In the ancient, pre-Internet days, I used to get all kinds of mail in my U.S. Postal Service mailbox. The mail had stamps on it; later on it had imprinted postmarks of one kind or another. I was in the direct-marketing and mail-order business, so I used my name and address as a quality-control measure, just to see how long the mail would take to actually arrive at my house.
As you can imagine, my name found its way to many different lists of one type or another, and I got lots of mail.
Depending on the perspective of the recipient, it was called "junk mail" or "file 13 candidates," or "recyclable materials." Individual pieces included catalogs of every type and description, magazine and book club offers, resort vacation packages and credit cards. Can you believe it? Offering me, an entrepreneur, a credit card? Had they lost their minds?
And I loved it.
My spam is important to me. In this new age of the Internet, I need the information and opportunities that e-mail marketing provides.
Now, in addition to my mail at home and at the office, I get e-mails. Lots of e-mails. And for the most part, I love them. They tell me about things I'm interested in, such as services and products that might satisfy some of my needs. They provide information referrals, ideas and food for thought.
And e-mails are smart. They don't require a postcard or envelope with postage to get more information--you just click "reply." Or in many cases, click on the "hot link" direct to the e-mailer's Web site.
Look, here's the deal.
Spam is the "junk mail" of a few years ago. There is still "junk" mail, although I prefer to think of it as marketing mail--searching for new customers and reinvigorating established clients. My spam is important to me. In this new age of the Internet, I need the information and opportunities that e-mail marketing provides. The Internet is a new marketing channel, an information research assistant, and a replacement for some of those mail-order catalogs I used to request. And man, the response time!
The courts and the Federal Trade Commission long ago thrashed out the framework for people taking their name off mailing lists by using the Direct Marketing Association-maintained "opt out" list. Mailers run their list through the DMA and matches are culled for each person from that list.
So what's the big deal about spam? I think a few well-meaning but uninformed politicians and advocacy groups have decided what's good for us.
Why?
Because we have grown used to getting information this way. If we need to, we can do the same thing using the DMA, or the Internet Advertising Bureau, or another industry trade group.
So, what's the big deal about spam? I think a few well-meaning but uninformed politicians and advocacy groups have decided what's good for us, and in their zeal, they are trying to establish a new and unwarranted benchmark for the marketing channel we call the Internet, and for one of its components: e-mail.
We really have to fight this intrusion. E-mail is no less commercial speech than other forms of communication; e-mail is a new and--in some cases--a better way of quickly identifying, qualifying and servicing customers. Large catalog marketers are pleased with the growing percentage of Internet-driven business, and they use e-mail to offer specials and other information potentially valuable to their customers, at less expense than mail-only contact programs.
Not everybody has an e-mail address or access to the Internet: Approximately 70 million U.S. households have computers, out of 120 million total, but not all of the 70 million have access to the internet or e-mail. Most businesses do have Internet and e-mail. There are some e-mails I get that I don't want or appreciate: pornography, two credit card offers every day (give me a break!), and some others. But you know what I do?
Hit delete.
I hit delete, and I'm free. As for the rest of my spam: Keep it coming!
Biography
Barry Dennis is president of Netweb, an Internet and offline marketing and public relations agency.
What?s the big deal? All you read on the internet is spam, spam, spam. Spam protection this, spam protection that. Oh my God! Be careful don?t let any one see your SACRED email address! I read they even put a spammer in jail. What kind of a barbaric country would do that? Now I am not a spammer. I don?t know how to send spam. If I did I would!
I am not afraid of placing my email address to the ends of the earth. I look forward to my spam everyday! If spam comes that I have no interest in. You know what?I HAVE GOT a DELETE button all free provided by Yahoo! And it works perfect!!!
However, I am getting very annoyed with Yahoo. Why? Because I hold the World?s Record of the most girlfriends of any man on the planet. Needless to say I can?t see every girl every day. So I email them my Casanova love letters! When I try to send my love letters to my darlings. I usually send 50 at a time. That?s all my old computer can stand. Yahoo puts characters in my face before I can send letters to my girlfriends. Add insult to injury now Yahoo says I can only send 50 emails per hour. Put your calculator to work and see how many hours it will take me to send my dolls a love letter, after all, I have over 1000 active 18 to 22 year old dream girlfriends and I am 55 years old man! And believe me my girls are waiting by their computers for my romantic love letters!
I am looking for a sidekick who loves girls. Preferably a rich buddy who loves girls. As I am running low on cash. Who would?nt with over 1000 girls!!! Any great spammers out there who know how to spam. Maybe you can help me find my rich sidekick who loves girls! Let?s spam him! Elvis Preston King?Thank you very much?
What?s the big deal? All you read on the internet is spam, spam, spam. Spam protection this, spam protection that. Oh my God! Be careful don?t let any one see your SACRED email address! I read they even put a spammer in jail. What kind of a barbaric country would do that? Now I am not a spammer. I don?t know how to send spam. If I did I would!
I am not afraid of placing my email address to the ends of the earth. I look forward to my spam everyday! If spam comes that I have no interest in. You know what?I HAVE GOT a DELETE button all free provided by Yahoo! And it works perfect!!!
However, I am getting very annoyed with Yahoo. Why? Because I hold the World?s Record of the most girlfriends of any man on the planet. Needless to say I can?t see every girl every day. So I email them my Casanova love letters! When I try to send my love letters to my darlings. I usually send 50 at a time. That?s all my old computer can stand. Yahoo puts characters in my face before I can send letters to my girlfriends. Add insult to injury now Yahoo says I can only send 50 emails per hour. Put your calculator to work and see how many hours it will take me to send my dolls a love letter, after all, I have over 1000 active 18 to 22 year old dream girlfriends and I am 55 years old man! And believe me my girls are waiting by their computers for my romantic love letters!
I am looking for a sidekick who loves girls. Preferably a rich buddy who loves girls. As I am running low on cash. Who would?nt with over 1000 girls!!! Any great spammers out there who know how to spam. Maybe you can help me find my rich sidekick who loves girls! Let?s spam him! Elvis Preston King?Thank you very much?