I attended a networking event and now I have all these business cards! Can I add all these people to my email list?
Can you add all those people to your email list? Technically, yes. People have certainly done that to me. But should you?
There’s a lot of gray area when it comes to networking and email lists. Legally, you need someone’s permission to add them to your email marketing list. But so many people think that when you give them your card, you are giving them permission to do with that contact info as they please. And to some extent, one could argue that is true.
But I have a question for you: what are you trying to accomplish with your email list? Do you just want more emails on there, or do you want to produce more business? Because producing more business doesn’t just come from contacts, it comes from quality contacts. And contacts are not quality when you send them marketing emails they didn’t sign up for. In fact, even if they were quality, that might change when they get an unsolicited email.
So here’s what I would do: send each new contact a personal email from your account after the networking event. Tell them it was nice to meet them, and that you want to connect. Figure out how to add value to them. And then ASK if they’ll sign up for your mailing list and provide them a link to do so. Personally, I would also let them know what to expect out of the newsletter, and also give them the option to have me manually add them as a service. But the point is this: I would never just add those names to my list, but I would not miss the chance to give them the option.
And regardless of whether or not they sign up, I am grateful for the connection. Because business doesn’t only come from my newsletter. It’s just a great tool to use, and I’d argue the best, but it’s not the only one.
Have you ever been added unknowingly to an email list? How did that make you feel? I’d love to hear from you!
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With over 15 years of experience, I've worked with countless small businesses just like yours. I can provide you with the tools and resources that will help make marketing less overwhelming.