ClickDimensions' terms and conditions require that all of our customers adhere to permission-based marketing practices. Following are frequently asked questions about what this means.
What is Permission-Based marketing?
Permission-based marketing means that your prospects, leads, and customers have directly granted your firm permission to market to them. In email marketing, this means that they have "opted in" to be on your list. This opt in can be in the form of a subscription sign-up form on your website, a paper form at your place of business, or even a conversation you have in person or on the telephone with someone. There are many ways to get someone's permission, but it should be clear if you have not received it. Giving a recipient an opportunity to unsubscribe or "opt out" is good practice, but it is not permission-based if you didn't first get their permission to send email to them in the first place.
How do I get someone's permission before adding them to my marketing list?
There are many strategies for gaining someone's permission. These can range from offering valuable content like an e-book in return for signing up, to individual contact from your sales team. At ClickDimensions, we get a lot of mileage from content marketing via e-books and webinars. See this article on Microsoft's Dynamics Marketing site with an interview of ClickDimensions' former CEO, John Gravely: Making Content Your King.
Can I Use Purchased Lists?
No. ClickDimensions does not permit the use of third-party lists, whether purchased, rented, or borrowed. Third-party lists are often purposely seeded by ISPs with fake email addresses whose only purpose is to catch spammers. Third-party lists also frequently contain out-of-date email addresses that will cause your bounce rate to go up.