Do-It-Yourself Pitfalls

So, you are already sending out your own emails?

Here are a few issues you might want to take check of:

• How do you know if everything was delivered?
• How do you manage returned mail?
• How do you manage recipients who want to be taken off your mailing list and any replies?
• How will you handle a Spamming accusation?
• Are you managing and tracking each message send effectively?
• Are you mining your database to its full potential?

Many people believe that implementing an email marketing strategy can be done internally, and managed the same as traditional direct mail campaigns.

Email is an excellent tool, but you may damage your company's reputation and customer relationships with the click of a button. 
  

What are the pitfalls?

Using an email program such as Microsoft Outlook to broadcast your messages may be risky. You may consider that your list is small and you are only sending text. So the solution is to "blind copy the list from your address book" (bcc).

The following may occur, and in some cases you may not even know of it:

1. Affects on Servers 
   Any mail you send from your desktop is going to affect your entire network, and depending on the volume and message size you could be creating email problems for your entire organization.
   Between outgoing messages and incoming bounces and replies, you will affect the load on the servers.
    
2. Exposing your Database
   There are many articles in the media regarding email messages that are mistakenly sent in such a way that the entire list of addresses is exposed. Consequently displaying all your database, not to mention disclosing it to spammers.
   Plus all the hassles & complaints of congesting the subscribers' mailboxes.
   Or the fact that the subscriber replies, or "unsubscribe me" message goes to the entire list. (In my personal travels I have actually seen this happen to a major finance company. It took that company a long time to explain away the mistake and restore  customer confidence.)
   Suffice it to say there is no better way to "burn" your list than to expose it. 
    
3. Don't put your corporate domain at risk. 
   A major problem is the risk you are taking with the company's Internet service provider (ISP). With any luck, your IT department monitors what is happening with your email and will know if you have crossed the line. Your original contract with your ISP will outline the maximum emails you are allowed to send in bulk at anyone time. Not abiding to this condition is inviting a disconnection of your services.
    
4. Was your email ever received?
   ISPs are getting more sophisticated about determining Spam versus wanted email. For years, they have been trashing mail that is perceived to be Spam, and you may never know that your mail was not received. 
    
5. Black Listed/ Cut Off 
   If you are going to send mail internally from your company, it is recommended you contact the IT department. Work with the mail administrator to ensure you do not end up on a Black hole list or spammers list.