Is sending out a couple of hundred mass emails a month spam?

[silentjay]

I've never done any type of email marketing before so go easy on me if this is completely stupid!

If I were to get someone to build a small email list for niche businesses I want to target, and then send out an identical email to them, looking at less than a hundred or so emails a month...is this going to be classed as spam? would I be risking getting my mailservers black listed?

If it's relatively safe are there any good services for this type of thing...or just use plain old gmail?

 

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[Twiki]

Well it's not a stupid concern that you raise, but it would be a terribly stupid thing to use Gmail or your own mailserver for this sort of thing. Google CAN-SPAM and "Aweber" and "MailCheat(Chimp)" and "MadMimi" (I've only used Aweber though). But if it's only a couple hundred or less on that list and this is a B2B thing, why not just call them up? Or at least send them each a custom email and forget the generic email idea?

PS. I think aweber may not be work for you depending on how the list is built, if it's opt-in or not.

 

[petethepeddler]

If you build an opt-in list properly, then you can mail them.

If you scrape, mine, or otherwise obtain the list, then it is spam.

Spam is spam regardless of the volume you send out.

Read through this thread where several people have responded about this topic:
https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/internet-mobile-apps-software/43586-email-help.html

 

[silentjay]

Thanks guys good advice, and I read the email thread link.

Think it's not really worth risking it, I'll go with the more personal approach using a less volume more customized emails and maybe include phone/sms marketing.

 

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[1step]

While this is technically still probably considered spam maybe you can attempt to mail merge a letter to each of them and then just copy and paste. It would be pretty simple if you are only sending a couple hundred a month, wouldnt take long and would still accomplish your goal.

 

[silentjay]

While this is technically still probably considered spam maybe you can attempt to mail merge a letter to each of them and then just copy and paste. It would be pretty simple if you are only sending a couple hundred a month, wouldnt take long and would still accomplish your goal.

Thanks I'll keep this in mind. I sent out 25 targeted SMS's on the weekend, didn't get one lead. I've figured I'd need to get one sale per 50-70 sms's to make this form of marketing worthwhile

 

[mayana]

It's spam if they didn't ask you to e-mail them (i.e. they didn't sign up for your list). I think what you are thinking of doing is spam.

If you know these people, take the time to send them individual e-mails and explain why they should sign up for your list. Then, you won't have to worry about it.

 

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[AntiGuru]

The volume doesn't matter, it's how you build the list that matters. Opt-in, preferably opt-in + confirm or if they've bought something from you, those are all legit ways to build the list and you should be able to email them safely, providing good disclosures and 1-click unsubscribes (and sending them meaningful content).

MailCheat(Chimp) is a good service, I also use a hosted version of that called Interspire which I use when I have an older list or customer segment that needs to be reactivated.

 

[Laverdure]

I've never done any type of email marketing before so go easy on me if this is completely stupid!

If I were to get someone to build a small email list for niche businesses I want to target, and then send out an identical email to them, looking at less than a hundred or so emails a month...is this going to be classed as spam? would I be risking getting my mailservers black listed?

If it's relatively safe are there any good services for this type of thing...or just use plain old gmail?

Why don't you build a relationship with these guys on your email list and go for higher life time value o0?

 

[Mike39]

Bump because this thread is slightly relevant and I don't feel like starting a new one just to post a video:

Where Spam Comes From - YouTube

(Can't embed, click and watch it)

 

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