Email Etiquette

[Curtis Thompson]

hello…

if you collect emails from anybody, you need to describe what you do with them in a privacy policy – google that term with quotes and you’ll find a ton of examples – but you do need to disclose what you plan on doing with their email…

as for forcing them to give you it to see stuff? if they like what they can see enough, they might give you that – personally, i never give out my email unless i absolutely have to. if you put that layer up, you will likely find your traffic dropping greatly, unfortunately…

so long story short – you can force them to give it you to see stuff, but you can’t force them to give it to you..if that makes sense….

sitruc

[Jeff Mack]

Yeah, that’s what I feel too. My site is a video portal for my home town. I go to local businesses and shoot 2 minute webmercials and list them seperated by business type. My thought was to get (buy) collect off my own traffic, email addresses from local residents so when I complete a new video, I email an html email (constant contact) that has a poster frame with a play triangle on it explaining to click here to see the vid and then it goes to my page (hyperlinked) and they view the vid. So really, I need my whole community at once so the businesses think they are getting in front of everyone.

Jeff

[Fernando Mol]

Maybe you can send printable discount coupons (if you add a code you can be sure people don’t print them many times) from the stores you are advertising in your email and put something in your site like “subscribe to the newsletter to receive special discounts and be notified of the latest videos”.

Of course this kind of things need to be offered to your clients first and you may will need to put some kind of disclaimer like “only one coupon per person” or “not valid with another promotions”.

Just a thought.

[Curtis Thompson]

hello….

a very good thought! collecting email with nothing in return will hit some walls, but something like this will be a very good enticer to folks…

not guaranteed success, but as they say – you catch more flies with honey…

and welcome, fernando!

sitruc

[Fernando Mol]

Thank you, Curtis

Also, the stores can “measure” the success of the campaign from the coupons they receive.