I’m at the Direct Marketing Assn of Washington / Assn of Fundraising Professionals DC “Bridge Conference” today and tomorrow. One speaker today — Mark Rovner of Sea Change Strategies – relayed some scary info about email appends I hadn’t been aware of …
The agencies that do email appends generally tell you that they’ve sent email to any @dress they append, confirming that it’s active, and asked permission for you, the organization, to email the recipient. They thus provide an opt-in name, it would seem.
Mr Rovner warns that many are actually requested to opt-in. They are offered the opportunity to opt out. A very different matter. The name is sent several emails (all checked as delivered) and if the recipient doesn’t opt out, they’re appended as an opt-in @dress.
Things could be worse. The @dress is live. But many people have multiple email addresses for multiple purposes. And many have abandoned @dresses when they become spam targets. (I have. Haven’t you?)
Working with appends is one way to get what Rovner calls the “deliverable dead”. Active @dresses not at all in active use. Delivered but never read.
I always thought appends were somehow too good to be true.