email lesson I learned today!

[ed4copies]

Mailchimp gives me great reports about what email addresses have opened our newsletters and which email addys have not. Seems like they ought to know

So, I have this long report of addresses that have not opened recent mailings. To "trim" our list (we are nearing 2000 addresses), I thought I would delete those that have never been opened.

Being the cautious type, I decided to send one email to those addresses, just letting them know the address had never been opened, so I was planning to delete it.

A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER WROTE TO ME SAYING THEY WANT TO STAY ON THE LIST!!!

Now, if the address had really never opened an email, how did they get MY email and reply within a couple hours??? So, it's another case of "Don't believe every computerized report you receive!!"

And, for those of you who got the notice and replied---most certainly you will REMAIN ON our email list!! Thanks for your interest!!

Every day I learn a little more about "internet business"---fascinating!!!

 

[LanceD]

My recent one came in my spam box. I just clicked on the not junk tab. Hopefully they'll go to my regular in box.

 

[Crashmph]

Ed,

Depending on the mail viewer, people may have some of the scripting or loading of the HTML disabled. This would prevent mail chimp from getting the notice that the recipient had opened the email. I have had this issue in the past with a customer base for my HOA.

Michael

 

[edstreet]

Many browsers will falsify mailchimps reporting, i.e. image caching, gmail tabs, outlook image blocks, link scrubbers and sanitizers, also the fabled 1px blocks.

How Gmail's Image Caching Affects Open Tracking | MailChimp Email Marketing Blog

How Gmail's New Inbox Is Affecting Open Rates | MailChimp Email Marketing Blog

How MailChimp Tracks Open Rates Might Surprise You | MorganLinton.com | Life in Startupland

 

[The Penguin]

why would you willingly prune an email list?

what if someone got the email, saw the title, and consciously decided not to open it because the title was not interesting?

bad business decision if you ask me.

 

[randyrls]

Ed; The other Ed is correct. There are many ways to block email or web page visit reports. I use one that is customizable and doesn't report based on return source/routing info in the email.

 

[ed4copies]

why would you willingly prune an email list?

what if someone got the email, saw the title, and consciously decided not to open it because the title was not interesting?

bad business decision if you ask me.

My philosophy is why send "junk mail"?

But, given the results I am getting, you may be correct!

 

[The Penguin]

If someone signed up to be on your email list - they want the "junk" mail.

let them unsubscribe if they no longer want to receive it.

 

[brownsfn2]

I want "junk" mail. It makes me feel less lonely.

 

[ed4copies]

Not hard to convince me on this one!!

Let's see, if I do NOT "clean the list", I will gain several hours of productive time----DONE!!!

Thanks for the feedback!!
Ed

 

[Chasper]

You probably know this, but the Can-Spam Act of 2003 requires that if an opt-in has not been active for 24 months they should not be mailed. In the US that is a suggestion, in Canada it is law and enforceable by a huge fine for each email send to a 24 month non-active.

"active" is defined as clicked through to your site, not just opening the email.

 

[brownsfn2]

Canada's anti-spam legislation is for email spammers that operate from within Canada. Unless Ed moves a few hundred miles north he should be ok.

Found this link too:
http://fightspam.gc.ca/eic/site/030.nsf/eng/home

 

[Chasper]

Canada's anti-spam legislation is for email spammers that operate from within Canada. Unless Ed moves a few hundred miles north he should be ok.

Found this link too:
Canada's Law on Spam and Other Electronic Threats - Home - Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation

I read the link you provided and I can't find a clear statement that only Canadian based businesses are required to follow the Canada Can Spam Compliance rules.

I did find the following clear statement from Mail Chimp.
"You've probably heard that the Canadian Anti-Spam Law (CASL) went into effect July 1, 2014. If you're in Canada or send to Canadian residents, you need to comply with CASL."

 

[edstreet]

You probably know this, but the Can-Spam Act of 2003 requires that if an opt-in has not been active for 24 months they should not be mailed. In the US that is a suggestion, in Canada it is law and enforceable by a huge fine for each email send to a 24 month non-active.

