What do you consider Spam?
Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 12:49 pm
Bulk email is one thing. Is spam merely bulk email, or is any email that you didn't ask for (which would mean I get a lot of spam from people I don't know...)
Let me explain. I am finishing up a software project I have been working on, and myself and another friend are getting ready to market and sell the software.
I do NOT want to spam. So, is it wrong to personally email someone or a company you honestly think might really be interested in my product? I would visit the person's site, and then if the person offered up an email address (or a physical address), I would compose a personal email on what the product is, and how I see it benefiting the potential customer. Would this be spam?
I ask for several reasons. First, and most obviously, I do not wish to spam people.
Secondly, if everything that is unsolicited is considered spam, than that's most of my emails. I have had several publishing companies email me out of the blue, asking for opinions on potential books, etc. These were all unsolicited. Does the topic of the email determine whether it's spam?
Again, this is me going to a web site, and personally emailing the potential client. I would do it from my own mail client, and I wouldn't be spoofing or hiding any of my information. From what I can tell, the CAN-SPAM law would allow this, but that's really just permission to spam, something I don't want to do.
I only ask because I have received personal emails from companies who want to do honest business, and frankly, I don't mind those. These are real people who really stumbled onto my site, and actually have something of real interest to say to me.
It's tempting, but I want to get an opinion on this.
Note: Yes, I am working on other means of advertising as well, more traditional means. I am just worried that if in browsing the web, I come across a site that could use the product, I can feel justified in emailing them about it.
Let me explain. I am finishing up a software project I have been working on, and myself and another friend are getting ready to market and sell the software.
I do NOT want to spam. So, is it wrong to personally email someone or a company you honestly think might really be interested in my product? I would visit the person's site, and then if the person offered up an email address (or a physical address), I would compose a personal email on what the product is, and how I see it benefiting the potential customer. Would this be spam?
I ask for several reasons. First, and most obviously, I do not wish to spam people.
Secondly, if everything that is unsolicited is considered spam, than that's most of my emails. I have had several publishing companies email me out of the blue, asking for opinions on potential books, etc. These were all unsolicited. Does the topic of the email determine whether it's spam?
Again, this is me going to a web site, and personally emailing the potential client. I would do it from my own mail client, and I wouldn't be spoofing or hiding any of my information. From what I can tell, the CAN-SPAM law would allow this, but that's really just permission to spam, something I don't want to do.
I only ask because I have received personal emails from companies who want to do honest business, and frankly, I don't mind those. These are real people who really stumbled onto my site, and actually have something of real interest to say to me.
It's tempting, but I want to get an opinion on this.
Note: Yes, I am working on other means of advertising as well, more traditional means. I am just worried that if in browsing the web, I come across a site that could use the product, I can feel justified in emailing them about it.