Unsolicited email laws in the UK

[sallysqueak]

Hi

I'm just reading through the ico website at the rules surrounding marketing emails I'd like to send to small businesses within the UK to send them an offer to list on my pet service directory.

From what I'm reading so far, it seems it's impossible to legally send emails to small businesses/sole traders without their prior consent. Is this correct?

My method of collecting their contact details was going to be to simply google the type of small businesses I want to target and sending them an introductory email with a note in there to confirm they were not on any mailing lists at all (which they wouldn't be, unless their replied requesting to be added to it).

It would have been a one off email.

Is there any way to do this legally? I'm not interested in doing anything illegal or dodgy at all!

Thanks

Sally

 

[kate1]

Only way I think would be to buy data, I know a company that sells counties for £65, there you will have a list of people that can be contacted by telephone (after you tps check them) or email

 

[mediaguy35]

Its my knoledge you can send 1 million emails, once only to that current group of email addresses.

But am sure many go way beyond that number and never get caught. As long as you include unsubscribe link and remove when a request is made, youll be fine

 

[directmarketingadvice]

As long as you include unsubscribe link and remove when a request is made, youll be fine

Unless you're not fine.

Steve

 

[directmarketingadvice]

My method of collecting their contact details was going to be to simply google the type of small businesses I want to target and sending them an introductory email with a note in there to confirm they were not on any mailing lists at all (which they wouldn't be, unless their replied requesting to be added to it).

It would have been a one off email.

Is there any way to do this legally? I'm not interested in doing anything illegal or dodgy at all!

There are two definitions of "spam". There's the legal one and the "general" one.

As I understand it, you can send an unsolicited email to a business email address. But, if you're only doing this because it's "free", wouldn't it just be perceived as spam?

Steve

PS If you have a directory, and you like their site, why not just list them? Or is it a paid directory?

 

[mediaguy35]

You can legally sent mails to any biz address - you kant do iT to say virginmedia sorts of addresses.

They say in marketing that if you not annoying people enough, you aren't doing marketing the right way. I not condone spamming, but its ppointless sending 2 emails per year at clients, for it takes 7 emails to get message across.

 

[mediaguy35]

Ahhh Doggie directory - I feel Ruff.....