Permission

Permission-based email marketing is the foundation of successful and legal email campaigns. This approach ensures you only send messages to subscribers who have explicitly requested to receive them.

What is Permission-Based Marketing

Permission-based email marketing means making sure that whether you are adding subscribers or they are adding themselves, it is quite clear to them that they're giving you permission to receive email messages.

Clear Consent: Subscribers must understand exactly what they're signing up for when providing their email address.

Explicit Agreement: There should be no doubt that the person wants to receive your specific messages.

Documented Proof: Maintain records showing how and when permission was granted.

Methods for Collecting Permission

Website Sign-Up Forms

Place opt-in forms prominently on your website where visitors can voluntarily subscribe to your email list.

Landing Pages

Create dedicated landing pages whose sole purpose is to capture email addresses with clear value propositions.

Conferences and Events

To maximize the benefit of attending conferences, seminars, or trade shows, be sure to get permission for your email campaign from as many interested attendees as possible.

In Conversation: Ask prospects directly if they'd like to receive your newsletter with expert advice and special offers.

During Presentations: Mention your newsletter and pass sign-up cards around the audience.

At Your Table: Display information about your newsletter benefits and provide easy signup options such as a sign up form shared using a QR code .

Confirmed Opt-In

The practice of confirmed opt-in is a proven email marketing best practice. As an Internet Service Provider (ISP) standard for managing mailing lists, confirmed opt-in ensures the best possible deliverability for your messages.

Benefits of Confirmed Opt-In

Users who use a confirmation message experience: 30-50% fewer undeliverable emails, 30-60% fewer spam complaints, and higher engagement rates.

• Only subscribers interested in receiving emails will take the extra step to confirm their email address.

• Prevents invalid addresses and spam traps from joining your list.

• Provides documented proof that subscribers requested your emails.

What NOT to Do

Purchased Lists

Never use purchased email lists. These violate permission principles and can damage your sender reputation.

Automatic Addition

Don't automatically add people to your list without their explicit consent, even if you have their email address from other interactions.

Vague Consent

Avoid unclear signup language that doesn't specifically mention email marketing.

Setting Proper Expectations

When collecting permissions, clearly communicate:

Content Type: What kinds of messages will you send
Frequency: How often subscribers will hear from you
Value Proposition: What benefits they'll receive
Easy Unsubscribe: How they can opt out at any time

Maintaining Permission

Regular List Cleaning

Remove subscribers who haven't engaged with your messages in 6-12 months, as they may have forgotten giving permission.

Clear Unsubscribe Options

Responsible email senders automatically remove subscribers who opt-out using the link at the bottom of any of your emails. All AWeber emails automatically include an unsubscribe link at the bottom.

Consistent Messaging

Ensure your emails match what subscribers expected when they signed up.