How to Use Good Email Etiquette

By Dave Peterson

Have you ever handed someone your business card and they bombard you with email without your permission?

Do you have friends who send jokes to twenty of their friends and just assume it's ok?

Both are forms of spam.

Spam is unsolicited e-mail on the Internet.   From the sender's point-of-view, it's a form of bulk mail.   To the receiver, it's junk e-mail.

It's just plain bad "netiquette" to send spam.

It's the equivalent of unsolicited phone marketing. Not to mention there are spam laws.

What do I suggest?  It's real easy.  Simply ask permission before hitting that send button.

To assume people want to hear from you without asking permission, even if it's a friend, is presumptuous.

Plus, it puts the receiver in the awkward position of asking someone to stop.

Whether you're marketing your business or emailing your friends. Your best bet is to ask first.

This is called permission-based email marketing.

It's important to give people the common courtesy, and choice to either "opt-in" or "opt-out" of your email list.

Just because someone hands you a business card doesn't mean it's ok to bombard them with email.

Bottom line...ask permission first.  It only takes a second, you'll avoid irritating your recipients and get a better response from them.  Which means more sales for you!

Afterall, wouldn't you rather market to an audience who actually wants to hear from you?