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Do I have a list?

by JohnPC
9 replies
Hi Warriors,

I started selling sports statistics about eight years ago as a sideline and in this time have had over 5,000 customers. The software provided by my merchant account provider records the name, address and email of every customer as they purchase a product from me.

I have never had the need to do anything with this list of customers until now. I have written some software that uses the statistics I have been selling and I am sure all of my ex-customers would be interested in this software but how do I use my list to contact them. Am I going to become a spammer because they have not opted into receiving promotional emails from me?

Any advice on what I should do now would be gratefully received.
#list
  • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
    Originally Posted by JohnPC View Post

    The software provided by my merchant account provider records the name, address and email of every customer as they purchase a product from me.
    Perhaps snail mailing them might be an option? They might find it less intrusive, more personalised and may warm to it moreso knowing that it came from a credible source.

    *shrug
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  • Profile picture of the author TheFreebieGuy
    I've been in a somewhat similar situation before and this is what I did. I simply sent them all an email, letting them know that they purchased a program from me in the past. I tell them what the program was and let them know about a new one that I'm releasing that is highly relevant to what they are doing.

    Then, I would send them to a page where I ask them to opt in to my list to receive updates (this can be done automatically with their new purchase). I would then inform them that they don't have to worry about ever receiving an email from me again if they choose not to, because I wouldn't be sending emails to anyone not on the new list. By doing this, you will most likely reduce the amount of spam complaints significantly.

    Thank you can end the email by thanking them for taking the time. That's what I've done in the past. It will take some effort to send it to over 5000 people, but can prove to be quite beneficial.

    Hope that helps!

    Leslie
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  • Profile picture of the author SeoNumber9
    it's a good idea to send them a email telling who you are, and how did you get their email before you started to promo as stated above
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  • Profile picture of the author iobeek
    Send an email to everyone that you have this and that and if they would like more info they have to opt-in....
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  • Profile picture of the author liquidice04
    Yeah, remind them that they bought the product from you and tell them that they could be getting x or y for free as an addition to the software and all they have to do is sign up on your newsletter.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dosty
    I would be careful with this. You don't want to be targeted as sending out spam but at the same time you don't want to lose the opportunity to further help those you have helped in the past. It seems to me that your intent is good. Perhaps work with those who have made it on this list from the last 6 months (emails change constantly - an email from 5 years ago probably isn't in use now) and see how that works out. Sending an email out to 500 people versus 5000 would be a good test bed. I would follow TheFreebieGuy's suggestions on how to phrase the email.

    At the very least I would begin an opt-in now so that going forward you won't have this issue.
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    • Profile picture of the author vstar00
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      You say that, SeoNumber9, but what's going to happen if you send out 5,000 emails doing exactly that, and 20 or 30 people who either don't remember you or don't read it properly all "report spam" on the same day?! You may not still have an internet connection, the next day! Is this really "considered advice" that you're giving, or just your own opinion as long as it's not you who's actually doing it?! :rolleyes:
      Originally Posted by Dosty View Post

      I would be careful with this. You don't want to be targeted as sending out spam but at the same time you don't want to lose the opportunity to further help those you have helped in the past. It seems to me that your intent is good. Perhaps work with those who have made it on this list from the last 6 months (emails change constantly - an email from 5 years ago probably isn't in use now) and see how that works out. Sending an email out to 500 people versus 5000 would be a good test bed. I would follow TheFreebieGuy's suggestions on how to phrase the email.

      At the very least I would begin an opt-in now so that going forward you won't have this issue.
      you can use a program like email sender delix and use gmail accounts for the first couple of times so the spam wont matter. dont use your main email account for the initial email
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