How Permission Could Save This Viral Marketing Tactic

My favorite author just announced me as his co-author! Okay, he didn’t really mean it and he’ll say the same about you, but what a brilliant way to earn a subscription to your emails – assuming, of course, you keep permission in mind.

Donald Miller’s co-author game gives the email marketing sign-up process a creative twist. Its format is likely to attract a flood of participants. And yes, it indicates my interest in his brand.

But it never once hints that I’m opting into his campaign. So although I like his emails and am pleased to have found them, I am annoyed that I wasn’t offered a choice.

The steps of the sign-up game are laid out below. Scroll down to marvel at how brilliantly it attracts subscribers. Then note how to improve this process in your own campaign by adding the most critical element of all: permission.

Step 1:
Tweet the Bait

A few keystrokes in exchange for fame and glory – who can resist this offer? It’s fun, it lets people celebrate themselves and it’s sharable by nature.

It’s brilliantly attractive to fans of Donald Miller, which is ideal, since they’re the most likely audience to enjoy and engage with his email campaign.

Step 2:
A Creative Sign-Up…Wait…a What?

This form invites participants into a fantasy role that they can show off to their contacts. It’s fun, but there’s no indication that this is an email sign-up form.

All that’s needed is a note that tells me I’ll now be receiving emails from Donald Miller. Then I can make an informed choice of whether or not to continue.

Step 3:
Not Your Average Thank – You Page

This, ladies and gentlemen, is a thank-you page. It’s a very creative use of a tool every opt-in campaign has, and it’s likely to get a high response. Talk about incentive! Participants are now on the lookout for this email.

But this thank-you page only tells me to expect one email. That’s not what I ended up with…

Step 4:
Is This a Confirmation Message?

I know to expect this email, so I’m glad to see it. It links me to the final part of the game, which motivates me to click the link.

In permission based email marketing campaigns, though, this would be known as a confirmation email. Clicking the link would confirm my interest in receiving further emails. If that’s what happened here, I would have liked to have been told.

Step 5:
Fantastic Engagement, No Confirmation

This is a nice delivery of the page I originally signed up for. I’m pleased with Donald Miller and pleased with this process – that is, until…

Step 6:
The Promotional Emails Begin

I know I played the Donald Miller game, but I also know I never signed up for emails, so I’m a little surprised to find this in my inbox the next day.

I’m displeased that I was emailed without permission. I’m also interested in these tour dates. For me, the benefit of the email’s content outweighs my chagrin that my personal boundaries were crossed – at least for now – but others may not feel the same.

The Lesson

Someone who is pleased to get these emails may not unsubscribe now. But they also probably would have checked a box to opt in in the first place, especially if Donald Miller’s emails bring this same playful voice and level of fun.

Someone who wouldn’t have checked that box in the first place probably still doesn’t want these emails, especially since they arrived without any sort of request for permission. These people are likely to unsubscribe or remain as disengaged dead weight.

Even worse, some people who might have knowingly opted in to these emails may now be annoyed enough to mark them as spam or unsubscribe anyway.

So the lesson is this: fun and games can attract hordes of potential subscribers to your sign-up form. Once they get there, though, they’ll appreciate being told exactly what is happening – whether they want your emails or not.

And in the end, asking people to knowingly subscribe to your emails is the best way to build an engaged, long-term, appreciative list.

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By: Amanda Gagnon
Education Marketing Associate

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20 Comments

  1. Tim

    This is a great post. Awesome way to engage your list but i do see the downside to not letting them opt in to your list. thanks for the thoughts :)

    7/8/2010 9:37 am
  2. Bill Oeber

    I’m a little confused by this article. It strikes me as quite a misrepresentation. The kind of thing that is contributing to a growing mistrust of anything we see on the internet. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for humor and tongue-in-cheek stuff, but this seemed to go over the line a bit.

    Did I miss something?

    7/8/2010 9:53 am
  3. Kathy Kirk

    I actually take exception to the whole campaign. How does one know the co-authorship is a "game"? The whole thing is deception. Permission is not the only thing forgotten here, honesty was the first thing.

    7/8/2010 9:55 am
  4. Stephen

    I know from personal experience that good intentions do not always translate from the receivers’ point of view.

    The intentions here are innocent enough, but I’ve learned to be absolutely vigilant when it comes to FIRST getting permission throughout the process of collecting email names.

    Sure it can result in fewer names collected, but those that DO provide their info know up front that future emails are to be expected…and indeed welcome!

    7/8/2010 9:59 am
  5. Paul B. Taubman, II

    Game? Is there actually any co-authorship happening? Does Mr. Miller include anything from the ‘participant’ in the book? I agree that this sounds like deception. It is a win-win situation! He deceives you to get you to sign up on this list, and you get a webpage that deceives everyone else stating that you helped co-author a book.

    I prefer honesty myself. And I think my subscribers are grateful that I do!

    Thanks for the post.

    7/8/2010 10:12 am
  6. Serge Rodriguez

    Clarity of actions taken is important, especially when opting in to an auto-responder. I’ll make sure they know what’s going to happen and what to expect so they experience peace of mind while doing the optin process!

    7/8/2010 12:38 pm
  7. Stan Young

    I agree with Kathy’s comments, I think the whole campaign sounds deceptive and its not a good way to build ethical relationships.
    We all know first impressions are important so I don’t think this is a good way to get started.
    Sure you may sucker people in to begin with, but no doubt once they realize what’s happening they are likely to lose interest.

    7/8/2010 5:21 pm
  8. Moshe Handler

    It seems clever at first but in the end it a trick that I would resent if I got victimized.

    The main idea is not to get sign ups but targeted sign ups. Because those are the ones who will end up buying from you in the end.

    Tricks never get you ahead in the long run. Honesty does.

    7/8/2010 6:57 pm
  9. Jayne

    I’m with Kathy Kirk & Paul B Taubman,
    The whole thing is a very dishonest way of getting email addresses. Appeasing the ego of would-be writers is clever? Or is it manipulative? The whole campaign is an example of what not to do in the publishing and email marketing industries.

    7/8/2010 7:24 pm
  10. Gidon

    Paul and Kathy, this also appears a little head-scratching to me, but I have a feeling that Miller’s fan’s recognize and appreciate his sense of humor, and it’s all in good fun. I think it’s a sophisticated version of the "driver’s license picture" gag that goes around from time to time http://www.license.shorturl.com/

    But I was hoping Amanda would provide a suggestion as to how to correct this campaign to fit the opt in rules! You know, leave nothing at all to our own imaginations…:-)

    7/9/2010 12:49 am
  11. Louisa Chan

    This actually raises a point I have been deliberating. I see that here is automation option given in aweber where person who opts into 1 list can be automatically opted into the main list (for example).

    In this case, how do you make using automation it permission based? Prospects opted into a list for maybe a freebie or a free call, but they do now expect to be receiving other mails, say even updates or newsletter.

    Your thoughts?

    7/9/2010 6:59 am
  12. Amanda Gagnon

    Gidon ~ Yes, I do think this is meant to be used in good fun. Like anything, it can be abused, but it seems clear to me that the co-authorship is meant as a joke.

    As for correcting it, the answer is simple: if participants are added to an email list, clearly explain that from the start.

    Louisa ~ The key is how you use the automation rules. For example, switch prospects who are also subscribers to a customer list after they purchased; they’ll still be getting the email from you that they asked for, but it will be more appropriate to their relationship with you.

    7/9/2010 8:17 am
  13. michael webster

    All permission marketing campaigns begin with interruption; this one is just more humorous than most.

    You don’t have permission to ask for permission, you have to interrupt someone to get it.

    And it just depends upon how you do it.

    Personally, I think that this is funny and would respond as if I gave permission.

    7/9/2010 10:22 am
  14. Jennifer Wilson

    To me that adding one simple sentence & check-box to the "Sign Up" page would have taken this idea from annoying to brilliant!

    "Add me to your mailing list"

    or

    "Subscribe to x"

    Regardless of how I felt about the brand prior to an encounter of this type, I would think twice about it in the future (if not write it off completely). How can I trust you or your product/information/service if I can’t even trust you to ask me if I want to know more about it?

    Obviously, I clicked the link because I was intrigued, were you scared I would bail if I knew what you were really trying to accomplish? If the answer to that question is yes – maybe you should re-think your campaign. Brands spend significant amounts of time and effort ($) building trust and influence and (for me at least) they risk losing it with unclear, albeit clever, communication.

    At the end of the day, there are much better ways to grow your list/followers than by risking your reputation.

    7/10/2010 5:35 pm
  15. Sebastien

    Deception? It seems perfectly clear to me that I didn’t participate to any writing, if I were to sign up for that. Would any of you have doubts about that? It’s up to you if you spread it to your friends not to deceive them, and be clear about what it is (after they believed it for a second of course).

    Concerning the mailing subscription, there should be a clear explanation of what one is signing up for.
    This is definitely bad practice.

    Personally, I would unsubscribe if I felt I was tricked into receiving that newsletter.
    Then again if the newsletter is keeping up with the fun, I would keep it coming.

    7/11/2010 5:43 am
  16. Paul B. Taubman, II

    Louisa –

    I did exactly what you are asking about – I had a signup for a teleseminar that automatically signed people up for an email subscription. I stated that directly on the signup form so there was no surprises. They are also aware that they can opt out at any point.

    No surprises here!

    7/12/2010 7:51 pm
  17. Danielle Ingram

    What a creative idea, I think it is really important for businesses to provide something for the recipient – whether a free gift or a by-line!

    However, I agree that it is vital with email marketing, for the sender to inform the recipient that they will be signing up for additional emails.

    Not only will this reduce the unsubscribes but it will ensure that the sender has a legitimate list of contacts that are likely to be interested in their products and services.

    7/19/2010 2:44 am
  18. Karen Goddard

    If I give my email details out to recieve a product, service or a free gift, I naturally expect to be on their maling list ..I take a look at what they have to offer, enjoy my free gift and then decide to continue the subscription or unsubscribe ..I think you are a little niave if you think any different !

    It is a clever marketing plan ..but do take the point about haviing a double opt in though

    7/25/2010 7:49 am
  19. Sachin

    I dont think such tactics work at any level… A clear cut straightforward approach is much better an option – where you let the customer have the option of opting in for the subscription or not rather than a deceitful manner as this… It only earns you frustrated customers and ill-will in the long run…

    7/26/2010 6:01 am
  20. Thomas Retterbush

    I’m starting to wonder if Viral Marketing Guru, David Meerman Scott, may have been wrong in hinting marketers NOT to build lists in his ebook, Lose Control of Your Marketing.

    I’ve been trying this approach and it’s getting me nowhere. I guess the only way this would work if you really do have an idea, product or website that has gone viral to the extent of becoming a "World Wide Rave".

    For all us regular people, companies and websites not in the Headline News, maybe we should actually build some lists before we starve to death.

    8/17/2010 12:08 pm

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