Last week I had a lot of opportunities to experience how others build their lists. List building is an essential component to business marketing, especially online marketing. So, through a series of posts, I’m going to share some examples of inappropriate list building and how the example given should have been handled and will pay special attention to the CanSpam act when necessary.

Our first example comes from a recent rollout of a new online product from a Multi-Level Marketing (MLM), or Network Marketing company. I was sent an email asking me to take a look at the product and give an evaluation of it. After testing the interface extensively, I realized that the product was not quite ready for launch. Several links were dead, not going anywhere and some of the functionality wasn’t working.

I also indicated that this was the one, and only, network marketing company I had signed on with because I thought I could market the existing product (not the new launch) one way, and I couldn’t. So, I too, had access to this new product launch. I was disappointed that the new product wasn’t up to snuff.

After delivering my assessment, this associate came back to me and asked me to email her affiliate link to my list. So what are my problems with that request?

First, why would I email another person’s link to my list? What would be in it for my business? After all, my list expects to get information from me and would view this as a product endorsement. Knowing the site didn’t work well, why would I promote that to my list?

Second, where is the thought process on behalf of the associate? After informing the associate that I was also an associate, why wasn’t the conversation dropped there? Is it a lack of business savvy? I’ve experienced it several times with other MLM professionals.

Here’s how I think it should have been handled. Once the associate was informed that I too was a fellow associate, a request to send their link to my list should have never been made. What MLM professional should understand is that I’ve worked hard growing my list and am not likely to give access to my list indiscriminately.

One other thought…you shouldn’t give your list to someone to use. When people opt-in to your list, which is the best way to build a list, they have an expectation to hear from you, not someone else. The last thing you want is to be tagged as someone who spams.

Next post, building an opt-in list, what it is and why you want to build your list that way.

The other day I posted about "harvesting" e-mail addresses off forwarded e-mails. It’s hard to to resist taking the short cuts sometimes. So let’s talk about how to ethically market our business to prosper the bottom line.

Networking Ethics

I’ve belonged to a Leads Club for several years now. We invite visitors to attend two of our meetings before being asked to make a decision to join. Why do we do this? We want to make sure you’re a good fit for our membership. So my question to you is, are you serious about joining our chapter (good ethics), or are you visiting as many structured networking groups for the maximum amount of times just for the contacts (unethical behavior)?

Collecting Business Cards

At any given networking event there will be a networking table for attendees to place their business cards and brochures. Do you peruse the table looking for people you’d like to meet (ethical)? Or do you just grab all the cards possible to load into your database (questionable)?

If you collect all the cards and incorporate them into your database, you shouldn’t be at all surprised if one of the contacts busts you on who you are and why are you sending your e-mails to them. According to the CanSpam act, they should have a reasonable expectation that they’ll receive info from you if they’ve had a conversation with you. Collecting all the business cards just for the contact info is the same as collecting e-mails off the forwarded e-mail, unethical.

Asking For Help

I’m the techno geek at my networking events. I’m the one who talks about blogging, podcasting, Facebook, Twitter, Plurk, RSS, Syndicating Your Content, etc. I’ve been on the cutting edge for a couple of years now, blogging since 2005 and working hard to learn all I can about leveraging a business on the Internet. I can’t tell you how many times someone, out of the blue, comes to me to ask if they can buy me a cup of coffee and "pick my brains."

Do you have respect for your fellow business owners? Do you value their knowledge and what it’s taken them to gain the knowledge they have? And you want them to sit down with you and share it all?

Rather than ask to "pick my brain" (questionable ethics), why not ask me if I have info on my website that you could read and bone up on before asking me questions (ethical). That would show me that you were interested in furthering your knowledge by doing some of the leg work first, not just looking for the easy way to gain your info. I’d respect you more, if I were asked about a specific tool, task or strategy and not asked to share from A to Z.

Making An Introduction

Just last week I met a woman for the first time. It’s always been my practice to behave as a host. So I asked her who she was and what she did. She was happy to share everything about her business, including asking me if I could see how her business would benefit me. At the end of her conversation, she simply walked away, without asking me my name or what my business was. Do you think I’m interested in pursuing a business relationship with her? I’m betting she’s one of the "one hit wonders" that visits networking groups to the max before moving on to the next group.

Just How Long Can You Do That?

You may think your behavior goes unnoticed. I assure you, it doesn’t. Think about how you conduct yourself when you’re out in the business community. Do you really want to work at your networking relationships and building your business ethically, or are you out for the quick sale?

These are tough times. If you choose the short, unethical route it will only be a matter of time before you’ve destroyed any chance you have of prospering your business. I urge you to resist the shortcut, quick sale, and take the time to grow your business relationships. It’s more prosperous in the long run.

Blog Talk Radio is hosting a 12 hour talkathon.Blog Talk Radio’s Blog Action Day programming. You can follow the link and listen in right online while you work. Cool!!

So, how do you view ethics in the small business community? How has someone’s lack of, or example of ethical behavior affected you? Please feel free to share by commenting.

I’m not a happy camper these days. I like things to be fair and I think we are taking it in the rears right now. So it was suggested I write a rant once a week. Here’s the rant this week, Email Spamming Practices.

If you want to actually see the law, you can find a copy of the CanSpam Act at Magic In Words.

Our first dilema:

I’m at a networking event. I’ve picked up every single card I saw at the event. I may have had a conversation with the business owner. Can I go back and scan that card in, adding it to my database?

Ethically, I don’t think so, in my humble opinion. Legally, yes as long as you provide a way for the recipient of your marketing emails to unsubscribe to your list. This is what’s commonly referred to as the opt-out method. The people you add to your e-mail database should have an expectation that you’ll be reaching out to them.  It would help if you actually asked their permission. I’ve seen that done in a very creative way.

There was a small business owner who took a clip board to each event, asking people to sign up for the e-mails. This owner secured, in their handwriting, permission to reach out. Brilliant!!

Our second dilema:

I just received a forwarded e-mail from a friend. The e-mail has all the addresses of the other recipients. Can I take those names and add them to my database?

Ethically, no, I don’t think so.  Legally, again if you have a way for the recipient to unsubscribe to your list, you can probably get away with it, but is that in your best interest? Here’s an example of why this might not be in your business’ best interest.

A couple of years ago there was a new networking group in town. The regional coordinator arbitraily added people to the e-mail database without permission. There was an "unsubscribe", or "opt-out" on the e-mail. A business could opt out of this list, unfortunately, the regional didn’t control the list, so these businesses were arbitraily added back into the database after each networking event, without the business owner’s knowledge or permission.  This strategy leaves the recipient with no choice other than report the business to their internet service provider (ISP). You don’t want that to happen to you.

In these times, it behooves us to be respectful and operate with the utmost integrity, or the goodwill of our business may be irreparably damaged. Please read up on the CanSpam Act and work to keep your business in compliance.

Any comments?