Fax marketing considerations
Unsolicited
fax advertising is illegal for most businesses in the United States. However,
as stringent as laws are, I still receive faxes from unknown companies on my
machine regularly. So obviously some people find that the effectiveness of fax
marketing justifies the legal risk. This is not surprising, as research shows
that a significantly higher percentage of faxes are read by their recipients
as compared to direct mail and email. Furthermore, the cost of a short phone
call is usually much cheaper than a 44 cent stamp.
I suppose these companies try to limit their legal exposure by doing their best to compile a highly targeted list of super-receptive prospects. Others format their faxes to look like personal correspondence (like a handwritten note), and some even address the fax header to make it appear that that they mistakenly faxed to the wrong phone number. But still, that does not make it lawful.
I am not a lawyer, but I believe there might be legal exceptions that allow unsolicited fax marketing for certain types of organizations. And while I'd be surprised if anyone would sue the nearby mom-and-pop restaurant for faxing their menu to local businesses, I would personally not use or recommend fax marketing unless they were to first consult with an attorney. At the very least, be sure to familiarize yourself with all state and federal rules/exemptions before undertaking the legal risk of unsolicited faxing. In the United States, these include the "Junk Fax Protection Act", the "Telephone Consumer Protection Act", and possibly others.
Legitimate fax marketing
If you have a recipient's permission, then sending advertisements by fax is usually legal, and even without permission may be legal if there is an "existing business relationship", which is defined by legislation. If you can work within the law, then fax marketing may be an extremely effective method of marketing.
So if you think your customers would be open to receiving "special offers" by fax, then by all means begin compiling your fax marketing list just as you would an email list -- ask for numbers on your website, on your business forms, at the cash register, etc.
Before sending your first faxes, be sure that your fax format complies with the law. Among other things, the fax must identify your business name and provide a means of unsubscribing from the distribution list.
Even if you're faxing to an opt-in list and fully complying with all applicable laws, I still suggest using fax marketing only occasionally. It's effective only if used correctly, which means not jeopardizing existing relationships by annoying clients.
The unsolicited fax marketing list
If your organization is not subject to unsolicited fax marketing restrictions, you'll still want to make sure that you're faxing to a highly targeted audience. The best way to do this is by handpicking your distribution list. Here are a couple ideas:
- Compile your list from an industry directory that is directly related to the type of organization you're targeting.
- Suppose you want to fax to dentists in the 213 area code. Try a Google search for: [dentist "fax:213"] or [dentist fax:213], or even more targeted [dentist fax:213-851]. This search will very loosely provide you with webpages that contain both the word "dentist" and a 213 fax number. You'll then have to visit each site to determine the appropriateness for your fax marketing list. Repeat the same process for each area code (or prefix) you wish to target.
A well targeted recipient list will reduce your faxing expense, and reduce the likelihood of irritating people.
Fax marketing tools
If
you have a large distribution list, then you'll probably want to use a fax broadcasting
service. Here are some possibilities:
Fax broadcasting from your computer
If your distribution list is small, you can fax directly from your computer using a program such as MS Word or Open Office Writer. But you must at least have a modem and a phone line to do this -- otherwise, you're limited to fax broadcasting via the Internet.
To get started, simply print the document you want to send, and select "Fax" as the printer during the "print setup". If you do not see a "Fax" printer, then you need to install the Windows faxing component (it's free, but not installed by default). Follow these steps:
- Go to your START menu -> Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs
- Click "Add/Remove Windows Components"
- Check "Fax Services"
- Click "Next" and follow any instructions.
Before you use the "Fax" printer for the first time, be sure to configure it to display your business info:
- Go to START menu -> Programs -> Accessories -> Communications -> Fax -> Console
- When that opens, go to "Tools -> Configure Fax"
- You'll probably want to specify that the program not answer calls
- Most importantly, for "Transmitting Subscriber Identification (TSID)" and "Called Subscriber Identification (CSID)", enter your name, and the phone number you're faxing from.
To send a fax from MS Word or Open Office:
- Go to "File -> Print" (on Office, try "File -> Send to -> Fax recipient")
- For "Printer name" select "Fax"
- Follow the wizard/instructions
Managing your fax marketing list
For do-it-yourselfers, I have a free program that can help you manage your fax/email marketing lists (e.g. removing duplicates and unsubscribe requests, etc). Please email me for a copy..