ad:tech Spammers
October 29th, 2006
Spam is defined by ethical marketers as unsolicited commercial email. Unless you’ve opted in to receive it, it’s spam.
Which is why I find it interesting that so many marketers participating in ad:tech New York also participate in spamming.
“I understand that you will be attending ad:tech and would love to schedule a meeting with executives from Accipiter.”
“I noticed you’ll be at the upcoming ad:tech New York show, November 6-8 and thought it would be a perfect opportunity to have you speak with the president and CMO of MIVA.”
“I’m writing to follow up and see if you’d be interested in scheduling a time to meet with Allan Levy, CEO of SilverCarrot.”
“Are you still planning to attend the ad:tech NYC show? If so, I thought you may be interested in speaking with the folks from Think Partnership.”
And on and on and on. I have 521 unread items in my Inbox that I need to address. I have to think that many ad:tech attendees are similarly swamped. There are nearly 300 exhibitors at ad:tech, and it seems like all of them are targeting my Inbox … without my having said, “fine, contact me before the show.”
The ones who don’t are the ones for whom I’ll feel a little more affinity when I hit the exhibitor floor.
Takeaway for marketers: Spamming is spamming, whether it’s spamming customers, potential customers, or potential business associates. The rules in the B-to-B world should be the same as in the B-to-C world.
OCTOBER 31 UPDATE: Stop calling me, too!
November 2nd, 2006 at 2:32 pm
Sorry if you consider this spamming. List provided by AdTech, for which client spent serious money to exhibit, and media outreach is a legitimate actiivity at every trade show I’ve ever attended for more than 3 decades.
If you can suggest another way to get your atttention, I’d love to hear about it, especially for my course at Northeastern Univeristy entitled “Public Relations in Business.”
And if you’re really interested in LifeTips, let’s set up a meeting at the press room.
Best regards,
for LifeTips.com,
Steven Swartz, CEO
SIZZLE PR
978-524-9595
November 2nd, 2006 at 5:01 pm
Thanks for the comment, Steven. Posting on my blog is one way to get my attention, for sure. I do think there’s a sharp irony when online marketers engage in what is technically spamming, and this isn’t the first time I’ve been on this side of this discussion (nor, do I think, will it be the last).
“Markets are conversations” is the pithy core of Cluetrain, and I wholeheartedly agree. To that point: I don’t need a veritable tower of babble in my inbox. It seems like the last week has had almost every ad:tech exhibitor e-mailing me with information about products and services for which, in most cases, I have no use.
I feel like I just dropped into one of Woody Allen’s worst nightmares: a cocktail party attended by me and 300 insurance salesmen. When I need insurance, I’ll make the call. Until then I have more important ways to spend my time.
So: What’s the best way to get my attention? I guess it’s simply: Be there and be accessible when I’m ready to give it. And when I am, talk to me like a human being; don’t hard-sell me.
Of course, that’s me. Your mileage may vary according to the next guy. Meanwhile, your question, of course, is a huge one: How does one best engage in cold calling in the B2B world?
Hmmmmmmmm.