How to Run an Ethical Mail List?

jfray_2k5 asks: "I've recently been hired as the Senior SysAd for a successful online advertising company and am in quite a dilemma. See, the company had previously been involved in quite a few seedy email businesses, and lets just say that we need to get our Haus in order. So, my question comes down to: what are acceptable and ethical ways to promote targeted offers to email users? Obviously, harvesting is out, and blanket spams don't really work for us (as we're a performance based company, and UCE simply doesn't perform for advertisers). I'm expecting a plethora of flames for this post, but I am serious in that I want to make things better for everyone. Other than enforcing CANSPAM (which is a total joke), and enforcing double opt-in, single opt-out on all of our lists, what are some other other ways we can do this the right way?"

"Is there a right way? Or am I simply screwed? Any truly constructive suggestions are welcome, as I most certainly don't want myself to be known for running a spam[cannon|haus], yet I need to be able to provide truly targeted email to people that, believe or not, actually want them.

Once again, any help is appreciated."

RSS

[Knights who say 'INT]

Consider using RSS channels instead of an email list.

Listerv or mailing list

[kernelfoobar]

What about a listserv/mailing list? If thye REALLY want mail, then that's not spam and let THEM sign up.

my 2 cents.

In short: don't

[dacarr]

Short version - don't do it on your own. Longer version: if you really want that, you can advertise your services on other lists by way of purchasing adspace in the message. Yahoogroups, for one, sells advert space, and reaches ungodly numbers of people.

Re:Here are the ultra simple steps to do that.

[arcade]

#3. Put an HTML one-click-to-unsubscribe at the TOP of the message. And UNSUBSCRIBE the addresses right then. None of this "72 hour" bullshit. None of this "enter your password" bullshit.

By the gods! Make it an option for people to receive non-HTML email, and DO NOT put any HTML links in a non-html email.

Re:Here are the ultra simple steps to do that.

[timshea]

#5. People frequently sign up their WORK addresses for your crap. When they leave that job, it is up to whomever is set to receive their email or the email admin to handle the crap. Unless you want ALL of your messages blocked at my smtp box, you will make it very easy to quickly and completely unsubscribe addresses.

Allow [e-mail] to request unsubscription for an entire domain.

1. Postmaster emails your unsubscribe address with subject "unsubscribe domain"
2. Your mailer emails [e-mail] a URL to verify that it really is the postmaster
3. Postmaster clicks the URL and all addresses at example.org are immediately unsubscribed - no confirmations other than on the web, no notification to users, etc.