I've heard many arguments on both sides of the whole sales rep "spam" issue. If someone gives your sales rep their business card, does that mean that rep can add them to your in-house broadcast email list? Some folks say, "Hey when you give a sales rep a card, you should assume they'll do that -- don't be naive and whiny." Others say, "Giving a business card to someone doesn't mean you've explicitly given them permission to mass email market you. If they want to send you a personal one-to-one email about something you discussed when the card was handed over, that's ok, but otherwise why run the risk of alienating your brand new hot sales prospect with communication that could be taken for spam?"



Today Sherpa reader Jeff Malc of Goemsi.com wrote in to share his experience of sales rep spam: "Interesting thing happened last night, resulting from some networking. I met someone (who shall remain nameless) and we exchanged cards. Today, I received an e-mail from "him," thanking me for my time and advising me that, "as we discussed" I was now opted-in to his weekly newsletter.



I never discussed getting opted into his e-mail newsletter, and you'd think he know better than that!"



Guess that unnamed sales rep just lost a potential sale.