Would you sign up for spam for Porsche parts / hobbies, etc?

[motion]

A recent spam rant here got me thinking.... I LIKE spam, when it comes from companies that market products for my hobbies. Porsche parts, motorcycle stuff, astronomy, travel, etc. I actually enjoy getting those spam emails from various companies and visiting them to see what's new or on sale.

So, I threw together a site that allows people to sign up and voluntarily receive email offers on the topics they want to hear about.

Good idea? Bad, bad idea? Welcome to any constructive criticism on yet another of my wacky ideas

Mail Me Monkey! | Opt-In to Offers You'll Love!

[fastfredracing]

I think that is a great idea, as long as it does not tie you into other spam you dont want . I would take that spam

[stomachmonkey]

On the consumer end i think higher traction would be gained by becoming an intermediary.

Meaning you are using some method to obfuscate the consumers true email address.

One way is by the advertiser submitting / mailing their content and you end up distributing it to the consumer / qualified list.

Another way is everyone who signs up gets a *@mailememonky.com email alias that forwards to their real address.

I don't see any FAQ that addresses things like opt out, can I opt out of lists through mailmemonkey or do I need to opt out from each vendor who has received my address? The later is a turn off and non starter for me.

If you are not doing any of the above then how do you control billing the advertiser, once they have a consumers address what's their incentive to continue to pay you for list access?

That's all for starters and each question does bring others to the light.

As it stands now there is not enough info on mailmemonkey.com to render a decision.

[stomachmonkey]

OK, flipped hats.

Just signed up and logged in.

In my dashboard and I see limited demographic info.

I can buy names anywhere for $0.10 per 10K

As an advertiser / list, lead buyer I pay more money for highly qualified leads. Age, sex, geographic info, at minimum and things like education, income, marital status, etc... is even more valuable.

[widebody911]

I hate spam - even it if it for things I like. Deliberately sign up for spam? I'd rather pound my nuts flat with a ball peen hammer.

[Dantilla]

"But I don't want any Spam!"

Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam........

[Arizona_928]

You need to make it easier for pranking...

[MBAtarga]

Originally Posted by AZ_porschekid

You need to make it easier for pranking...

yea - on the front page, I don't see P3NI5 pill emails listed as an option

[ckelly78z]

I always research what I want to buy. I have never, and will never buy anything from anybody sending me unwanted solicitation...No.

[Brian in VA]

Wow that's actually really interesting man. Could be a cool way to find out about places & small cos in the areas you care about. Sort of like a site like Huckberry but specialized and categorized and not the over-the-top "curated" hipster crap.

You may have just come up with a very cool idea. Turns email marketing a bit on it's head.

[rusnak]

If I could pick the vendors, then yes I would. Or filter them out if I don't like them.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Hell no. Because inevitably said company would get greedy and provide my email address to other companies, probably marketing it as other companies that I "might be interested in". Not to mention that I don't need spam telling me about things that I already know I need/want.

[rusnak]

But if it told you what people are looking at/ buying/ rating feedback, then as a retailer or seller, that would also be worth having.

[john70t]

(I don't tweet or FB but here goes one opinion):

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Meaning you are using some method to obfuscate the consumers true email address.

Yes absolutely. Make that clear from the start.

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

I don't see any FAQ that addresses things like opt out, can I opt out of lists through mailmemonkey or do I need to opt out from each vendor who has received my address? The later is a turn off and non starter for me.

There are lists of events:Michigan Festivals and Events Association | Your Source for Michigan Fun!
There are lists of social groups:Find your people - Meetup
I'm guessing you want some kind of feed that incorporates them all?

It should be short and sweet to get email or tweets through spam filters and not overload customers brains. It should be secure. Most important it should be smart enough to source data from millions of different local resources, which might get complicated.

Who is playing at X club tonight and would they like them? What discount coupons are available for X restaurant?
If customers gets enough junk they don't want they will tune out fast and not come back. Everyone is hip these days.
"Tell me and my friends something new that we don't already know!".

That might take a massive web crawler and/or (paid?)customers self-reporting events available locally.
Businesses might like the free link advertising.

