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One List Building "Secret" Nobody Told You About

by Joshua Rigley Banned
33 replies
Few would disagree that list building is essential for running an online business. But there's an important fact about list building that few people talk about.

In all of my years in IM, I've never seen any list building guide talk about this. Not one. And it REALLY annoys me.

The thing I'm talking about is the law that requires you to use a valid mailing address in the emails you send out to your list. This means either using your home address or a PO box.

I can't imagine anyone wanting to expose their home address to complete strangers, so that means you go through the extra cost and hassle of signing up for a PO box.

Yeah, it's a small thing. But important. I really can't see why nobody talks about this in their list building guides.

Am I the only one that feels this way?
#building #list #secret #told
  • Profile picture of the author Ron Douglas
    I always thought that was a given. When I had an office I used my office address. I've also used the address of my fulfillment service. I don't think getting a PO box is that much of a hassle or big deal though. It's only like $50 a year.
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  • Profile picture of the author greenowl123
    They could either get a P.O. Box or use a service like USA2ME, RV Mail Forwarding Services, Remailing, US Mailing Address, Mail Receiving Forwarding to get a USA address.

    Just the cost of doing business....

    Or... use their home address.. but I am not that bold
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    • Profile picture of the author Paul Hooper-Kelly
      Hi Guys and Gals,

      Actually, I do. And I also point out that Aweber automatically display the address associated with your credit card (invariably your home address), so you need to make a conscious effort to change that for a business address.

      Because it is a default setting, some folks might not notice this and get a nasty shock later, when they experience a drive by shooting.

      Regards,

      Paul
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      • Profile picture of the author Justin Otstott
        Originally Posted by Paul Hooper-Kelly View Post

        Hi Guys and Gals,

        Actually, I do. And I also point out that Aweber automatically display the address associated with your credit card (invariably your home address), so you need to make a conscious effort to change that for a business address.

        Because it is a default setting, some folks might not notice this and get a nasty shock later, when they experience a drive by shooting.

        Regards,

        Paul
        hahaha good one.
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  • Profile picture of the author shane_k
    Interesting that you brought this up, because if I were to actually think about it, I would probably say that of all the emails that I have ever been sent by Internet Marketers I can only think of maybe 2, possibly 3 who have had their address in the actual email.

    Other than that it was just a unsubscribe link, or nothing at all
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by Joshua Rigley View Post

    Yeah, it's a small thing. But important. I really can't see why nobody talks about this in their list building guides.

    Am I the only one that feels this way?
    No, you're absolutely right: I don't remember seeing this mentioned/discussed much, per se, and it's a really valid point, especially for people using a self-hosted autoresponder of any kind.

    I suspect people who are used to using services like GetResponse and Aweber nearly always forget to mention this, because we're so used to it being a "requirement" of autoresponder companies. But you're right, of course.
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  • Profile picture of the author rmolina88
    Thank goodness I've had a P.O. Box since high school.

    I wouldn't want a disgruntled IMer appearing drunk on my doorstep at 3 in the morning.
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  • Profile picture of the author yakim1
    I've been doing list building for almost 10 years. I mail to 30,000 or more in each mailing most of the time except for some of the much smaller lists.

    I use my real mailing address and phone number on every email message. I think I have only received 3 phone calls from these emails and no mail or anything else.

    Maybe you need to be worried if your not a truthful marketer. I have had no problems.

    Best regards,
    Steve Yakim
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    A simple UPS mailbox address should suffice. I've never heard anyone talk about including the address of your business in the emails that you send out. But this is a problem that can be solved overnight.
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    Originally Posted by Joshua Rigley View Post

    In all of my years in IM, I've never seen any list building guide talk about this. Not one. And it REALLY annoys me.
    I also don't tell people not to rob a bank -- it's kind of assumed people take the time to get familiar with the law themselves. :-)

    Here you go:

    CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    In all seriousness though, the only person who has anything to lose by not following the law is yourself. Your list building coach will not get into trouble if you don't have an address in the bottom of your email. So it really is something you should take upon yourself to make an effort to find these things out.
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  • Profile picture of the author IMStrategus
    If you're using aweber it's a no brainer since it right there on the first step of setting up the list.
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  • Profile picture of the author troy23
    A PO Box may be safer, but it looks unprofessional and the word scam comes to mind.
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  • Profile picture of the author ExRat
    Hi Joshua,

    One List Building "Secret" Nobody Told You About
    Aweber does.

    Forums do.

    Random blogs do.

    In all of my years in IM, I've never seen any list building guide talk about this. Not one. And it REALLY annoys me.
    Perhaps you've been buying duff products - many products mention it, but besides, perhaps the more valuable lesson is for us to educate ourselves in business via many sources - service providers' blogs, random blogs, forums...not just paid products. Put another way - use Google combined with our own initiative to find answers and knowledge. Pull the knowledge towards ourselves rather than letting marketers push it upon us.

