We've all been subjected to it: that awkward internal email that you really should've been BCC'd on or not even received at all.
Take a page out of the media-savvy communication purveyors: BCC is your best friend. In this situation, you don't want the other media outlets to know who else you're sending your story to. Each recipient thinks they're getting the scoop, while you're protecting their privacy.
And, that's what matters to your subscribers: privacy.
Adding "CC" to your entire email list puts your recipients in that awkward position.
Your customers don't need to know who else receives your emails. Or, really, they don't want perfect strangers to know their email address or even that they're a subscriber to your email service.
Surely, apart of your email blast sign-up is a stipulation of privacy, saying that you're not going to share their personal information with solicitors or strangers, in general. This also applies to your subscriber list. This directly violates that privacy policy.
If you don't already have a privacy statement in place for whenever a new subscriber opts-in for your emails, then you're skating on very thin ice. Today, everyone expects a privacy statement, from your B2B clients to your B2C customers. They want assurance that you're not profiting from their contact information.
Also, they're looking to you to keep their information safe.
Further, by adding "CC" to your emails, you subject your subscribers to unwanted solicitations. If your emails are B2B, then you're putting your subscribers in a vulnerable position. This allows other businesses access to your personal list and free rein to contact your subscribers.
For your direct customer lists, this opens up a professional quagmire. Just like your B2B lists, you're opening your customers to unwanted solicitations. Consider this the modern day version of telemarketing.
Moving one step further, consider the possibility of a subscriber hitting "reply all" with some complaint or question. Hundreds, even thousands, of your subscribers are subjected to this individual's private communication with you.
You know how it is at work when someone hits "reply all" on some silly email. Then it becomes this never-ending chain of emails where the unintended recipients reply. We've all been there, and we've all had our time wasted and our inboxes flooded with nonsense emails.
With top-of-the-line email marketing software, this little privacy issue becomes non-existent. The very best email marketing software does not allow you to add CC or even BCC. Each email is sent individually, instead of in some massive list.
Miss Part 1 or 2 of this series?
Read Email Marketing Etiquette Part 1: The Anonymous Sender and Email Marketing Etiquette Part 2: Plain Text Emails.
