Free Email Option One: On one hand, some people live and
die with the spam junkies. Many people have built their business 
this way, although most will never admit it to you.

Free Email Option Two: On another hand, some are on the
tops of the buildings loudly shouting, "Email marketing is dead."
An interesting observation, I think. Don't you?

Free Email Option Three: Lastly, there is the camp who will
fight to the death to defend their opinion that email marketing
is alive and well. Perhaps they know something here ...

Who in the world are you supposed to believe? They cannot
all be right (or truthful) ...

Let's look at these positions one at a time ...

The Free Email Spammers:

Well, in the old days you could get away with about anything.
Lots of people tried this and succeeded. Alarm! Those days
are long gone. Now spammers are the scourge of the earth.

Sure, people still peddle CDs chock full of supposed opt-in
email addresses. Think about it. Who in their right mind
would volunteer to be a spam sucker? And if they just got
tricked into it, they'll unsubscribe really fast ...

Moral: Don't do it. Ever. You'll not only lose your hard-
earned reputation ... you could also quickly lose your ISP,
and soon you might even get arrested and fined ...

And don't think that by quoting the UCE law at the top or
bottom of your emails it will raise your acceptance at all.

And don't think you're more clever that the CAN-SPAM laws.

So, that option surely is a bad one.


The Free Email Nay-Sayers:

What about Option Two ... that 'email marketing is dead?'

If it is, no one seemed to notice. Email volume is at an
all-time high. It's still one of the best ways to market
at almost a zero cost, and can be your best efficiency.

But because of Option One, many are rightfully concerned.
If anything ever cripples the email system once and for all,
it will be the spam junkies, worms, trojans, viruses, etc.

It's always the rotten apples that spoil the whole barrel.

What's the cure? Build your opt-in list the right way.
Stay focused on your target market, don't deviate, and
always deliver great content to the people who are ready
and willing to receive it. Give people what people expect.

Moral: Email marketing is still a viable chain (for today.)


And the Free Email Stalwarts?

Which takes us to Option Three: 'free email is alive and kicking.'

I completely agree, subject to the email address you use.

Yes, spam is a ridiculous abuse of a wonderfully efficient 
system carried out by a crew of selfish losers who care about 
nothing but themselves. The real problem is that they're so 
stupid they poison their own food supply (and ours) and will
inevitably over time put themselves out of business.

Brilliant ... aren't they?

Yes, because spam is wrecking the system and taxing all of
the resources and patience of people - it's the villain. And
yes, if something doesn't happen pretty soon, the awful
effects of spam might become permanent. Legislation now
being considered could (will?) change the free email system as
we know it today, and could render it useless to most of us.

So some people are rightfully concerned about this. So am I.
You would be wise to be concerned as well, and do your part
to be sure our wonderful email system survives and thrives,
instead of choking under the tremendous stress.

So don't send frivolous ridiculous emails. Period.

Some people call email 'a gentle tap on the shoulder.'  If a
friend of your tapped you on the shoulder, would you turn
and pay attention - or be rude to your friend?

I make the analogy of (the proper use of) email to Federal
Express.  Most people notice and open their FedX packages.
Why? People don't usually waste time and money sending
frivolous FedX packages.

FedX packages get noticed. In a perfect world, if a friend 
tapped you on the shoulder and offered you a just-delivered 
FedX package - would you open it? (Of course you would.)

If everyone would take the consolidated position to boycott
spam as a unified group, take no action other than to delete
the spammers' emails, and report them when you feel led to
do so, we can make a difference.

Do not even unsubscribe to their junk. That also validates
your email address for them, and you'll really just get more
of the same.

Moral: Protect our amazing free email system by treating it
with respect. In the long run, you'll be glad you did. Your other
choices are watching the system fail over time ... having a
system where you have to pay someone for every email you
send, or being legislated into uselessness.

Which outcome do you prefer?

=================================================

Chip Tarver knows that you NEVER get a second chance to make a
first impression. That's why he wrote "First Contact Secrets." Listen 
to the giants of Internet Marketing teach you how they make first 
contact with people they want to do business with. Just model their 
success and success will become yours! Learn more now at ...

http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/
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"The B2B Relationship and Product Launch Pro"

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