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Fax instead of Email?

by Bobster0007
22 replies
Just wondered how many people have tried faxes over emails and what was the feedback ?
#email #fax
  • Profile picture of the author TopKat22
    Fax is so 15 years ago. ;-)

    And back in the day, when I got advertising faxes, it really ticked me off.

    Emails, I can just delete or opt out of.
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    • Profile picture of the author virginiad
      Sending unsolicited faxes could get you into trouble. In some places it is illegal and you could be sued for damages.

      I wouldn't do it.

      Of course, you are in Florida, where anything goes...
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      • Profile picture of the author Bobster0007
        Originally Posted by virginiad View Post

        Sending unsolicited faxes could get you into trouble. In some places it is illegal and you could be sued for damages.

        I wouldn't do it.

        Of course, you are in Florida, where anything goes...
        Anything goes in florida? lol... I wished that was so...
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  • Profile picture of the author RobKonrad
    I never personally tried it, but I know somebody who did a couple of times....
    Result: the conversion was horrible, and so was the response - angry people actually calling the company, complaining, swearing, that sort of stuff.

    Seems like "wasting" a piece of paper is regarded as stealing to many who receive unsolicited faxes.

    At least I do feel a bit like this whenever I get one.... (it's semi-legal over where I live, so it happens every now and then).
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    • Profile picture of the author Bobster0007
      Originally Posted by RobKonrad View Post

      I never personally tried it, but I know somebody who did a couple of times....
      Result: the conversion was horrible, and so was the response - angry people actually calling the company, complaining, swearing, that sort of stuff.

      Seems like "wasting" a piece of paper is regarded as stealing to many who receive unsolicited faxes.

      At least I do feel a bit like this whenever I get one.... (it's semi-legal over where I live, so it happens every now and then).
      Yea thats kind of what i thought but thought I would ask.
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  • Profile picture of the author OnlineMarketingSys
    Originally Posted by Bobster0007 View Post

    Just wondered how many people have tried faxes over emails and what was the feedback ?
    Please clarify your question. Faxes for what? I.E to send a quote to a client, ect?
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    • Profile picture of the author Bobster0007
      Originally Posted by OnlineMarketingSys View Post

      Please clarify your question. Faxes for what? I.E to send a quote to a client, ect?
      Not a quote, just an initial contact to gauge interest. I can see thats not a good idea. People that are not interested would consider the contact a waste of paper.
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      • Profile picture of the author OnlineMarketingSys
        Originally Posted by Bobster0007 View Post

        Not a quote, just an initial contact to gauge interest. I can see thats not a good idea. People that are not interested would consider the contact a waste of paper.
        Waste of Time. And your looking at lot's of legal problems! It's like a $1k fine per person, and you can easily get sued...
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        • Profile picture of the author Bobster0007
          Originally Posted by OnlineMarketingSys View Post

          Waste of Time. And your looking at lot's of legal problems! It's like a $1k fine per person, and you can easily get sued...
          Well I didnt know it was illegal. because I dont have a previous relationship with them. Anyway, I wont be doing it.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    El fax-o, mucho better than el email-o.

    Call back the prospect, talk to him while he is holding your offer in his hand looking at it.

    Some people would consider it a waste of paper... VERY MUCHO THE MINORITY.

    You have a better chance of getting it into someones hands with a fax, and it makes your call twice as powerful.

    Ps. Most major newspapers and print publications sell this way, but the word "unsolicited" is key. You have to call and get permission to fax, thats etiquette.

    A person holding a fax in their hand, being tangible, while you are talking to them carries more power than an email. Either way you get permission first. The benefit is that once you have it your chances for a sale on that call increase drastically.

    You can talk to them about the document they are holding and looking at and feeling in their hand.
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    • Profile picture of the author RobKonrad
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      El fax-o, mucho better than el email-o.

      Call back the prospect, talk to him while he is holding your offer in his hand looking at it.

      Some people would consider it a waste of paper... VERY MUCHO THE MINORITY.

      You have a better chance of getting it into someones hands with a fax, and it makes your call twice as powerful.

