Email Invites classed as spam.. Help?

[Chantal2290]

Any ideas on how to send genuine invites for an event to businesses in surrounding areas without it being received, or even perceived as spam or junk?

I have currently sent out over 300 invites by email and post, and had 2 replies asking me to stop spamming them and remove them from my mailing list. :| Help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Mike W]

Any ideas on how to send genuine invites for an event to businesses in surrounding areas without it being received, or even perceived as spam or junk?

I have currently sent out over 300 invites by email and post, and had 2 replies asking me to stop spamming them and remove them from my mailing list. :| Help would be greatly appreciated!

'Spam' is classified as unsolicited, non-requested email.

You're entitled to send such mail B2B (not B2C) but you must subscribe to certain criteria including particularly a) making clear who you are, with name/address details etc, b) a clear method of unsubscribing, and c) that you definitely do unsubscribe anyone who requests it.

Hope that helps.

 

[ethical PR]

I am not sure where you got the contact details, but if you are sending unsolicted emails to companies that haven't opted in to receive them from your business, or have opted in to receive business information from a third party list for example your local chamber, and you're not complying with legislation, then you are spamming them.

So how to communicated about your event? Perhaps you could give a bit more information about your event, the forum could advise you on how best to promote it?

 

[Mike W]

ps. although legitimately entitled (based on above), and therefore not 'spam' in the conventional sense (ie. illegal), some will consider it an intrusion and react accordingly. You just have to live with that.

 

[Chantal2290]

Thank you for your help Mike W, we had not been including an "unsibscribe option".

Also, thank you for responding ethical PR, with regards to where i have gained all the information, it has mostly been collected from searching free index, yell, or other directories for company names, then veiwing each companies website for their contact details.

And with regards to the type of event, it is a breakfast event in which we have partnenered up with an accounting software company, with the aim to promote both companies, each having a representative giving a half hour presentation, followed by a prize draw for all attendees to win a bottle of champagne ... refreshments will be provided through out, and its totally free, with no obligations.

 

[Mike W]

... refreshments will be provided through out, and its totally free, with no obligations.

Just so you know, even if you were giving out free wads of £50 notes, some would still consider it spam

If you do ever need any help with Email Marketing, feel free to holler.

 

[InternetMarketingPlatinum]

I am not sure where you got the contact details, but if you are sending unsolicted emails to companies that haven't opted in to receive them from your business, or have opted in to receive business information from a third party list for example your local chamber, and you're not complying with legislation, then you are spamming them.

So how to communicated about your event? Perhaps you could give a bit more information about your event, the forum could advise you on how best to promote it?

This is incorrect information. Why are you misadvising people when you don't know what you're talking about? You are allowed to send B2B emails as long as you have an opt out and clearly state who you are. This is based on the Can Spam Act.

 

[atladasmedia]

Hello,

can you be more specific please? You say you sent 300 invites. How many email and how many by post? Did you follow up? You got telemarketing in place? Direct marketing is effective when you combine media not by using one. let me know

 

[David Griffiths]

. This is based on the Can Spam Act.

Is that not a USA Act? What relevance do you think that it has to the UK?

 

[Chantal2290]

Hi atladasmedia,

I have sent around 300 by email and 80 by post, i intend to send more but do not see the point just yet when its clearly being inneffective.

We do intend to make follow up calls, but as i will be the only person doing so, and the event is in two weeks.. i had rather hoped we would not have to be following up the entire list.

Thanks

 

[ethical PR]

This is incorrect information. Why are you misadvising people when you don't know what you're talking about? You are allowed to send B2B emails as long as you have an opt out and clearly state who you are. This is based on the Can Spam Act.

I think you must have got out of the wrong side of bed this morning..

Under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations in 2003 you are not allowed to send unsolicited business to business emails unless you follow the terms of the legislation which as a previous poster mentioned and you mention yourself includes clearly displaying opt out information and your full address details.

As I am saying the same thing that you are saying...I am suprised that you state I am misadvising people and that I don't know what I am talking about.

And not quite sure where the Can Spam Act comes into it...that's US legislation.

 

[Mike W]

Is that not a USA Act? What relevance do you think that it has to the UK?

