Practice What You Preach
Danger: Rant Ahead
So... today I get an email message from a company that wants me to advertise to their base of 8 million members who've agreed -- through a double opt-in program -- to receive marketing messages. A typical sales pitch? Only until you understand that I'VE never agreed to receive their email marketing messages!

Here's a company telling me how qualified their list is, that all the members are double opt-in, etc. and they're using SPAM to promote their non-spam email marketing services. Kinda makes you doubt their list's opt-in status, now doesn't it? The quickest way to piss-off a prospect (or 8 million prospects!) is to fill their in-box with a bunch of uninvited crap. I'll never use this double-talking/double opt-in company -- I suggest the same to you.

Here's their info (from the bottom of their spam-o-gram):
Vic McDaniel
admin@2-opt.com
Opt2Opt, Inc.
(718) 287-1015
Opt2Opt, Inc. - Permission based marketing at its best!

If you want the contact info from a couple of REPUTABLE email marketing services -- with PROVEN results -- email me and I will forward their info to you.
~DON


PS: I will of course be emailing my buddy Vic at Opt2Opt, Inc. with the link to today's little rant. :)

GOT GODIN?
Seth's new book is a horse...er, cow... of a different color.
"Herd" of Seth Godin's new book on marketing?
It's all about finding the Purple Cow in your business and sharing it with the world.

The core message of the book is that your business needs to be remarkable, or it will remain invisible. The text is FILLED with great examples of companies discovering their purple cows. There are also ideas on how to find the purple cow in your own company.

Get a mooo-ve on and read the Fast Company article, then visit the official website to learn more -- or save yourself a lot of time and just go buy the book now!

Godin's first, self-published edition of this book sold out of the initial 10,000 copies in only 19 days!! I think I'm going to buy another copy to keep on hand... just in case my original wears out!

Chill-Out!
This is a really COOL idea!
For all of us who search nightly for the 'cool spot' on our pillows during the summer months, here's a great gizmo from SmoothSoft.com -- a pillow that's ALL cool, baby! It's called the CHILLOW.

They've even got one for my best friend, Bella!