Am I a Spammer?
by Adrian Hanft, (5 comments)
Bennett and I have collected a pretty good list of email addresses, and it was with much hesitation that we decided to send out a mass email about Be A Design Group. I built the email, plugged in the mailing list, and stared at the screen for about fifteen minutes contemplating whether or not this really was such a good idea. After all, this list represents not only huge names in the graphic design field, but most of the people that are responsible for the success of our site. If there is anybody we don’t want to upset, their name is most likely on this list. Once I gained enough courage, I hit the send button. “Here goes nothing.”
Maybe you got our email, and have something to say about it. Let us have it. Your feedback is welcome and will be taken very seriously.
Comments (5)
Bennett said:
One additional note. We will NOT sell your name to anyone. Your secret is safe with us.
Posted on July 24, 2005
Donovan Beery said:
You always want to follow the proper CAN-SPAM Regulations when mass emailing. And getting an email not asking me to re-finance a home or buy medication online really threw me off.
Posted on July 24, 2005
Kyle said:
Hmm…CAN-SPAM Regulations…I never knew.
What is considered “mass emailing?” On a personal level, when I email pictures of my little girl to more than 10 people at a time, I consider that a “mass email.” And my recipients never opt-in. Good thing I’m not a business. :-)
Along that line, is BA considered a “business?”
Posted on July 28, 2005
Bennett said:
You would have to make money to be considered a business. Right?
Posted on July 28, 2005
Donovan Beery said:
It’s less about if your asking for money, or promoting a cause, and more about if people complain about it. As anyone that knows you, and gets a picture of your kid in their email won’t complain, that is probably not a concern.
It only takes a few complaints to cause issues, so naturally, the more people you don’t know, but still send to, the greater the chances of being called a spammer.
Different ISPs also have different rules. Some ISPs require a double-opt in (that’s when you sign up for an email, and they send you an email you have to reply to to show it’s your email account you added).
The biggest advantage to using a third-party email company rather than sending it yourself, is that the third-party company spends a lot of time and money keeping their users off of spammer lists, so your chances of getting blocked are smaller. If you spend the better part of a day dealing with email problems on your server due to spam complaints, you start to learn some of these things you wish you didn’t.
Posted on July 28, 2005