Karen C.
From 15-second commercials to 15-hour audiobooks, this voiceover talent creates COMMUNICATION from your copy!
How would you feel if one of your LinkedIn contacts started sending you a monthly, short e-newsletter?
If someone is in my network, have they given implicit consent to receive this kind of communication from me, assuming that I give them the choice to opt-out? Would you consider a newsletter from a LI connection to be spam or welcome the opportunity to know someone better?
I'd appreciate your thoughts!
Good Answers (26)
Jennifer B.
Marketing Manager | Product Manager | Email Marketing | Social Networking | Drupal Admin | Wordpress Admin
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Good question Karen,
I think it's important to honor the relationships we cultivate and share on LinkedIn. If you're considering sending a monthly e-newsletter to your micro-community, it is imperative that you opt-in that micro community first. This insures that you have obtained consent and they agree to receive your e-newsletters. Also it is important to add your subscribe and unsubscribe links within each newsletter to give the receiver a chance to opt-out at any time.
Complying with CAN-SPAM rules is basic good business practice that is critical to your email list building.
Regards,
Jennifer
Links:
jennifer j. J.
Graduate Student - University of Utah
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The "implicit consent," I believe, is on the OCCASIONAL basis...
A newsletter? That sounds very ongoing, very self-promotional, and very much like something someone might agree to BEFORE getting it.
I would go the extra mile, present yourself above the "push" bar, and make sure the pull is there.
jjj
I think most people would consider it to be SPAMMING unless they specifically requested to join your mailing list or to get your newsletter on a regular basis.
Bruce K.
Consultant at XMS Solutions, Inc.
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Probably spam, but I'd at least glace over the first one for relevance to me before hitting the unsubscribe buttom. With a network as large as mine, I get dozens of these newsletters.
bruce.kane.linkedin@gmail.com
open networker: http://www.linkedin.com/in/brucekane
Sheilah E.
Owner, ★SME Management:.......... Business Management and Accounting Consultant
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The only consent is epress consent. You're assuming they are a connection and consent is implied. It's not. If you want to keep on good terms with your network send an email and let people opt in. It is far easier to ask first than to change it later and also get people upset.
You need to remember some people have thousands of connections and if each of them decided to send a newsletter that they didn't ask for it will fill their inbox with garbage. I remove people from my network for adding me to their mailing list without asking, and many others do too. The same is true for inviting us to join every site they come across.
Ask first.
Sheilah
The opt-in option is always preferred otherwise the perception will undoubtedly be that the message is SPAM. What I wouldn't mind is a one time invitation to join the newsletter. If you take the time to define the parameters of the newsletter contents it may be of interest and also create some excitement/anticipation.
Tim F.
Documentary and image video for non-profit, faith-based, broadcast and corporate clients
I'd rather not get the news letter through Linkedin. Please make that content available on your web site. Give your audience the chance to sign up there, instead.
Tim F. also suggests this expert on this topic:
Bryan C W.
Seeking a new opportunity in B2B technology; global experience
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Just because some one is LinkedIn to you, they have not given you implicit nor explicit permission to send a newsletter. It is still SPAM.
You should first send a simple email outling what you want to do (benefits, how often, how large, etc.) and ask for permission. If not given, DO NOT SEND.
If this happened to me, I would immediately disconnect that person and consign their emails to JUNK.
Laura Z.
Social Media and Integrated Marketing Communication Specialist for Non-Profits and Small Businesses
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Karen,
I would send an email to your contacts first, explaining the purpose of the newsletter and the frequency of mailing, and how, given your "connection" you thought they might be interested in it. Provide a link in the email that will allow the person to register (Do you have FeedBurner or an RSS mechanism on your website? That would be an easy way to have people sign up.). I would caution against simply adding contacts to this list without their consent - think of it in terms of weighing the short vs. long term implications of your actions.
Best wishes,
Laura Zurowski
Flyn P.
TeleSales Skills Webinar – Last chance to register for Unique Selling Propositions webinar on 5/22►bitly.com/usp_webinar
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If it was valuable maybe it wouldn't make a difference.
However, I think one should ask before putting someone on a mailing of any kind.
Eileen B.
