An Audience of One
An Audience of One, New Rules for Email Communications, Scott Stines - inma.org June 2001

If I were a betting person, the odds of someone bringing up this online article in the future to point out how wrong I was about this subject are the same as the odds for winning the lottery. What am I so sure about? I'm sure that distributing newspaper ads via email is a little like running black and white slides on TV. I'm positive that the last thing someone wants is to receive their Target ad circular via email. It sounds more inviting to listen to the radio using a phone.

Don't get me wrong, email is a great way to provide "push" content, renew subscribers and support classified and display advertising sales efforts. It is also a great way to send bills, gather information, proof an ad, or promote tomorrow's headlines today. Mass media is to email communications as peanut butter is to whistling. Email communications is about interactions, dialogue, and transactions, not yelling "anyone want to buy an ice maker" in a crowded igloo.

An email address is like no other piece of data in that it delivers an audience of one. Five year-olds can answer the phone and a neighbor can open your mail, but an email address reaches an individual who sits down at a computer or logs in via a mobile web enabled appliance to review and answer their email.

Generic, non-targeted email advertising demonstrates to those not in the market for infant car seats, that you don't respect the sanctity of their "IN" box. Nobody is going to complain about you delivering an unsolicited copy of your newspaper to their doorstep, but the rules of engagement with email communications are quite different, and no amount of legal language at the end of your email can change these rules...

THIS MESSAGE IS BEING SENT IN COMPLIANCE WITH PENDING EMAIL BILLS & LAWS: SECTION 301. PER SECTION, PARAGRAPH (a) (2) (c) of S. 1618. This message is not intended for residents in the State of WA, NV, CA & VA. Screening of addresses has been done to the best of our technical ability. If you are a Washington, Virginia, or California resident please remove yourself via voice or fax at 555-555-5555. We honor all removal requests.

You need permission to communicate with consumers and businesses via email. And the fastest way to lose permission is to fill an email inbox with generic advertising. You make $300 per thousand a couple of times, then you lose permission to communicate via email, and with it the opportunity to strengthen your relationship with customers, reach out to prospects, and benefit from the money making and saving applications of email communications.

An email address is a terrible thing to waste.

Next week, "Email Advertising that Works."

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