Permission isn’t an opt-out option.

Permission marketing doesn’t mean you can add me to a list and ask forgiveness later.

It doesn’t mean that because I asked you a question that I want to start getting product offers from you.

It doesn’t mean that because I stayed at your hotel once I want daily vacation offers for the next 365 days.

And it doesn’t mean you can ignore me when I say “Stop.”

Permission marketing means you have to ask me before you sign me up for your newsletter, your product offering, your latest greatest sales deal.

When you treat permission as an opt-out option you have opt-out customers. Why would you want opt-out customers?

Photo by Dominic Alves (Flickr).