LEGITIMACY OF EMAIL MARKETING
Is email marketing legit? Probably the most common misconception when someone hears the term “email marketing campaign” is that it must be spam. Messages such as account reminders, bill pay notifications, or outbid-on-auction notices are often not thought of as email marketing.
Legitimate, opt-in email marketing happens whenever a user knowingly provides his or her email address to a company for the purposes of communicating via permission email marketing. The best email marketing campaigns give users control over what they receive and how they receive it. This information can then be used to create a targeted email marketing campaign to that user in a personal way that is not intrusive or annoying, ensuring that they will continue to read their messages.
When users opt in to receiving promotional messages from outside sources, they are opting in to receive email advertising. If the user is aware of the opt-in, this is legitimate. Their email address is then added to a list which may then be rented or sold to other hopefully legitimate email list rental or purchase services and brokers, or to specific companies whose products or services would be a good fit for that email user.
Spamming, phishing, and viruses spread via email have been the greatest enemy of legitimate marketers trying to utilize this highly cost-effective channel to reach their users, customers and prospects. Better filtering tools and increased user awareness, along with legislation and improving technology, will continue to drive the success of email marketing campaigns in the future.