      Ps. Most major newspapers and print publications sell this way, but the word "unsolicited" is key. You have to call and get permission to fax, thats etiquette.

      A person holding a fax in their hand, being tangible, while you are talking to them carries more power than an email. Either way you get permission first. The benefit is that once you have it your chances for a sale on that call increase drastically.

      You can talk to them about the document they are holding and looking at and feeling in their hand.
      Hi John,

      IF it gets through, I absolutely agree that paper beats rock... ugh, no, I mean a piece of paper beats an email every time .

      It would be interesting for me to know if you actually use that as part of your sales tactics? If so, how do you make sure it gets to the right hands and not in the bin when calling to get permission?

      Cheers,
      Rob
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      • Profile picture of the author John Durham
        Originally Posted by RobKonrad View Post

        Hi John,

        IF it gets through, I absolutely agree that paper beats rock... ugh, no, I mean a piece of paper beats an email every time .

        It would be interesting for me to know if you actually use that as part of your sales tactics? If so, how do you make sure it gets to the right hands and not in the bin when calling to get permission?

        Cheers,
        Rob
        You call ahead of time. Yes I have actually used this for a couple of different things, selling print advertising for a local newpaper (free employement rag) and also for selling web design...

        The idea is to call a guy and say "look I dont want to barge in and take your time out of the blue, but we are offering some specials deals I was wondering if you had a fax number where I could send you a flyer about the promotion...?".

        Okay great, and ____________ is it okay if I call back later just to make sure you got it and maybe answer any questions you might have?

        Great.


        Its not really about fax blasting...its about making faxing a part of your two call sales process and understanding that not everyone is going to give you permission, but the ones that do, and who are holding your fax in their hand as you are pointing out things regarding its contents and saying 'Bob you see that box in the left hand corner... Yeah that one..." it gets the prospect more involved, gives them something tangible....generally increases your chance for a sale ALOT.

        Not only have I used it in my own business models, but ALOT of companies do...

        Sometimes we get out of touch with the offline business world and buy into stuff like "faxing is passe"... just because in OUR world it seems to be... Its not passe. lol No by a LOOONG shot.

        I have had to use a fax machine 3 or 4 times this week already myself ... I think alot of people struggle because they dont get it that offline business owners dont think like online marketers... and they dont OPERATE like them.

        Successful offliners do business the same way their customers do... The sites you build are on the internet, but your business operates very much the same way a brick and mortar one does.

        Consequently, most people who depend on online avenues for producing offline sales are constantly just over broke- If that.
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  • Profile picture of the author danielkanuck
    Emails are wayy better. There used to be a technique called "broadcast fax" that worked well when it was first introduced a decade ago, but now broadcast fax can get you in trouble. It's in your best interest to stick with email marketing to convert leads into customers.
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  • Profile picture of the author RBozemanAM
    I once tried a fax campaign to clients that I already had, and the results were dismal. The feedback that I did receive was mostly them just asking me to email it to them next time. I haven't given it a chance since.
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  • Profile picture of the author manny2513
    yup is better to stay away from faxes as it can get you in trouble or hurt your business.
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    • Profile picture of the author AshJM
      It's not illegal to broadcast fax, but you have to comply with a few conditions:
      1. You must have an "established business relationship"
      2. You must include clear instructions for opting out of all future broadcast faxes.
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  • Profile picture of the author HorseStall
    Fax spam is not well received, its also more expensive.
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  • Profile picture of the author StepAhead
    Email are much better than faxes. doing Faxes are just a waste of time and waste of paper.
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  • Profile picture of the author Aaron Doud
    Yeah calling ahead to fax something can work.
    Never just blast out a fax. Everyone I have ever met hates faxes like that.
    If you ask to fax and they would rather you email they will tell you.

    John's posts sum it up greatly. When you are marketing to brick and mortar companies you need to relate to them as such. They want in person meetings vs. video calls. They may email but often they want to hear your voice so call. And a lot of businesses still actively use a fax machine.

