraped » (either manually or automatically) from other websites
- You may not send personal resumes to potential employers. They did not opt in to receive emails from you.
- Recipients whose emails you collected without their permission, but you think they could really use your product or service, and you think they’d really want to hear from you.
- Members of a group/organization who never asked for your emails (even if you’re a member of the group)
- Unsolicited press releases to reporters
- Lists of customers who dropped their business cards in a fishbowl, but they had no idea they were going to receive emails (because you didn’t say that on the fishbowl).
- Lists of registered voters in your district obtained from your local government.
