What can I do about all of this spam?!?! (Part I)

Have you ever received an email from a friend stating "This really happened to me. I thought it was spam, but I really received a check from Bill Gates for $28,432! Send this message to everyone in your address book and get your check, too!"

How about "Your PayPal account has been suspended due to suspicious activity. Click on this link to reactivate your account."?

Or, have you ever received an email from you that you didn't send?

Then, did you scream to anyone within earshot (and beyond): "I don't want any more spam! Just get rid of it all!"

Let's face it - although you may feel like it, you are not the only person getting spam. Spam is a problem for everyone. So, how much is too much? Should a spam filter remove all unwanted messages so you never see them? How would you feel if your spam filter blocked an email that you were waiting for and you never got a chance to see it? Would you be happy then?

Well, these really are questions you need to ask yourself. In other words, be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. What we're going to do here is teach you how to get what you really want out of your email - even if it includes spam.

First things first, let's take a step toward stopping the proliferation of spam by talking about emails that do get through your spam filters. You know, the ones that you don't know what to do with. I get calls all of the time asking "should I delete this message?" Yes! Do not pass Go! Do not collect $200. It's all garbage! Your mother really doesn't want you to "enlarge your manhood." Don't call her to find out why she would send such a message to you - she didn't send it. Just get rid of it. Always. Any message that doesn't make sense, isn't from someone you know, or doesn't seem quite right, get rid of it. You can always ask about it later. You'll be happy that you didn't give someone your credit card number or infect your machine. And, please, please, please do not click on a link in a message from any questionable source. Chances are, you'll pay for it.

As someone who receives hundreds of spam messages per day (I've had the same email addresses since the early 90s), I've grown accustomed to them. Like them? No, but I understand how spammers do their job and how they get around all of the loopholes in the Internet and into your mailbox. So, I live with it. You would be less tense if you did, too.

There are many problems with spam that occur prior to your inbox that most people do not even consider. So, like in all areas of business, one must manage expectations. In this case, you must ask yourself "what do I really want from my spam filter?"

1. Do you want to block as much spam as possible and, if something gets falsely blocked, you won't care about it?

2. Do you want to see all email so you can filter through it to make sure you don't miss anything?

Talking with many people about this, I've come to realize that it really does matter what the purpose is of your email. Business or pleasure? Professional or clerical work? Shopping or chatting? And, these questions properly gauge your true belief about spam.

I sure would like to never have spam, but if one of my customer's is having a problem - and my spam filter blocked their message - I'd be mad and so would my customer. Therefore, I fall into the group that must receive all of my messages, spam or not. Mind you, my filter separates them in my mail client so I can tell what it thinks was spam. Even then, spam still gets through.

If you're not your own boss, check with him or her to make sure that your spam goals are the same as theirs. It might save you problems! Of course, it would be best if your company had a stated spam filtering policy in order to avoid any confusion.

On the other hand, non-professionals and personal users of email tend to want to get rid of spam, no matter what. But, be warned: if you purchase something online and are expecting a receipt or, if you are waiting for a message from that guy or girl that you're going out with on Friday night, it just might not get to you...

In Part II, we'll discuss the different types of available products and how they can help you meet your spam reduction goals.

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Marketing and Technology - A Potent Mix

It's hard to believe that business once operated effectively and efficiently with typewriters, rotary telephones, pencils and erasers. Today, however, computers, email, websites and countless shapes and sizes of wireless devices have all become industry “standards.”

The magic in all of these technologies, in business terms, comes from understanding their potential and exploiting them to their fullest. It's about finding ways to make them enhance corporate value and deliver reasonable returns on investment.

It starts with a few basic ideas:

Websites can become the focal point, and underlying infrastructure, for your business.

Internet-based technologies can be tailored to support, qualify and quantify specific business functions.

Internet-based technologies create efficiencies, generate revenue and facilitate growth.

As an electronic tool, websites are not limited by time or place.

Websites are only as good as the people that build, manage and maintain them.

You get what you pay for.

Be prepared.
It’s important to have a well-defined business objective, a clear picture of how your company operates (both internally and externally) and a manageable budget before you start planning an online strategy. There’s no point in pursuing technology, developing new systems and implementing change if you haven’t done your homework and set realistic goals. While this is true for most endeavors, none are quite as involved or require the degree of investment as some aspects of interactive technology.

Once you have a clear idea of what you expect from a website or centralized interactive digital environment, it can be tailored to suit specific organizational, departmental and/or individual needs. Of course, the degree of customization, while achievable, impacts directly upon cost. This is when a fully defined budget becomes important. As with an evening gown or formal suit, costs for tailoring can vary dramatically based on expectations, degree of detail and the skill of your tailor. In addition, and based on recent experience, there are issues relating to ownership, including copyright and intellectual property, which are often left undefined and legally unresolved. Along with marketing and technical support, legal counsel is an important part of this process.

Websites are portals.
There’s really no limit, other than imagination and budget, to what degree a website (defined specifically as internet or intranet) can be used to help you effectively and efficiently operate and grow your business.

One of the best aspects of interactive technologies is that they can all be developed, implemented and maintained from a central location while the organization and its operatives are active throughout a variety of geographic locations. In other words, both internal and external staff operating throughout the country (or the world), can view, retrieve and submit data. As long as there’s internet access, and with just about any computer or PDA, you can have secure access to company information from a myriad of locations including airports, tradeshows, off-premise meetings, hotel rooms and conference sites.

While sales and marketing professionals tend to be the primary users of internet-based technologies, they can also be linked to other business support and operational departments. From supply chain management and inventory control to finance and human relations, websites have the flexibility to become “windows” to every aspect of your operation.

Websites are an extension of your brand.
When you acknowledge that buyers are craving convenience, coupled with the way business relationships are developed and transactions are made, it’s easy to understand how websites have become influential marketing tools and dynamic sales environments. As long as the level of contact is consistent with previous encounters, brands are enhanced.

There are also many ways in which visitor activity can be tracked. By embracing specialized technologies, you can identify and quantify activity throughout your site. Although “tracking” can be quite involved, let’s simply acknowledge that, regardless of the maturity of your company and/or brand, there are appropriate solutions that will provide a clear picture of the online experience visitors have encountered.

Now that you have some idea of what can be accomplished with websites and the internet, here’s a short list of things to consider:

Have a clear picture of what you want to achieve. There’s no sense in making investments if the need is not fully defined.

Establish a budget. It’s important to roll out technology, as with any other business expenditure, in a manner that is prioritized, appropriately funded and provides financial returns in excess of the investment.

Pursue quality. The effectiveness of technology is directly related to the level of training and experience your services provider has to offer. Make sure there’s a proven track record and tangible proof of performance before you hire a web development company or technology consultant. It’s not uncommon for companies to invest in technologies that are inappropriate, poorly planned or fail to perform. You'll get what you pay for.

Keep in mind that interactive technology is in a constant state of change. What was considered state-of-the art last week may be outdated today. Don’t be intimidated or confused by what you don’t understand. There are experts for that. Your role is to be expert in what’s best for your company, supports operational efficiency and promotes organizational growth.

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