IT Professional, Information Security Quality Assurance Operations & Administration
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Hi Karen,
That would make me quite unhappy, I would consider it unethical of them not to get my permission first.
Eileen
Marc A.
Senior Program Manager at Sun Media
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I would welcome an INVITATION to subscribe from any of my connections. However, I only connect to people I know and therefore have a network less than 500 connections. Those with silly connection counts would likely feel differently about being inundated with invitations.
Mike S.
Director of Development at DirectEmployers Foundation
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Karen -
Just make the first issue an Opt-In - if I want more, I click on the subscribe link.
Mike
some contact of mine are already doing this. Their mail now goes straight to my spam folder, unread. All their mail.
Mathias C.
Consultor na Desmarins Mídia Digital
Best Answers in: Internet Marketing (2), Using LinkedIn (2), Software Development (1), Web Development (1)
Hello, Karen.
Laura and Michael both make good suggestions on how to spice it up. I could add the "podecast" add on as a way to generate content interest though media format.
Everybody else managed to tackle the key issues: bail out option, pull system (not spam), managing it on a separate website with a strong affiliation to Linked In, and so on.
Take care for it not to backfire on your good intentions.
Good luck!
An opt-out option is critical, aside from that I'm cool with it. Several of my LinkedIn connections have put me on their lists and it's fine with me, I find it very interesting to know what they're up to.
Bob G.
Looking for a Social Media opportunity
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How short and what about?
Madhu S.
Associate Clinical Social Worker, On the Governing Board of GOOD India
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I'd like to strangle them!!!! Or wait - maybe chinese torture would be more appropriate !!! LOL!
Don't even think about it ! We'll assume this conversation never happened, and no one has to get hurt!
I'm joking with the extremes, but seriously, I hate to receive newsletters from anywhere, even LI !
Mohammad D.
Independent Mobility & Digital Marketing Consultant
Best Answers in: Using LinkedIn (5), Career Management (2), Job Search (1), Mentoring (1)
Karen you can give them the choice by sending them an invitation to join your news letter. in contrast to sending it right away with the good intention of getting to know them better. AS some of them will find this approach offensive.
You also have to consider what if many of our LinkedIn connections did this, it would make your mail box a mess and would cause you to hate the day you joined LinkedIn. I don't think any of us want to be there.
I am already suffering from this now! one of my connections here is sending me all his news, it is not even a monthly newsletter its more like a weekly one!. it's really annoying, not interesting for me and I hate it, now I just added his email to my junk folder!
Peter K. O.
Your Friendly, Neighborhood Voice-Over Talent
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I think their is an openess to accepting communication via your linked in connections as long as they can also opt out.
If communication opportunities via Linked In is stifled, then the service's purpose in my opinion becomes useless.
On the other hand, opt out in any communication channel must be readily available and respected at the very first "no".
I hope that helps Karen.
Best always,
- Peter
As always this boils down to one thing... what's in it for me? If you can deliver high quality content that makes my day easier I will listen... if not, you will be that name in the inbox that makes my index finger go for the delete button. However, if you are someone I know really well, I suppose I would read it anyway. My advice is, segment your audience. If you read a great book on a particular subject, send a message to a person in your network who you know is interested in that subject. You will be known as a helpful person and helping others, isn't that what a happy life is all about?
without my permission? Pissed.
Beth B.
Senior UI Developer
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If it was a close friend/contact, it *might* be OK. Otherwise, forget about it!!!
Illona C.
Information Technology and Services Professional, Technical Writer, Business Analyst
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When sending messages to anyone aside from your own self, it is always imperative to get consent for anything you send to them.
Unsolicted email *and unrequested) is SPAM.
One of my connections sneds ou periodic messages asking for updates from us so that recommendations and references can be accurate. That is a useful, occassional message.
A monthly newsletter sounds very self-promotong. Is the newsletter about everyone in the person's network, promoting them? Still, unsolicited is unsolicited.
I'd be unhappy if someone in my network did that. I accept the occassional Christmas newsletters that friends sometimes send out. But I can always opt out of thise, if i want.
More Answers (2)
yes holla at me i up for the challenge thank you for reading.
