Starting an opt in list

My company has a list of emails from the last 2 years. The emails are all targeted emails from clients and former clients who have sent us 1 or more emails inquiring about our services.

My questions are, is there any legal way I can add these emails to a list with an email list service? Can I legally opt them in since they made initial contact, or can I at least send them an email with an opt in offer?

 

I'm assuming you;re in the US, right? Different laws are for different countries so there's really no one answer.

I'd have to dig for it but I believe the law is up to 18 month after contact, you're allowed to contact them again. Can't remember if that's after a paid contact or just in general. I know some Jewish site still sends me their newsletter every month and that was after emailing them like 5 years ago. (ie torah.org maybe? Goes straight to spam now.)

Anyway, I like this last method that you ask about. Send them an email, tell them that you;re starting a mail list, stress that they're not on it, but go ahead and give them the link to the landing page where they can sign up for it. Mention that if they don't want to sign up, you'll never contact them again. And then toss that list and work with your new one.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canspam Although it doesn't have any of the dates that we needed.

Any mail list should be run as confirmed optin. Don't optin folks without their approval.

Hope this helps,
-drmike

 

They need to be double opt-in leads if you are in the US

 

you should be okay adding them to the opt in list after contacting them and getting confirmation that they want tobe on the list

 

Actually they don't. Go read the canspam article I linked to. To satisfy US law, all you need is a business contact. That's why most antispammers hated the law.

They should be confirmed optin though to be kosher here in the US. Double optin is spammer double talk in an attempt to show confirmed optin isn't correct.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opt_in_e-mail

 

Even if you abide by the law, you really should have a double opt-in policy. People being sent unwanted email will hit the "spam" button and you will be removed from their inbox. Worse yet, you are likely to end up on a black list and that will ruin your reputation.

It takes a while, but reputable emailers are rewarded by loyal customers.

 

If you are in the US you need to familiarize yourself with current CAN-SPAM laws.

If you send them an email you have to have the opt-out option easily available and honor it immediately. That is pretty standard but you still have to be careful even with emails that you already possess and even if they contacted you first.

 

double opt in is the best option

 

It's not true. There is no law that requires DOUBLE opt-in.

I use double opt-in for all my newsletters because that is what I consider to be the best for my needs, but it's not a legal requirement.

 

Double Opt-in helps to make sure that you are not wasting your time sending emails to dead end users. However, double opt-in is not required by law (under the can-spam act).

 

Yes, there is... If they are your customers then this is what you need to do..

Sign-up with aweber and sent them email with your aweber opt-in link asking them to verify their subscription..

 

Although double optin is not a requierment it is the best policy as it prevents a subscriber being singed up by horses rears that have it in for them and want to cause them inconvenience.