Hello SEO , Goodbye Telemarketing

Could new FTC ruling change the face of SEO Industry?

[NeedScripts]

I am sure we all are aware of those annoying phone calls and debate over it.. but it seems like FTC finally got onto it and not there is going to be a national "No Call List" available soon (state no call list is alredy in practice)

Once above steps are taken, Telemarketing industry is expected to receive a blow of 35% cut or more... and this would mean.. more business will realize they are better off with Internet and their money is better spend in SEO work.

By the way, every registration in the no call list will be valid for 5 years... so by the end of 5th year, I assume telemarketing industry will have suffered a lot.

[apnews.myway.com...]

Need Scripts

[Dreamquick]

I never really understand this - they don't lose any customers because by the nature of being on a "do not call" list they aren't going to be responsive to offers in the first place.

If anything these are the customers which are likely to generate longer duration calls which have no ROI associated with them.

We've had a version of this in the UK since 1995 - at the moment there are around 3m people on it (which for a country with around 25m households isn't bad going).

It definitely helps the industry look less scummy because if someone complains then you can simply explain what they need to do to avoid any future marketing calls. You are happy because you have soothed a potential problem, they are happy because they get what they want.

- Tony

[NeedScripts]

Well this lists do work.. cuz I am myself in No call list for our state and haven't received any call. Also, if you read the article is says that for instance where the law is broken by the telemarketing company they will be liable for paying up to US$ 11,000.00 now this is something that can cause even a big size company to shut down if they don't obey the list. Also, these companies are *required* to update their "No call list" every 3 months.

I have seen the results of no call list within our state and if it is going to be get similar success nationwide, then I am pretty sure.. telemarketing industry will be suffering a lot.

Need Scripts

[Dreamquick]

Define "suffering" - if you mean that they have to obey the latest industry standard or face hideous fines then that's not suffering I'm afraid that's the cost of doing business.

If they don't want to use suggested best practice and industry guidelines they will find not only are the getting massive fines, but they are also losing customers hand-over-fist because their non-compliance makes them look like a cowboy outfit.

If I could understand "suffering" if they were forced into pure opt-in, but at the moment all they are being made to do on a countrywide basis is stop harassing people who don't want to be bugged by telemarketers - if you ask me that's just courtesy.

- Tony

[Mohamed_E]

The Federal do-not-call registry went into effect today, as most of you probably know. But I turned up an interesting item of news: Yahoo blocks FTC do-not-call mail [cbs.marketwatch.com].

I signed up around 7 AM EDT today with no delays.

[Bradley]

Update: in 12 hours, 370,000 people have signed up ....Scare thing is, the word hasn't even gotten out yet.
[apnews.excite.com...]

[jeremy goodrich]

Back in college, I worked for two companies that provided 'market research' which is basically telemarketing for peoples time, and not money.

The problem was, they had NO internal procedure to remove people - so, the company would call, over & over, to irritate folks. And to top that off, they would have their folks that made the calls routinely change the company name, depending on the survey in question, so if they called somebody twice, it would seem like two different companies, even though it was the same one.

And when you have the folks who call regularly lying like that, and there is no measure for trust - it's amazing that it's taken this long for a list like this to be put together.

In addition, some states have never had a 'do not call list' which blocked telemarketer's, which compounds the issue for many people.

I am very glad to see this proactive, consumer friendly step being put in place by the federal government.