Judging from the number of offers I have spammed and lists I have unsubscribed to this holiday season, the answer is yes for a bunch of marketers out there. It could have easily been avoided though, had they simply stuck to the fundamentals of good email marketing practices. It's pretty late in the shopping season to be pointing all this out, but in reality, it applies all year around.



Times are tough right now, or at least they are if you listen to the talking heads in the media sell it. All the panic and pandemonium that ensued from the horror stories pandered this autumn have driven marketers into a frenzied mode of behavior as they run and dodge mythical pieces of falling sky.

The problem is that the facts and figures just don't bear this out. The sky is not raining fire and brimstone; as many who sell stories would have you believe. While not dismissing the fact of a troubled economic climate, it is not catastrophic, at least not yet. Overall sales figures may be down a bit from last year, but so what?

Every year can't be a bumper crop or the term "bumper crop" wouldn't exist. Every crop would be the same. The statistics recorded so far for this Christmas shopping season are not out of line with acceptable deviations from the norm.

When In Fear, When In Doubt, Run In Circles, Scream And Shout

This has become the mantra of many marketers lately. Businesses captained by leaders with steadier hands will notice them crashed on the reefs as they navigate through and out of this stormy weather. Leaders who keep their head and wits about them are the survivors here. Foolish, drastic behavior will only get your business killed in most situations.

It's sad to watch, really: as so many businesses with so much potential destroy themselves. They head straight towards the lighthouse of desperation on the far side of the reef of carelessness. Somehow they have lost their sextant of fundamentals that govern good marketing practices. They become lost at sea.

Maybe it's a good thing, though. I don't want to sound too Darwinian here, but a little culling of the herd through natural selection is most often what brings about the survival of the herd as a whole. It allows the best members of the community to survive while killing off the sick and crippled.

There are measures we take as professional marketers that keep us on course. While there is much to be said for innovation, there is even more to be gleaned from fundamentals. Without the hammers and saws, the grand house can't be built.

If there is one thing that makes or breaks an internet marketer, it is their mailing list. It is the most important asset your business owns. Never forget that it is also very fragile.

Following are some "Handle With Care" stickers to keep on your emailing list:

* Rule Number 1: Don't Burn Your List

This is perhaps the biggest problem I see coming out of the recent panic. If people are used to getting one email from a merchant per week and are suddenly deluged with 3-5 per week it upsets their cart. They stop opening the mail or worse yet, unsubscribe from the list altogether.

The temptation is there to increase the number of mailing during a distressed situation or a special season. Do yourself a favor and don't do it. It is better to miss one sale this week than lose a buyer forever.

* Rule Number 2: Keep Your List Relevant

People sign up for lists categorically; assuming you built your lists properly. Don't shotgun your offers across all your lists if they are not relevant. It really annoys people, especially when everyone else is doing the same thing to them at once.

* Rule Number 3: Personalize Your Messages

I've traveled the world over and I never met anyone named "Current Occupant" or "Valued Customer." It's a safe bet they aren't on your lists either. Give your list a personal touch by sending and referring to your readers by name.

* Rule Number 4: Show Gratitude to Your Recipients

A short note selling nothing will often go miles farther than a sales pitch during this season. Better yet, give them something to show your gratitude: a gift, discounts, free shipping or gift wrapping come to mind as good options. Even if they don't take you up on it, they will remember that you offered.

* Rule Number 5: Test, Test, Test Your Emails for Effectiveness

Test your emails relentlessly and then test them some more. Just because it made you jolly when you wrote it does not mean it strikes readers in the same fashion. There is not much need to send out emails that have little or no response. Kill it and let it die with dignity.

* Rule Number 6: Be Socially Aware of Other Cultures

I know it's hard to believe, but not everyone believes in Santa or Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. Take on a Kwanzanukkahmas frame of mind. The last thing you want to do is offend members of your list.

There are other measures you can take to ensure your list doesn't get burned this shopping season. Remember, you'll need it for all those "After Christmas Specials," just a few weeks from now.