"active" is defined as clicked through to your site, not just opening the email.

This is partially incorrect.

The 2 year reference is any business relations in the previous 2 years the company can legally send email. This is the foundation of "business relations"



Under the can-act they even clarify that this includes but not limited to: business transactions, telephone calls, gifts, donations, volunteer work, memberships, purchases/lease of good/services, implied consent. Even 'non-business relations' is included.

There is nothing in the Canadian law that states marketing must be dropped after a 2 year period of inactivity.

Inside the US the CAN-SPAM Act allows direct marketing email messages to be sent to anyone, without permission, until the recipient explicitly requests that they cease (opt-out).

Under ever law that I have looked at: EU, Canada and US a vendor has every right to send email marketing to every person they come in contact with in the past 2 years (3 years in some places), either direct indirect and a host variety of non-business relations.

 

[brownsfn2]

I read the link you provided and I can't find a clear statement that only Canadian based businesses are required to follow the Canada Can Spam Compliance rules.

I did find the following clear statement from Mail Chimp.
"You've probably heard that the Canadian Anti-Spam Law (CASL) went into effect July 1, 2014. If you're in Canada or send to Canadian residents, you need to comply with CASL."

When you go to that link I listed and answer the questions I get this statement:

"CASL allows Canadian enforcement against spammers operating in Canada."

I can see how I might be misreading it though. Maybe they mean they can only enforce the law if you are operating in Canada and can't come after you otherwise. Not sure though. My law degree is still on order from an ad in the back of Mad Magazine.

 

[Smitty37]

I read the link you provided and I can't find a clear statement that only Canadian based businesses are required to follow the Canada Can Spam Compliance rules.

I did find the following clear statement from Mail Chimp.
"You've probably heard that the Canadian Anti-Spam Law (CASL) went into effect July 1, 2014. If you're in Canada or send to Canadian residents, you need to comply with CASL."

When you go to that link I listed and answer the questions I get this statement:

"CASL allows Canadian enforcement against spammers operating in Canada."

I can see how I might be misreading it though. Maybe they mean they can only enforce the law if you are operating in Canada and can't come after you otherwise. Not sure though. My law degree is still on order from an ad in the back of Mad Magazine.

Well Canada can't just send the RCMP to the USA and arrest a spamer and haul them back to Canada for trial. Just like we can't go to China and arrest the hackers breaking into US Computers, even if we find out who they are. Right now this seems to me to be a very fuzzy area of law.

The question might be. Will the USA Extradite a US Citizen for doing something that is illegal in Canada but legal in the USA? I think not unless there are specific government to government agreements in place. The next question would be are there any such agreements in place covering spam?

I do know what a pain it was to try to control calls from telemarketers using the law. I just gave up and quit answering the phone or hanging up without saying a word when they start talking.

What I read says the Canadian Law can be enforced against not Canadian Companies, but didn't really say how it could be done if the company has no physical presence in Canada. Particularily when the company is in compliance with their own countries law. One place mentions class action law suits, but I'm not sure how you bring one of those against a party not resident in your country. I've been involved with several of them myself but they were always brought against US Companies or Companies with a substantial physical presence here. I'll need to do some more reading on this and see if they have brought any enforcement actions against non-Canadian companies with no physical presense in Canada.

 

[edicehouse]

Sometimes I get the email and I just go directly to your site without opening...

 

[Tom T]

Ed, I want to be on the list. But I get nothing from you now.

 

[hcpens]

Mass Mailings

Ed,

I am really disappointed in you! I thought I was getting a personalized email fro you each time.:biggrin:

Thanks for all of your work.

 

[ed4copies]

Ed,

I am really disappointed in you! I thought I was getting a personalized email fro you each time.:biggrin:

Thanks for all of your work.

I spent all day yesterday making up an email, just for you!! It will go out early this afternoon!!!
(along with 1900 of your closest friends!!):biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[hcpens]

YOU ARE THE MAN! I big enough to share!:cowboy: