Newsletters – how do you build your list?

You know the feeling … pressing the send/receive button on your email box and dreading the next delivery.  How many newsletters did you get that you  know you never signed up for?

It’s all too easy to have a great product, a stack of business cards and a newsletter that you want to use to promote that great service or product … but did the people, when they handed over their business card, also give you permission to add them to your newsletter system?  If yes then that’s good, if no then technically, if you do add them you are now in the realms of spamming.

Most email newsletter companies now require you to have a single or double opt in system, whereby your readers initially sign up to your list, and then have to click on a follow-up email to confirm their acceptance.  If you are adding people from business cards or from a third party mailing list then you do not cover this important aspect of the mail campaign.

All the countries of the European Union have passed laws that specifically target spam.

Article 13 of the European Union Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications (2002/58/EC) provides that the EU member states shall take appropriate measures to ensure that unsolicited communications for the purposes of direct marketing are not allowed either without the consent of the subscribers concerned or in respect of subscribers who do not wish to receive these communications, the choice between these options to be determined by national legislation.

So how do you get round this?

Well there is no easy answer.  You need to build your list from scratch.  Here are my tips:

1. Most email marketing systems produce code that you can drop onto your website, blog and Facebook Page. Make sure it is prominent.
2. Make sure you send out your newsletter regularly, whether you have one subscriber or thousands.
3. Take advantage of Twitter and Facebook and make sure a link to your latest newsletter is publicised.
4. When you swap business cards, get their permission.  Make sure they are aware that you have a newsletter, that they need to sign up and how regular it is.  Indicate on the card that you received whether they say yes or no to being added.
5. Use the metrics that are provided with your email marketing system.  Check which followers unsubscribe and don’t be afraid to lift the phone and call them to find out why.
6. Team up with an associate and write a piece for their newsletter, look for other industries that may also approach your target market and ask them to send your details out to that company in partnership.

It may seem difficult but you really need to ask yourself if being labelled as a spammer adds any value to your business and reputation?