While email has a reputation as the tool of choice for scam artists and spammers, that shouldn't scare off legitimate marketers. Email lists are easy to compile. They're a natural byproduct of doing business on the Web. Almost 20 billion email messages were sent across the Internet last year. As with other forms of database marketing, email marketers must constantly update their lists.
Immediacy is important when updating email lists.
Resnick says NetCreations mails to its lists frequently. It's easy to do and quicker than the analogous procedure for traditional postal direct mail. While it's easy for a company to mail advertising to everyone on its email list, customers need to be able to just as easily click Reply and say they don't want these mailings. Each state has laws relating to marketing, not to mention applicable federal laws the states may adopt. Marketers might violate the terms of their agreements with their providers, resulting in a lawsuit for breach of contract.