What about area lists(easy add/subtract/change), hundreds of addable topic buttons with sliders for each on a customization front page, and a easy cancel/pause button system? (Plus add a random option button)
-Customer selects #43 restaurants/seafood. Slider level 7/10.
-Customer selects #85 bands/swing. Slider level 10/10.
-Customer selects #Now And For The Next Week.
-.db looks for swings bands, and especially those playing in seafood restaurants.
-Instantly displayed, or as a feed later.

It could get more intricate and cross-linked, but that's what I might find useful.
My info is anonymous and I can turn the feed off as I choose.
Something new. I might try it out.

[motion]

You guys have given me some good material here, which is what I was hoping for. Thanks much!

[motion]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

On the consumer end i think higher traction would be gained by becoming an intermediary.

Meaning you are using some method to obfuscate the consumers true email address.

One way is by the advertiser submitting / mailing their content and you end up distributing it to the consumer / qualified list.

Another way is everyone who signs up gets a *@mailememonky.com email alias that forwards to their real address.

I don't see any FAQ that addresses things like opt out, can I opt out of lists through mailmemonkey or do I need to opt out from each vendor who has received my address? The later is a turn off and non starter for me.

If you are not doing any of the above then how do you control billing the advertiser, once they have a consumers address what's their incentive to continue to pay you for list access?

That's all for starters and each question does bring others to the light.

As it stands now there is not enough info on mailmemonkey.com to render a decision.

Good points. I'm not going to get in the middle, so those option are out. I have to leave it up to the vendors to play by the rules.

Good point about the FAQ. I will add one. I have the opt-out text on the main page of the site, and again in the user dashboard, but a FAQ certainly can't hurt.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by motion

You guys have given me some good material here, which is what I was hoping for. Thanks much!

I take it my invoice has not arrived yet?

You may not be thanking me when it does.

[motion]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

OK, flipped hats.

Just signed up and logged in.

In my dashboard and I see limited demographic info.

I can buy names anywhere for $0.10 per 10K

As an advertiser / list, lead buyer I pay more money for highly qualified leads. Age, sex, geographic info, at minimum and things like education, income, marital status, etc... is even more valuable.

I know you can buy crap lists cheap everywhere. I also know that 99% of those lists are useless. My angle here is that these people have opted in recently. I think that gives them some pretty good value. If I'm going to ask the user for demographic info, I need to have something of value to give them in return. Not sure I have that yet.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by motion

Good points. I'm not going to get in the middle, so those option are out. I have to leave it up to the vendors to play by the rules.

Good point about the FAQ. I will add one. I have the opt-out text on the main page of the site, and again in the user dashboard, but a FAQ certainly can't hurt.

You don't actually have to physically get in the middle.

You can create a system that will keep everyone balanced that will run itself.

Not too difficult, little bit of database work.

[motion]

Originally Posted by john70t

(I don't tweet or FB but here goes one opinion):

Yes absolutely. Make that clear from the start.


There are lists of events:Michigan Festivals and Events Association | Your Source for Michigan Fun!
There are lists of social groups:Find your people - Meetup
I'm guessing you want some kind of feed that incorporates them all?

It should be short and sweet to get email or tweets through spam filters and not overload customers brains. It should be secure. Most important it should be smart enough to source data from millions of different local resources, which might get complicated.

Who is playing at X club tonight and would they like them? What discount coupons are available for X restaurant?
If customers gets enough junk they don't want they will tune out fast and not come back. Everyone is hip these days.
"Tell me and my friends something new that we don't already know!".

That might take a massive web crawler and/or (paid?)customers self-reporting events available locally.
Businesses might like the free link advertising.

What about area lists(easy add/subtract/change), hundreds of addable topic buttons with sliders for each on a customization front page, and a easy cancel/pause button system? (Plus add a random option button)
-Customer selects #43 restaurants/seafood. Slider level 7/10.
-Customer selects #85 bands/swing. Slider level 10/10.
-Customer selects #Now And For The Next Week.
-.db looks for swings bands, and especially those playing in seafood restaurants.
-Instantly displayed, or as a feed later.

It could get more intricate and cross-linked, but that's what I might find useful.
My info is anonymous and I can turn the feed off as I choose.
Something new. I might try it out.

Gonna take me a while to digest this one Thanks, John.