Everything You Need To Know About Direct Email Marketing

It’s tough getting a brand new product off the ground and into the market. You’ve spent many years – and no doubt thousands of dollars – perfecting it and preparing to put this product out on the market. There are probably ten or twenty more people with a similar product looking for an in. For every product already being sold there are hundreds more waiting for their shot.

Because of this frustrating occurrence, many turn to direct email marketing without realizing the consequences that come with it. Someone will compose an advertisement for a product, usually with a link back to a website where the product is sold, and then mass-email the advertisement out to many email addresses. A business owner will often compose a special advertisement that links back to a website where their product is sold and then send it to many different email addresses hoping to interest someone. However, these emails are considered spam – unwanted, unsolicited emails that are actually illegal in some states – in fact, it’s even possible for people to file a lawsuit in small claims court and sue for damages because of those emails.

And recipients have more options than just small claims court in a few states. If someone decides they are being harassed, they can complain their Internet Service Provider. Usually, the Internet Service Provider is able to find the website that the emails are linked to and delete it from their servers (and they can even ask other Internet Service Providers to do it for them if they have to). Then, they can even choose to charge you a fine that ranges anywhere from only $20 to as much as $20,000 depending on the case, which is far more than one could realistically even hope to obtain from direct email marketing, because spam emails violate their Terms of Service.

However, not all direct email marketing involves spam messages. Many times, companies both big and small will obtain email addresses from customers who have used their services or purchased their products and email them special offers or advertisements about new products they might like. This is actually a very effective way of deepening the relationship between a customer and a company. If someone knows they can get special discounts, they are more likely to stay with a company.

Navigating the world of direct email marketing can be very tricky. Is it worth getting your important website shut down? Is it worth the huge fine? In most cases, the risks far outweigh the benefits.