The same principles apply. You may have to dig deeper, but you can start here - http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_organisat...communications/the_guide/electronic_mail.aspx

 

[InternetMarketingPlatinum]

I think you must have got out of the wrong side of bed this morning..

Under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations in 2003 you are not allowed to send unsolicited business to business emails unless you follow the terms of the legislation which as a previous poster mentioned and you mention yourself includes clearly displaying opt out information and your full address details.

As I am saying the same thing that you are saying...I am suprised that you state I am misadvising people and that I don't know what I am talking about.

And not quite sure where the Can Spam Act comes into it...that's US legislation.

You just changed your mind about what you originally posted, you're now in agreement with what I originally posted.

To quote yourself from your original post "...if you are sending unsolicted emails to companies that haven't opted in to receive them from your business, or have opted in to receive business information from a third party list for example your local chamber, and you're not complying with legislation, then you are spamming them."

This is clearly incorrect.

 

[InternetMarketingPlatinum]

Is that not a USA Act? What relevance do you think that it has to the UK?

Yes David it is indeed USA legislation. In practice you'll find that if you're running an opt in email marketing campaign you're likely to gain opt ins from around the globe so you'll find that attempting to implement different rules for different countries can get tricky. The principles are the same.

 

[Force Digital]

If you compiled your list using free indexes and directories you won't get a good result. Some tips:

Identify who you want to target

Go through your list and take out every address that isn't in your target market

Call your targets and check the email is correct and advise them the email is on its way

Ensure you have a suitable landing page where they can sign up to the event

Incentivise them to book a place before a certain date

Follow-up with a call to secure their booking

Use sites like this one, twitter and LinkedIn to promote the event further

Good luck with it.

 

[Chantal2290]

Thank you Force Digital, for your help, i will definately be keeping this information logged for future reference.

 

[InternetMarketingPlatinum]

If you compiled your list using free indexes and directories you won't get a good result. Some tips:

Identify who you want to target

Go through your list and take out every address that isn't in your target market

Call your targets and check the email is correct and advise them the email is on its way

Ensure you have a suitable landing page where they can sign up to the event

Incentivise them to book a place before a certain date

Follow-up with a call to secure their booking

Use sites like this one, twitter and LinkedIn to promote the event further

Good luck with it.

Hey you forgot about Event Brite too?

 

[ethical PR]

You just changed your mind about what you originally posted, you're now in agreement with what I originally posted.

To quote yourself from your original post "...if you are sending unsolicted emails to companies that haven't opted in to receive them from your business, or have opted in to receive business information from a third party list for example your local chamber, and you're not complying with legislation, then you are spamming them."

This is clearly incorrect.

I haven't changed my mind at all. In my first post I quite clearly said to the OP that it's spam unless they were complying with legislation. This legislation says if you are sending unsolicited business to business emails you must have a clear opt out and full address.

My original post was therefore 1) not incorrect and 2) and my advice was reiterated by yourself and other posters as being the case.

I am not quite sure why you continue to say it's clearly incorrect, but if it makes you feel better, I'll leave you to it.

Helen

 

[InternetMarketingPlatinum]

I haven't changed my mind at all. In my first post I quite clearly said to the OP that it's spam unless they were complying with legislation. This legislation says if you are sending unsolicited business to business emails you must have a clear opt out and full address.

My original post was therefore 1) not incorrect and 2) and my advice was reiterated by yourself and other posters as being the case.

I am not quite sure why you continue to say it's clearly incorrect, but if it makes you feel better, I'll leave you to it.

Helen

Before that, you also stated "...if you are sending unsolicted emails to companies that haven't opted in to receive them from your business, or have opted in to receive business information from a third party list for example your local chamber..."

This is incorrect and no-one else reiterated this part of what you put.

 

[Christine Hough]

What are you inviting them to?
If its not relevant to them they will class it as spam and businesses get an awful lot of unwanted mail.

But if it is relevant then try to target the right person in the organisation.

Years ago when I worked in London, the personnel manager occasionally got free tickets to BBC shows. He just put them about for anyone who wanted to go and took no offence. But it wasn't related to what we were manufacturing at all.

Snailmail in those days!