Internet Marketing – Opt-in, Opt-out Debate
One of the most important things in Internet Marketing is the list. In fact, it is THE most important thing. Ask any big name marketer (and there are 100’s of them) and they will ALL tell you the same thing. The List. The List. The all-important LIST!
Having a list enables marketers to contact people and, on occasion, market to that list.
But the list should be a two-way street and should operate on the premise of what is fair and reasonable. Unfortunately those who “own” a list and those who are “on” a list often lose sight of what is fair and reasonable.
Almost everybody with an email account is on multiple lists. Some are fun to be on, some we have forgotten we are on and some are a bloody pain in the ass to be on.
OPTING IN:
So, you “opt-in” to a list. We’ve all done it. It’s NO BIG DEAL. But it’s what happens after that point which can turn a happy marriage into an ugly divorce. Or just a boring existence.
It’s everybody’s right to opt-in to the list of an information or service provider. It’s also everybody’s inalienable right to opt-out of that list whenever circumstances change. That is, the information provider is not holding up his or her end of the bargain or you just get tired of receiving emails from that person.
OPTING OUT:
