Yet many are not taking the necessary precautions to make users feel comfortable. E-mail marketing is different from advertising and direct mail. E-mail is a very personal medium that needs to be dealt with carefully. With advertising media such as TV commercials, newspapers, and even direct mail, people have the expectation and understanding that random, and often anonymous, advertising messages will be presented. E-mail is almost the exact opposite.
Customers are in control - they expect to be able to choose what they receive, from whom, and when.
This explains why people are very demanding when it comes to ensuring that they will not receive unsolicited e-mail messages when they enter a marketing promotion. Understandably, they have fears that their e-mail addresses will end up in the wrong hands, and that they will be added to mailing lists they do not want to be on. People will not risk their reputation giving away a friend's e-mail address without assurance beforehand that their friend will not be added to any mailing list. For these reasons, it is important that your promotions provide comfort in peoples' minds - not fear. Understand how major search engines operate behind the scenes to present results.