I recently received an email regarding the issue of contact Solo Ads. The email raises some good issues. Below is my response to the email, as well as a link to the web-page where the contents of the email are posted. I hope you will read both, as it is indeed an important issue.

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Hello,

I wanted to respond to the email you just sent me regarding admin contact mails.

First, let me take the time to thank you, both for writing this mail, and for your efforts contacting myself and other list owners. It shows a great deal of integrity and commitment on your part, and I appreciate that.

In response, as a list owner of multiple lists and a co-owner of a Safelist Host, I do have a few things to say.

I think it is important to make a distinction between the contact solos admins have been sending for years, and the new ‘contact solo ad blasters’.

The first, when used in moderation, generates income to support lists, which are used by primarily free members. In my over 30 lists I have a small handful of paid members. I sell contact solo ads, a maximum of three per day, and the funds support the lists.

The ‘contact list blasters’ are an entirely different matter. Selling access to the admin mailer for a monthly subscription price is nothing but abuse. When the first one was launched, I was immediately concerned that other safelist hosts would see the income potential and follow suit. Unfortunately that is what has happened.

Our safelist host does not allow outside access to the admin mailer privileges, though there has been request for same. We believe that each safelist admin should decide for himself or herself what solo ads get sent to what lists, and how often. I understand that we are one of the last safelist hosts that do not offer such a ‘contact solo ad blaster’.

However, I do sell and send contact ads. These I send manually, to a maximum of three per day. It is these ads I was selling in my summer solo ad package that you saw advertised on Crossworlds safelist. I believe that I handle such transactions with integrity. Incidentally, all of my safelist have it in the terms that the member signs up agreeing to receive mails from Admin as well as list mails.

Two other points (and I apologize for being long-winded):

1. Your comparison between my doctor/telephone/etc using my contact address to sell ads is not accurate for one main reason: I do not agree for my information to be used in such a way. When people join our safelists, they do agree to just that.
2. In your signature you have a link to an e-zine advertisement source and say it is ‘the PROPER way to utilize solo ads’. This I have to say I completely disagree with. When I join an e-zine it is for content. When I join a Safelist it is for advertising. I am far more irritated by the ridiculous amount of advertising in e-zines (which is often much more than the content) than by receiving ads from an advertising source.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me, and thank you for allowing me to reply.

Kindest Regards,
Jewel Goodwin
Admin, JR Solutions Network
mail to: admin@jrsnetwork.com



Here is a link to the article I was emailed:
http://www.opaobie.com/soloadsreality.shtml

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