Have been reading a lot recently about permission marketing.

This is a concept made popular in a book by Seth Godin a few years back. You can still get a few chapters free here.

The concept is simple. It’s where you only market to someone who has explicitly agreed to be marketed to (by your business).

This is excellent for your business, as you focus your marketing spend on people who have already put their hand up and said they are interested in what you sell. As you can imagine, that has a very positive effect on conversion rates. 

The future surely has no place for non-permission marketing. Already this morning I have fielded four calls from people I don’t know trying to sell me something I don’t want (mostly advertising). It’s got to be pretty soul destroying for those poor telesales people who can clearly hear the annoyance in my voice.

It would be much more constructive for these businesses to spend their time finding people who want what they sell, and then phone them to follow up. I bet they could get more profit out of fewer telesales people. They would also discover if people actually want what they sell.

Publicity Heaven’s marketing is built round getting your permission. This is why we offer the free printed report – we are asking you for permission to market to you (and in return we are giving you something free).

(If you haven’t had your report yet and would like the fortnightly PR tips email, sign up here. Don’t worry, you can unsubscribe any time.)

Permission marketing removes the need for trying really hard to sell things. I already know from previous PR product and seminar launches that it is much easier for me to sell good value products and training to people who want to receive information about them. 

My gut feel says that people who make a willing purchase after giving their permission for marketing have also got to know you and your business properly. This must surely make them the best customers you can have.