[thelist] RFI -- CommunityExplorer

[Bruce Heerssen]

Bart Posselt wrote:

>Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to get bogus crap like that in your database or inbox? Who says a form on a site will necessarily cause you to be spammed? How else is someone supposed to respond to a visitor's question or comment?
>
<rhetoric>Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to get bogus crap 
like spam in your inbox?</rhetoric>

I think Adrian is saying that when he receives spam, he goes to the site 
of the company that generated it, if they have a site, and enters email 
addresses gathered at that site into their forms so that the company 
will start receiving their own spam - hopefully. I think that's 
deliciously devious - I think I'll start doing it. I don't know if it'll 
help, but it couldn't hurt (me). If someone sends me spam, I don't 
appreciate it.

Your sig tells me that you are likely to (as a member of an industry 
advocacy group) see direct email advertising programs in a positive 
light because that is one way to drive customers to your client/members' 
sites. That's all well and good when done responsibly, but businesses 
should not resort to spam. Please understand that no-one is saying that 
all advertisement type emails are spam, just those that are sent with no 
authorization from the recipient. If your business needs to generate new 
customers, get the word out through some other means, don't simply spam 
them.

Other ways might include:

1. Use traditional media for advertising (print, radio, TV).
2. Purchase advertising on popular sites.
3. Develop a good search engine placement program.
4. Enter into a link-exchange/banner exchange program.
5. Create *opt-in* mailing lists for your site.


Cheers,

-Bruce