In searching for keywords that people use when seeking information about email newsletters, I made a rather disturbing discovery. The No. 1 term searched for was “email lists.” Apparently, last month more people searched for information on purchasing a list of email addresses than newsletter design, writing, deliverability or email marketing combined. And the news only gets worse. Nine of the top 20 search terms related to email newsletters had the word “list” in them. It became quite obvious to me (I’m quick that way) that some marketers are more interested in getting their message to as many people as possible than crafting whatever the message actually is.

Not to be a negative Nellie, but this is not a good indicator of sound judgment – much less knowledge of spam laws. Sending an email newsletter about your company to clients, (qualified) prospects and other legitimate contacts should be about building relationships with those who have given you permission to communicate with them.

It is about delivering content created specifically for that audience. It is about building loyalty. Sending email newsletters to a list gathered by a third party based on demographics is an absolute waste of time and money. Even if it gets past the spam filters, few recipients welcome unexpected email from someone they don’t know.

That is no way to begin a business relationship. Be patient and gather your email addresses the old-fashioned way. Ask for them. Then you will have a list of recipients who should actually be anxious to hear from you. And that is a good thing.

I need to be honest about something. After a few weeks of monitoring online conversations through TweetDeck and Google Alerts on the subject of email newsletters, I had become a bit disheartened. There apparently are a lot of people out there complaining about getting newsletters they didn’t ask for, can’t unsubscribe from, or simply add to the chaos of their bulging inboxes.

Does that mean that email newsletters are no longer viable, and we will be communicating in 140-character chunks for the rest of our online lives? Hardly. In fact, after momentarily doubting my life calling and expenditure of all available (and future) funds, I was struck by a bolt of truth that reminded me why I remain so excited about this powerful tool.

People simply don’t care about things they don’t care about, so when you try to send them something they didn’t ask for, the reaction is rarely positive. The davemail business model is based on providing a way for our clients to reach the people with which they have permission to communicate – their customers, clients, members or supporters. In other words, they are talking to people who will gladly listen.

To keep them listening, they need to provide useful, informative content delivered creatively and consistently – which is where we come in. Just as with dating, getting someone to go out with you once hardly means you are headed for years of marital bliss. You have to work for it, not take them for granted and throw in a surprise once in a while.

So it’s OK that people complain about the newsletters they shouldn’t be getting in the first place. They have a right to be mad. Just as they have the right to let a business know they don’t appreciate getting coupons three times a week by clicking “bye-bye” at the bottom of the mailing.

As the recipient, you are in control. And as the sender, it is our job to keep it real so you stay with us. And that is a challenge that makes me smile.

I spend a lot of time talking about why davemail is a great alternative to online, do-it-yourself email marketing services. Lost in my enthusiasm, however, is the simple truth that there may be one or two of you out there who are not yet sold on the value of an email newsletter in the first place.

So I am putting away the sales hat and speaking from the heart. Whether you do it yourself, assign it to a competent staff member or outsource it to a highly trained, experienced, creative, dependable writing and design team (let’s call them davemail for purposes of illustration), email newsletters are worth a look.

Here are my top nine reasons why:

9. Let’s start strong. Email newsletters can save you tons of money over traditional printing and mailing. Tons.

8. Speaking on tonnage, sending 100,000 emails instead of printing traditional newsletters saves more than 2 tons of paper (and a lot gas and postage-stamp glue).

7. It is more important than ever to strengthen relationships with existing clients, customers or members, and regular communication is the key to building those bonds.

6. Legitimate email newsletters are a form of permission-based marketing, which means you send only to people who want to receive them. Spam is always a no-no.

5. Email newsletters are timely and interactive, allowing instant feedback and action.

4. Well-written email newsletters provide a good balance of useful, reader-centric content (80%) and appropriate sales-based information (20%).

3. Professionally designed email newsletters provide seamless branding and cohesive elements that drive readers to action.

2. Senders can track results, with access to detailed reports on cool stuff such as open rates and click-throughs.

1. With davemail, you don’t have to worry about any of it. We can do it all for you. Seriously.

Your email newsletters can be cool, flashy and colorful – with lots of links and social media gadgets – but none of that matters if we are not giving them something useful to read. With apologies to Elvis and LeBron James, content is king – at least in the world of effective communications.

While the davemail writing team is here to help (a lot), the ideas for your newsletter articles are generally going to come from you. So where are the best places to find good, usable content that will compel your readers and help build stronger relationships? Here are five places to start looking:

1. Stuff you already have. Your Web site, brochure or other materials that tell your story will provide great nuggets for short newsletter articles.
2. Web sites that serve as resources for good info on subjects of interest to your readers. (Note: You can link to online content only when you grab a snippet and link to the original source. You can not use someone else’s work without permission.)
3. Online news stories on subjects related to your industry. You can sign up for Google Alerts on any subject and you will receive relevant news links in your inbox every day.
4. Blogs written by industry experts or people who care about the same things your readers do.
5. Your brain. Write something original, or jot down some bullet points and let the davemail team polish it up a bit.

Always put yourself in your readers’ shoes.  Would you want to read what you are sending out? If the answer is not yes, then we have some work to do!

Have other ideas? Please share.

Why can’t I send my email newsletter to anyone I want – like I can with direct-mail cards?

Like it or not, we in the legitimate email marketing business are forced by law to play by different rules. Again, it comes back to permission. As marketing icon Seth Godin says, almost all forms of traditional advertising and marketing are based on interrupting our daily lives with messages we didn’t ask for. Television, radio, newspapers and magazines - and even Web sites - are trying to get our attention away from what we came to get and attract us to what their advertisers want us to see and/or hear. Those forms of communication are important, but legitimate email marketing is different - and so are the laws.

We must get permission to deliver a message into an inbox, which opens the door to build real relationships - and the obvious benefits that result from earning and keeping our recipients’ trust.  Instead of a liability, think of it as an opportunity to reach your audience in a new and powerful way.

So, resist the temptation to buy or rent a list, we don’t need spam (or the fines that go along with getting caught) to be successful. We’re better than that.