Internet marketing etiquette checklist29 June 2005
Marketing on the Internet is, in many ways, different to the rest of the business world, but etiquette still counts and can make the difference between a successful campaign and throwing away the reputation you have worked hard to build up.
But the unwritten rules are not always obvious - unwittingly break them (especially when email marketing) and you'll get a torrent of complaints or even (for serious infringements) suspension by your ISP. Breaking the law itself can land you in even deeper trouble.
The following is a series of hints and tips for running an effective (and legal) Internet marketing campaign:
Make sure you obtain permission to send email (by asking people to opt-in to your mailing list or by purchasing legitimate opt-in lists). This useful article explains email etiquette and the law in further detail.
Treat webmasters as individuals when looking for reciprocal links. Write a polite note tailored to that site (not an impersonal pro forma email). If ignored, don't give up - leave it for a couple of weeks then try again, or ring them up instead. Read this article for further tips.
Deal with potential affiliates personally and on an individual level. You need to persuade them that what you offer is worth the considerable amount of time and effort it takes to build up an affiliate business. This article provides further tips on building affiliates.
On message boards and forums scout the territory first. Try "lurking" for a while and find out what the written and unwritten rules are for the board or forum you plan to join.
Explain what's in it for the site that links to you before requesting a reciprocal link. A reciprocal link is always welcome, but if your site sends three visitors a day to a site, which sends you a thousand, the imbalance will be noticed, and the link may be removed.
Avoid being branded a spammer. Message board moderators, blog owners, and ISPs hate it and will do their best to have your account closed. In some cases, you may even be breaking the law.
Be polite. Always use an opening salutation in an email rather than launching straight into your marketing message, and address people like you would in other business correspondence if you are contacting them for the first time.
Don't try to con people. Ensure the subject line in your email message matches the content of your sales pitch.
These are just a few of the basic rules of Internet marketing etiquette. This article has more on Internet and site promotion etiquette, and check out the law on electronic communications and privacy here.
