[thelist] <s>Spam</s> Marketing Email Return

[Frank Marion]

On 2010-10-20, at 9:41 AM, Jack Timmons wrote:
> As a manager of a tiny IT department, I'm pessimistic.
>
> I instantly hate any idea I didn't think of from management because
> -they just don't get it-.

> You see, I don't believe in the hype of <s>spamming</s> mass email
> marketing.

Not your business. You job is to keep the engine running. If they  
choose to drive it into the ground, it's their engine.

> It takes me time, because I have to convert the emails from
> .doc to HTML and text. I have to create the landing pages. (We don't
> have an automated system to do this, and the moment I make one they'll
> want me to break it /pessimism). I believe it annoys far more people
> than it brings in.

It's good that you care, and generally, you're right, marketers don't  
give a fig about people's privacy. Marketers can be stupid that way.  
They just want to get their message out there, even, sometimes, if it  
includes shoving it down someone's throat.

> To the point: I've done a bit of typing with The Google, and
> unfortunately there's too much information on what I want to find,
> which is, from a business standpoint, what is an acceptable metric for
> determining how effective campaigns are. I would lean with "How many
> sales did we make?", but the defected side of my that cares says "What
> about the people we drove away?", and technical side saying "How many
> issues are we going to have now if people mark us as spam, when we
> have perfectly legit business-related emails to send?"

Perfectly legit questions, but not from a tech guy. You can, however  
do a "report" to inform them of issues they may not be aware of.  
That's the best you can do. Expect your message to be lost.

> I'm not a report writer, and my views of "doing business" differ from
> those I work for, which is probably why I work for them, and they get
> the big TV's.

/me nods. One of the big lessons that I've had to learn in life is to  
be practical. That means, in short, that unless it's tech-related, my  
opinion isn't worth all that much. I'm seen as the bit head, not the  
strategy guy.

> Any assistance and/or "Quit whining, you sissy pansy" would be
> appreciate. Or directions to trusted resources.


How about this: That's just how life is. Deal with it.

And good luck.


--
Frank Marion
lists [_at_] frankmarion.com