Opt-Out / Opt-In

Opt-Out Is Passé

The opt-out strategy adds recipients to a list without their express permission. Recipients remain on the list until they request removal. The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) advocates opt-out with the argument that every business has the right to send you one email, and presumably you can immediately opt-out and no harm done.

While opt-out is not condemned by CAN-SPAM legislation, most respectable marketers know that this practice is not acceptable because of the potential for one individual to receive a great number of these "one-message" emails.

Opt-In Is De Rigueur

There are three opt-in methods: single opt-in, notified opt-in and certified (double) opt-in. The safest is certified opt-in.

Single Opt-In

With a single opt-in strategy recipients are added to a list as the result of a single subscription act -- recipients fill out a web form, send email to a designated address or fill out a business reply card. No confirmation is sent, thus the subscription is not verified. There are several problems with single-opt in strategies.

• Erroneous email addresses can result from typos, causing your emails to be undeliverable or sent to the wrong person.



• Forged subscriptions can result in list bombing (deluging a recipient by subscribing her/him to many lists), which causes hardship for the victim.



• False subscriptions occur when coerced users feel the need to enter a false email address, which can result in innocent victims when valid but false domains are used.



• List poisoning can occur when people deliberately subscribe spam-trap addresses to unconfirmed lists. Every time you send a mailing, the spam trap is hit with potentially disastrous results. Removing the spam-trap addresses requires reconfirmation of the list.

Notified Opt-In

With a notified opt-in strategy recipients are added to a list through a single subscription act, then email is sent to notify them of their subscription and offer the opportunity to opt out. This is basically a single opt-in strategy and carries the same drawbacks listed above. The problems of single opt-in can be lessened if notification is sent promptly after the subscription request is received so false or erroneous subscribers can opt-out before being inundated with list email.

Confirmed Opt-In

With a confirmed opt-in strategy, a confirmation message is sent after a recipient indicates desire to join a list. Confirming action must be taken to activate the subscription. This process is also referred to as "double opt-in." The rationale is that the recipient must perform two actions to join the list. Confirmed opt-in also has its problems. There can be technical limitations for the firms that do not have the capability to promptly send and process confirmation requests. Also, unconfirmed requests are a big dilemma. It is believed that over 50 percent of initial requests go unconfirmed. Response rates can be improved with superb copy, subject lines and landing pages.