Adding people as members on your site. Legal?

[theBiz]

Is it legal to sing people up on your website that are on public directory. Im pretty sure its not, i have heard of people having to send confirmation links to users because they can pre submit it but not activate.

True or false?

 

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[Nathan]

Yea I'm pretty sure you'd get flagged for that pretty quick. If you have their emails and whatnot, why not try a quick email marketing type deal to ask their interest and if you can add them.

 

[theBiz]

last time i did it i had such bad results and emails are not cheap to targeted people.
Also i need to do this because the site is empty no one will sign up for a site with no initial content.

 

[Bobo]

Well you have a couple problems.

1. Go build the content to get people there.
2. You will need to build your own contact list. An easy way to do this is to have something of value out there on the site for free. I had a webstore with a link on every page inviting customers to sign up for exclusive discounts. I collected emails that way and also collected all customer email addresses. Then I used an automated email campaign service to send out periodic sale flyers to customers. It takes time but once I had 5000 people on that list I could hit a button, go to dinner and have $5000 more on the Paypal card by the time the check got there.

....some caveats:
Under the Can SPAM laws you have to include an unsubscribe link in the emails and you have to have them either opt in (sign up) or you have to have a pre-existing business relationship.

You can't go to that well too often. Once per week/month/quarter and it has to be for a good reason. My favorite nursery sends me an email flyer once/twice per week with a coupon or an announcement of a special sale - stuff I wanna know about. If it is too frequent or not worthwhile people will unsubscribe.

Can you describe what your concept is a little more? we're discussing it on a couple threads and I don't have a clear picture of what you are trying to do... would help

 

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[kwerner]

Good info in your reply Bobo.
I have to spread the speed around before I can rep you again... so looks like I owe you one.

 

[Nathan]

Definitely good info Bobo.

Content's definitely your number one issue. Can't expect everyone to come in and do it for you. Just like starting a forum... got to create content... can't just have a bunch of empty forums.

For email campaigns, someone recently turned me onto MailCheat(Chimp).com, which I've been giving a try myself. If you have 500 contacts and under, you can send up to 3000 emails, a month I believe it is. Obviously they have paid services too for higher contact amounts, but since you're starting, just a suggestion.

 

[theBiz]

bobo thank you you have really good information and a great way of thinking. Anyway think of this forum type of model, there is nothing to give away, so i really believe i need to sign up the initial people. You can not say:

Hey welcome to the fast lane, talk to people who have been successful through the fastlane!!! (sorry only aspiring entrepreneurs present..... eventually Donald will be on here. It is tough to get the important people at the site first. in this case. PAST SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS.

Bobo this is actual my exact problem, i need a certain type of professional, kind of like people who have succeeded in business. Me personally i would have literally called up the first 2k members for this forum and get them on here. What incentive does this forum offer to someone who has made it? I don't think you could convince me if i was rich and busy.

Also, contacting these people is difficult, just like my scenario so how and why would you find them to join some forum/website. Now if your going to say email i just find it hard to see it being successful. Please advice me i am open to all info, i am here to learn any experience would be so greatly appreciated before i start hitting the phone.

**My idea has no intention to build a forum and especially nothing to compete with this website.

 

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