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Best way of finding email addresses

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  • 18-02-2009 12:52pm
    #1
    Noviceman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 176 ✭✭


    Hi,

    I'm looking to promote my new business in the local towns in my area and I'd like to send an email to all the local businesses. I'm trying to gather a list of email addresses to send this email to and am finding it difficult, I've looked up goldenpages.ie and also locallink.ie and these don't really list email addresses unless of course none of the ones I searched for have email addresses. Does anyone have any experience of this or does anyone have suggestions of a quick and easy way to do this?

    Many Thanks :)


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    #2
    John_Mc
    Registered Users Posts: 2,790 ✭✭✭John_Mc


    Noviceman wrote: »
    Hi,

    I'm looking to promote my new business in the local towns in my area and I'd like to send an email to all the local businesses. I'm trying to gather a list of email addresses to send this email to and am finding it difficult, I've looked up goldenpages.ie and also locallink.ie and these don't really list email addresses unless of course none of the ones I searched for have email addresses. Does anyone have any experience of this or does anyone have suggestions of a quick and easy way to do this?

    Many Thanks :)


    That's SPAM and is illegal and unethical. I'd recommend you invest your time into something that might actually work with potential customers. 99% of the time, an unsolicited email is deleted straight away or block by spam filters.


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    #3
    zAbbo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,987 ✭✭✭✭zAbbo


    John_Mc wrote: »
    That's SPAM and is illegal and unethical. I'd recommend you invest your time into something that might actually work with potential customers. 99% of the time, an unsolicited email is deleted straight away or block by spam filters.
    Not if they're published business email addresses.


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    #4
    John_Mc
    Registered Users Posts: 2,790 ✭✭✭John_Mc


    zAbbo wrote: »
    Not if they're published business email addresses.

    It's still unsolicited email


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    #5
    IrishBusiness
    Closed Accounts Posts: 36 ✭IrishBusiness


    how about giving these companies a call and introducing yourself? I have always found that people respond much better to a more face to face approach. you could ask if they would like to supply an email address, so that you can offer to send them some info on (that would be relevant and interesting to them)?


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    #6
    Noviceman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 176 ✭✭Noviceman


    John_Mc wrote: »
    That's SPAM and is illegal and unethical. I'd recommend you invest your time into something that might actually work with potential customers. 99% of the time, an unsolicited email is deleted straight away or block by spam filters.

    It's hardly illegal now my friend, it might be unsolicited, but are you telling me I can get arrested for sending somone's published email address and email....

    i don't think so.... thanks for the advice anyway :rolleyes:


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    #7
    John_Mc
    Registered Users Posts: 2,790 ✭✭✭John_Mc


    Noviceman wrote: »
    It's hardly illegal now my friend, it might be unsolicited, but are you telling me I can get arrested for sending somone's published email address and email....

    i don't think so.... thanks for the advice anyway :rolleyes:

    Just because you won't get arrested for something doesn't mean it's not illegal or unethical.

    http://www.returnpath.net/blog/2009/02/spamming-in-ireland-just-got-e.php

    You seem to have a great attitude that I'm sure potential customers will find inspiring. Filling their inboxes with spam is a great way of obtaining new customers. :rolleyes:


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    #8
    pauldiv
    Registered Users Posts: 197 ✭✭pauldiv


    John_Mc wrote: »
    You seem to have a great attitude that I'm sure potential customers will find inspiring. Filling their inboxes with spam is a great way of obtaining new customers. :rolleyes:

    This is not really helping much. If the OP is inexperienced in these matters then we should be helping him rather than just implying that he is a criminal.

    Intolerance is an ugly thing and sometimes it is better to remember that you catch far more bees with honey than with vinegar.

    Since the OP wants to promote his business and he is now aware of the error of his ways can i suggest jobs oxo (remove space).

    If any of the local businesses have included their email addresses in their listing then it means they want to be contacted. A quick phone call saying who you are and what you can do for them would likely get you far provided you have something of real value to offer them.

    Bon chance.


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    #9
    Arcee
    Registered Users Posts: 359 ✭✭Arcee


    Hi OP, if you have questions about what's ethical/reasonable, the data protection commisioner website is a good place to start
    http://www.dataprotection.ie/docs/Home/4.htm

    It will give you info on what a customer is entitled to do if they receive unsolicitated mail and also what are your rights and responsibilities as a company.


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    #10
    tricky D
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,700 ✭✭✭tricky D


    pauldiv wrote: »
    If any of the local businesses have included their email addresses in their listing then it means they want to be contacted. .

    Yup. Consent is implied.

    You could try your local Chambers of Commerce and similar organisations. They could have leads for you which would carry 'attached consent' so fine to send unsolicited. It's a good principle to ask the Chamber or other org if they have specific guidelines first. Otherwise, it's visiting local websites and getting emails addresses from those. Again, if an address is published on the site, there is a certain implied consent for contact.


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    #11
    giddybootz
    Registered Users Posts: 867 ✭✭✭giddybootz


    So what is the deal with soft ware like kompass dot ie? My company is about to invest in this to get sales leads.....is it only companies that have given their consent that are included? Or could i be accused of sending unsolicited emails if i use the email addresses supplied by kompass? :confused:


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    #12
    mneylon
    Registered Users Posts: 7,739 ✭✭✭mneylon


    If you want to contact people via email you really need to seek their permission.

    Blog | Tweets



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    #13
    cormee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,801 ✭✭✭cormee


    John_Mc wrote: »
    That's SPAM and is illegal and unethical. I'd recommend you invest your time into something that might actually work with potential customers. 99% of the time, an unsolicited email is deleted straight away or block by spam filters.

    Unethical yes, annoying yes, illegal no. Unfortunately.

    In the case of b2b it's not illegal:

    "Business Contacts who are not Customers

    You may not use electronic mail to send a marketing message to a business contact address/number if the subscriber has notified you that they do not consent to the receipt of such communications. "

    http://www.dataprotection.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=905&ad=1

    ie. You can send them email without their consent however if they ask to be removed from your mailing list you are legally obliged to do so and any further mails will be illegal.


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