This is one of those topics which never goes away. No matter how many times the subject comes up, it's not long after we are spammed. The following are general guidelines to follow.

It's NOT acceptable to:

- Email your entire address book ads
- Forget using a mailing list
- Forget reading guidelines on groups
- Offer "great ways to make money" to someone that didn't ask for it

Basically put, s*pam is a message you send to profit yourself which they don't want. They didn't ask for it, they don't need it. It doesn't matter how great your specials are or how wonderful your business opportunity is. There are millions of great website and opportunities on the internet, and even if you think your's is the best it may not be to someone else.

What IS acceptable:

- Always use mailing lists
You must use some type of a professional mailing list where others can subscribe or unsubscribe themselves. Double opt-in is a must, which means when they enter their email address it must be confirmed before they are officially subscribed.

- Always include contact information
This is a spam compliance law - you must follow up your mailings with your publishing info INCLUDING mailing address and phone number.

- Always read group guidelines
The fastest way to make a group owner mad is not following their guidelines. You want to make friends, not burn bridges.

Remember: "I didn't know" is never an excuse, and if someone were to report your email as spam your business could suffer dearly. They say "Ignorance of the law is no excuse", and the same applies online. To own a business of any kind is a large responsibility, and your job is to know everything there is to know about starting. This includes licences, spam laws, local requirements, etc.

About the Authors: Kara Kelso & Anita DeFrank are two busy wahms, and the owners of Direct Sales Helpers. For free direct sales tips, visit: http://www.DirectSalesHelpers.com/newsletter.html