Posted by John on June 08, 2002 at 07:16:53:
In Reply to: Spam Question posted by Amanda Hardy on June 07, 2002 at 15:52:04:
Amanda,
A personal e-mail, sent one time, to relevant folks -- dive club presidents, dive shop managers, etc. -- is OK. But I would send one e-mail to each and every person, not one e-mail to a whole list (even if the list is smallish). And personalize it.
Tell them that you're new (if you are). Tell them about yourself. Offer the group deal. Tell them that you hope they don't mind being contacted this way. Ask them if there's anything you can do for them / anything further you can provide. Ask if you can call and talk with them (dive shops - this is easy; but dive group presidents probably don't have their phone numbers listed). And ask if they wish to receive further info via e-mail; make it clear that you won't contact them again via e-mail unless they ask you to.
People, myself most definitely included, often respond very negatively to spam... so you just need to be overly polite and have the e-mail directed at just that one person. Some of them will be happy to get the info.
But make them ask for further contact, otherwise you'll quickly become unwelcome. Depending on geography, I'm one of the people who would likely be on your list... and I've got to tell you that the chances of my EVER doing business with Iron Eagle are less than zero...
John