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What's your definition of spam?
Everyone has their own definition of spam....what is it to you?
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6 Answers
Ahh, cue marketers waxing nostalgic about how spam used to mean malicious, fraudulent email from dark places and lamenting about how consumers need to be educated about how that definition is still the right one. But times have changed and as ISPs have done an excellent job combating spam, legitimate email that's unwanted--even if it was asked for at one point--is the new spam. While those in denial like to have their own definition of spam, consumers' definition is the only one that matters and there's a zero chance of that definition changing anytime soon. If you don't want to be labeled spam, it's time to bolster your permission practices, power up your analytics, and implement segmentation strategies, triggered email programs, dynamic content and personalization.
Just as "junk mail" is defined as mail that's not relevant to the recipient, so "spam" is email not relevant to the receiver.
It doesn't matter how brilliant your Subject line, how fabulous your copy, how beautiful your HTML design -- if you're selling dog food and I have a cat, your brilliant, fabulous, beautiful email is still spam to me.
Ha! Nice one Chad...I am hoping for people outside of the email marketing space to help me understand how they define or what they view as spam..but you are dead on accurate.
Andrew
Right there with Chad & Andrew - "my" definition of spam is irrelvant, it is the recipient's definition at the time they consider it.
Pretty much anything email that is;
a) not wanted "right now",
b) will not be saved for later consumption or deletion,
c) just looks "like" something I don't want in my inbox,
d) content that offends or slightly misses my main interest areas,
e) homour that just isn't funny (pictures of cats in my case),
The list goes on.
So far the email snobs are preaching to the converted. I, too, would love to see some responses from "recipients" or those that are not in the email marketing business.
For further edification, I have asked the "What is spam to you?" question to many consumers and business people. Here are the top answers I get:
SPAM is...
1. Emails I don't want.
2. People sending me stuff I didn't sign up for.
3. Companies sending me too many emails.
The funny thing is that some people - mainly
Stefan,
I am not in the email marketing business so hopefully you will not brand me as an email snob.
I have an email that I share with my friends, family and business network. I really enjoy receiving email from these people. What frustrates me greatly is the amount of mail that I get that causes me to waste time unsubscribing and deleting.
Yes, I know business is tough in this economy but I really believe this form of marketing is inefficient and a greater waste of resources. Targeted marketing may require more effort and research on the part of the marketeer but your customers will really enjoy the attention.
I +'d Karen's answer because it was exactly how I felt but far better articulated!
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