This is the distinguishing factor for me (from the article)

> It’s important to clarify at first: I’ve personally typed and carefully went through every single email I sent. Talk about scalable, huh?

She goes on to suggest a number of things that involve research and effort that puts a natural limit on how many she can send.

If "spammers" were to follow this advice and take the time to research me and my business, follow me on social media, and then type up an individualised e-mail to my business account, spam would not be a huge problem.

In part because I have a lower threshold for what I consider acceptable to send to my business account, and partly because if they invest that much effort in each e-mail, the volume would drop far down.

EDIT: Pronouns...

Just because it isn't automated doesn't mean it's not spam.

It can still be spam, but we care so much of spam largely because of the volume and lack of targetting. If everything I received was carefully manually targetted and researched, you could call it spam all you'd like - I would still be perfeclty fine with receiving it to my busness accounts. Less so to my personal accounts, but even then I'd be far less annoyed.

The article is written by a she btw.

Doh. Thanks, I've edited the comment accordingly.

They sent out personalized emails to single recipients who might have an interest in what they're doing. That is the opposite of spam. Unsolicited is not necessarily bad. To anyone who is just involved with communicating internally or with customers/vendors it might seem off. But it is pretty much par for the course in a lot of roles.

I think it would still count as spam in the EU, although I'm not certain what "direct marketing" means.

(UK law here, implementing EC directive)

> a person shall neither transmit, nor instigate the transmission of, unsolicited communications for the purposes of direct marketing by means of electronic mail unless the recipient of the electronic mail has previously notified the sender that he consents for the time being to such communications being sent by, or at the instigation of, the sender.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/2426/regulation/22/m...

It's unlikely anyone would bother with someone who sent 600 emails, especially if she agrees not to send any more to an individual that complains to her.

Edit: bprieto's point about individuals vs businesses is very relevant -- the emails were sent to marketing companies, so they aren't spam under this directive.

I think it wouldn't, at least in Spain, if those receiving the emails are acting not as individuals (final customers) but as company representatives. So it's OK to send an email to Jane at [email protected] but not to send another email to the same Jane at [email protected].

I'm no lawyer but Direct Marketing is a specific term and not just two words put together. I'd typically interpret it as spam but for a legitimate product/company such that it has some legitimacy. The snail mail equivalent of online Direct Marketing is very common in the UK (or at least is was - I'd hope legislation similar to the above would have clamped down on it).

nice

These emails were pitching the product to media outlets, and trying to create connections for business partnerships. How would you propose businesses reach out to other businesses and to the media?

> It’s important to clarify at first: I’ve personally typed and carefully went through every single email I sent

I think if this is true then it's really not spamming. At least if someone was to do proper research and mail me without being too salesy (e.g. not including a link) then I would be okay with it.

Spamming is more like mailing a hundred people without trying to communicate just trying to make people click a link.

if you believe your product brings value to a potential customer then it's not spamming.

Unsolicited messages sent to push a product are spam by definition.

everybody thinks their product brings value.

Everybody's product brings value. But only some products bring value to the customers. ;)

SaaS (Software as a SPAM)

SPAM = the meat product

Spam or spam = unsolicited emails

In Germany it is. You may get fined for that and it may get really expensive quickly.

This list can be summarised as "try genuine interpersonal engagement". A lot of great friendships and work relationships start from business outreach.

So this analogy :/

Agreed.

sending an email might be annoying to some, but i'm sure it's the least invasive type of cold calling.

Maybe sponsoring a mailing list would be less invasive and you can target people that are ok with getting info about that product.