    When I am selling RVs to customers I get business owners who ask me to fax things for the deal. They would rather use fax vs. email. And I am doing internet sales. Literally 95% of these people contacted me via email from our website. And they still want faxes. Stop and think about that. These are the customers you are targeting. Never assume faxing is dead.

    But remember people don't like unsolicited faxes. Many don't read them. Same goes for emails. People don't like cold calls either but if you handle a cold call right you have a much better shot vs. an impersonal email or fax they didn't want. Even if your call is just to get permission to send them an email or fax. The fact you asked means they are more likely to read it. You respected their time and in the case of the fax their money(paper, phone, and ink costs).
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    • Profile picture of the author John Durham
      Originally Posted by lordauric View Post


      When you are marketing to brick and mortar companies you need to relate to them as such. They want in person meetings vs. video calls.
      Maybe everywhere I have ever been is naive...but I dont know a single small brick and morter business owner who would do a video sales call or take the time to try and navigate their way through attending a webinar...

      Many offices dont even allow email outside of the company network... and others are afraid of downloading viruses from strangers... or potentially letting others into their system... Just think of how much they have invested in their systems and its easy to understand why.

      In fact Im writing a phone pitch for a group of computer network professionals right now, and learning the fact above even more as we speak.

      Other business owners have employees who jack around on the internet all day ... but they themselves are interested in their brick and morter businesses and dont mess with the internet much...

      There are plenty of exceptions but thats the "rule" as far as I can tell... We make more money marketing according to rules than exceptions.
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  • Profile picture of the author JerrickYeoh
    Well, fax your ads is costly and email is free .
    Fax do take time while you need fax it one by one to lot of customer base.
    Email you can direct sent it to all with single clicks.

    If you use fax, why not you use flyers service since it almost the same.
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    • Profile picture of the author midasman09
      Banned
      Back when faxing got started going big ('93)....I set up a "Daily Specials Fax Biz) where I would FAX the "Daily Specials" of local restaurants to local offices I had "cleared" first (Called and got permission from Office Mgr to send faxes)

      I did this in 5 towns....then helped a buddy who was NOT a "Salesman"... to "make a small fortune".

      Since he was NOT a salesguy and did not want to go out and try and sell restaurants and deli's on subscribing....I told him to....contact restaurants and deli's that were ALREADY Faxing their Daily Specials to local offices.

      So...I told him to phone and ask the owner or mgr; "Hi...I'm in the "faxing" biz. Are you folks sending faxes to local businesses?"

      If answer was, "No!"...he'd thank them for their time and hangup.

      If answer was, "Yes!"...he'd tell them HE could do the faxing FOR THEM for $20 a day...$100 a week.

      Most of the rest. and deli's that were "sharp enough" to get into faxing their Daily Specials and setting up their own Fax List....were having waittresses do the faxing....which was a hassle for the biz....so for $20 a day...the "job" of faxing could be "outsourced" to my buddy.

      Well....2 things happened;
      1) He got 42 Deli's to agree to have HIM do the faxing for them. They'd pay $200 every 2 wks. (He used a software program called "Checks By Fax". They Faxed the first check to him...he'd enter the check info into the software and every 2 wks....print out checks and deposit in HIS account) 42 x $200 = $8,400 every 2 wks!

      2) The 2nd thing that happened is....the date is now 2011. He set up a "super faxing system in his 5th floor apartment" so he could fax 50 x 42 = 2,100 Faxes a day. He bought a BIG house in a resort town in Costa Rica and now contacts the computers in his 5th floor apt...electronically...from Costa Rica....STILL depositing $8,400 into HIS Bank Account every 2 wks.

      He's been doing this for at least 15 yrs! So....52 wks a year x 15 = 780 wks x $4,200 a wk = $3,276,000 with less than $100 a month expenses!

      And he's STILL depositing $8,400 every 2 wks into HIS bank account.

      And whenever I would bring up the subject of "Making Money with Faxing" on Forums....the negative comments would fly. "Ya Can't do dat! It's Illegal!? Hogwash!

      Anyway....there are "Doers" and there are "Amateur Expert-negaters".

      Don Alm....Doer
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