Digital Identity - A Natural Anti-SPAM

Tomorrow I will be presenting at the Digital Identity Management conference in London and talking about the benefits of Transparency when it comes to Mobile Marketing.

The underlying premise that I'll be working from is that when companies apply a high degree of transparency in not only who they are - but also how and why they feel they have a right to communicate with a consumer - they are much less likely to do so with a questionable source.

Digital Identity normally works by allowing businesses to assess the digital identity of their customers through a series of passwords, tokens, security questions and the like - but what about a simple means whereby a consumer can identify the business. And if we can identify the business we might even identify the specific communication from that business.

Transparency in List Brokering

In legitimate marketing practice there are three sources for opt-in:

• Direct/Explicit Opt-in: When a consumer openly asks for contact
• Indirect Opt-in: They are already a customer and "surely they wouldn't mind a friendly marketing note now and then" - or would they
• 3rd Party Opt-in: Where a consumer agrees to marketing from "trusted partners" of a brand or business they already know and like

Now - as it turns out - the first two of the above are perfectly fine and no one minds being very transparent about those opt-ins - but it's that sticky 3rd item - trusted partners

If a legitimate business knew that consumers would have clear and easy access to this information - I think businesses would be a lot more careful in deciding exactly who they considered their "trusted partners" - and how often they chose to share that carefully guarded customer opt-in permission.

And while we're at it - can I suggest that we extend this service to e-mail, postal, telephone and all other forms of marketing. Personally I would love to know exactly who "sold me out" -- and I'd like to talk to some people about their "trusted partners".

If we add transparency to mobile marketing (and or any other form of marketing) and the associated list brokering business we'll clean up that entire market segment such that consumer opt-in permission is given the high value it is worth - and cut out all those businesses getting rich selling our personal details without us being able to trace them back.

One last thought - and it's an important one...

With all of the legislation these days regarding e-mail SPAM you'll be interested to learn that some analysts estimate that up to 70% of the e-mail getting caught in your SPAM filters is actually legitimate opt-in mail. That's right - up to 70% of the SPAM can actually be traced back to a time when you gave your opt-in permission.

Internet Service Providers and e-mail houses are spending thousands of pounds (and dollars, and Euros, etc.) answering complaints and tracing these things back. And businesses are spending thousands defending their right to communicate and providing evidence of the opt-in. Why not just make the whole thing right out in the open and available to everyone -- now wouldn't that be so much simpler.

It's a shame that someone hasn't come up with an idea like that (shameless plug coming!) - and it's a shame that they aren't launching the new service for mobile today! That's right - Pocket Choice is now ready for the market. Check it out! http://www.pocketchoice.com

Sr. Consultant - Mobile Marketing
Pocket Reach, Ltd.