    Hi troy23,

    Originally Posted by troy23 View Post

    A PO Box may be safer, but it looks unprofessional and the word scam comes to mind.
    As far as I know, PO boxes are old hat - it's just as easy and cost-effective to get a virtual address instead, which looks just like any other business address.
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    Roger Davis
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  • Profile picture of the author Will Edwards
    Great headline!
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  • Profile picture of the author smodha
    The OP reads like a WSO.

    It's not really a secret. When you signup to any Auto-Responder it's the first thing they tell you.

    First of all it's common sense, and secondly it's CAN-SPAM law. If you are promoting a real business why wouldn't you want a real address?
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    • Profile picture of the author dkla27
      Originally Posted by smodha View Post

      The OP reads like a WSO.
      If you are promoting a real business why wouldn't you want a real address?
      Because your "real business" may be based at your home address while still being "real". And you may not want to make your home address public.

      I think the OP has a valid point. I read multiple WSOs and other guides and tutorials before building my first list. Still I was surprised when Aweber asked for my address, which means that none of those guides mentioned it.
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  • Profile picture of the author MarkBrook
    Well if anyone have office address why would they go for a P.O box as if you have credit cards you must have the billing address of your office as I always do this and I also like that people visit my office anytime for a meeting or checking I am not a scam.
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  • Profile picture of the author markwilson4074
    Serious IM marketers always use real address to even promote their businesses and establish their brand(s).
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  • Profile picture of the author Ron Douglas
    The post office now offers a physical address as your PO Box address. They call it "Street-style addressing in place of a PO Box address" - see here
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  • Profile picture of the author smodha
    Unless you have something to hide, I don't think fake addresses are necessary. And I don't buy the whole "what if a psycho turns up at my house?" line.

    Firstly, why would your products send someone over the edge? Surely you offer value, support, a great service? If you don't then there's a problem with your business model that needs looking at.

    Secondly, if a customer isn't happy then surely you have a mechanism in place where they can refund the product or service. Remember, you are in control and there is absolutely no need to wait for the "tipping point". I've had students who have asked for refunds because my product didn't meet their expectations and that's fine. The refund helped to build rapport and subsequently they went on to buy another product I was selling.

    Just my 2 cents...
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    • Profile picture of the author ExRat
      Hi smodha,

      Originally Posted by smodha View Post

      Unless you have something to hide, I don't think fake addresses are necessary. And I don't buy the whole "what if a psycho turns up at my house?" line.

      Firstly, why would your products send someone over the edge? Surely you offer value, support, a great service? If you don't then there's a problem with your business model that needs looking at.
      You're new to internet marketing, right?



      Go and put a non-provocative, helpful video on youtube about flower-arranging and you'll see that there's a 99% chance of a flame war developing in the comments encompassing racism, retardation of other commenters, the Gulf war, the New World Order, Nazi Germany, Kim Kardashian, beastiality etc...

      Internet marketing is apparently even more prone to lunatics for some reason than youtube. Just look at the retard who made post#23 in this thread - that says it all...

      (Disclaimer - post 23 directly linked in case an earlier post is deleted, the post numbers change and someone arriving late then doesn't get the joke...)

      Your point is entirely logical, the internet isn't.

      Word on the street is - if you're not getting regular death threats and flaming crosses on your doorstep, you need more OTOs and browser-locking unblockable pop-ups on your pages because you're not pushing the sale hard enough and will fail in IM...
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  • Profile picture of the author Joshua Rigley
    Banned
    It amazes me how many people in this thread seem to lack basic reading comprehension skills.

    First of all, calling this "common sense", or "common knowledge"...seriously? That's like saying that SEO is "common knowledge" and "everybody knows about it".

    At least now I know why people don't talk about this in their list building guides. :rolleyes: I wonder what else is being omitted in so-called "newbie friendly" IM guides under the pretense of it being "common sense".
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    • Profile picture of the author Ron Douglas
      Originally Posted by Joshua Rigley View Post

      It amazes me how many people in this thread seem to lack basic reading comprehension skills.
      Threads go bad on this forum all the time. Lashing out at people only makes it worse.

      This thread went the wrong way because everyone expected to get some rare list building secret and were disappointed to get a discussion about including a mailing address.

      Yes, you make a valid point - people should tell newbies to include that. But no, it's not a list building secret. It has nothing to do with building a list, it's more about email marketing legal due diligence.
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      • Profile picture of the author Joshua Rigley
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Ron Douglas View Post

        Threads go bad on this forum all the time. Lashing out at people only makes it worse.

        This thread went the wrong way because everyone expected to get some rare list building secret and were disappointed to get a discussion about including a mailing address.

        Yes, you make a valid point - people should tell newbies to include that. But no, it's not a list building secret. It has nothing to do with building a list, it's more about email marketing legal due diligence.
        Fair enough, and true enough too. As they say "you reap what you sow". I apologize if I was misleading or rude.

        Anyway, thanks for your contributions and thoughts everyone.
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