I think that I must unsubscribe my general email address from about 2 or 3 direct marketing directories every week. And that’s just on a quiet week! Of course, I don’t actually remember ever subscribing to any of these directories, but, I get the emails anyway. “Buy two cartridges for the price of one!” and, “New specials on our speciality biltong! Stocks are limited! ”
Seriously?
I don’t think I pay attention to even a percent of these emails. Straight into my trash box they go. Usually, when my “Please Unsubscribe” emails are ignored, I revert to slightly more aggressive tactics and have my hosting company set up filters to discard mails from the offending marketers, or simply have them blacklisted.
Anyone out there share my frustration? Anyone enjoy being spammed on a daily basis?
Did you know, that if 2% of your database reads your email, or clicks on a link in your email, that this is a pretty good success rate. 2%!!!
So, in plain terms, when you spend money buying a database for direct marketing purposes, please keep in mind that 98% of the people on that database might not really care about what you have to offer. 98% of that database probably didn’t sign up to hear about your offers in the first place!
The lawmakers in South Africa are going to extra lengths to ensure that the consumer is protected from certain direct marketing practices. The Consumer Protection Act, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act as well as the Protection of Personal Information Bill are just a few important pieces of legislation which prescribe how and when direct marketing should be practised.
If your organisation finds value in its direct email marketing efforts, it is best that ensure that you are aware of what the law allows, and what it doesn’t.
Here are a few guidelines:
1. Only conduct direct marketing communication with those who have given you their consent to do so.
2. Avoid communications with those outside of South African borders, unless they have expressly given their consent to receive direct marketing from you.
3. Make sure that you provide people with an “unsubscribe” facility which is in good working order.
4. If someone unsubscribes themselves from your directory, confirm it with them & make sure that they never receive communications from your organisation again.
5. Implement a complaints procedure for those who feel done in by your organisations use of their personal information.
6. Keep proper and accessible records of consent received & revoked as evidence. You never know when you might need this!
7. Take note that there are prohibited times during a 24 hour period, in which you are not allowed to conduct direct marketing communication. Keep your direct marketing to within normal working hours.
8. If you are going to purchase a database, or electronic directory of email addresses, make sure that the seller has complied with the guidelines given by the Protection of Personal Information Bill. Any person whose information is to form part of a directory needs to have been properly informed of the purpose of the directory, as well as what it will be used for, before their personal information is included in the directory.
In short, it is far better to slowly build up your own database or directory of contacts, if you are going to conduct marketing campaigns in the future. If you do, you will be assured of a better success rate, as your contacts would have already displayed some kind of interest in your offerings – otherwise they wouldn’t be in your database to begin with!
Be professional, be respectful & considerate, and follow the law.
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