setting up a mailing list without giving my postal address

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HannahC

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I've started writing erotica shorts, and am keen to include a link in my stories for readers to sign up to a mailing list - I've read in quite a few threads that this is a good marketing strategy. However the sites I've tried (tinyletter and mailchimp) both ask for a postal address which as far as I understand it would be included at the bottom of every e-mailout I sent in order to comply with anti-spam legislation.

I am as anti-spam as anyone, but this makes me sad, as I am writing using a pen-name and wish to maintain my anonymity.

Is there any way around this issue, so that I wouldn't have to include my postal address?

Thank you!

Hannah xx
 

M. H. Lee

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Sign up for a mailbox. I just went to my local post office and opened one, but I think there are also virtual mailboxes that you can open as well.

Also, on the mailchimp website they provide other suggestions like using your lawyer's or agent's address instead. Don't make-up an address because that would be illegal, but it doesn't have to be your actual home address. Just needs to be somewhere someone could send a notice and it would reach you.
 

slhuang

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Yeah, unfortunately this is a matter of law, not a policy of those companies -- any US-based* company will have to follow this law, and if you're in the US,* it's illegal to collect addresses and send out a mailing list without including a postal address. It IS annoying. I use a UPS mailbox. IANAL, but as M.H. Lee said, I think it just has to be a postal address where you can legitimately be reached.

* I know this is law in the US, so if you and/or your mailing list company are US-based you must do this. I believe it's law in the UK and some other countries as well.
 

HannahC

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Thanks guys - it's helpful to know there's not really a workaround for this (except to get a mailbox - here in the UK that's a bit too expensive to contemplate).
 

Old Hack

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It only costs about £60 a year for a PO Box address.
 

HannahC

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Thanks. I've only ever looked at royal mail prices before, which are expensive. £60 is also far too much considering I don't actually need a po-box - I just want a mailing list!

I've just had a google though and found this PAYG one which looks like it would be free so long as I never actually asked them to forward mail onto me.

http://ukpostbox.com/
 

Laer Carroll

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Some blog/site platforms have a feature which can be used to set up a mailing list. Some have more than one.

WordPress.com has several widgets (a term which has a specific meaning in WP) which can be used for that function. WordPress.org (WP on a self-hosted site) also has them, and also allows you to install plugins such as one for MailChimp.

Here is a link with more info: https://en.forums.wordpress.com/topic/why-isnt-it-easy-to-setup-a-mailing-list-for-the-siteblog
 

slhuang

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Some blog/site platforms have a feature which can be used to set up a mailing list. Some have more than one.

WordPress.com has several widgets (a term which has a specific meaning in WP) which can be used for that function. WordPress.org (WP on a self-hosted site) also has them, and also allows you to install plugins such as one for MailChimp.

Here is a link with more info: https://en.forums.wordpress.com/topic/why-isnt-it-easy-to-setup-a-mailing-list-for-the-siteblog

This is absolutely true, but it does not change the legalities of the situation. If UK law is that a postal address must be included, it must be included no matter how the OP sets up the mailing list.

(I tried a variety of mailing list setups, by the way, including a couple WP plugins, and I found the MailChimp interface the easiest and most intuitive for designing the newsletters. YMMV, of course!)
 

AndreaGS

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I really love MailChimp--it's been very easy to use and looks marvelous.

Do you know anyone with a business address who wouldn't mind you using it?
 

SBibb

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I was just looking into this matter this week. I checked with both UPS and USPS. For purposes of the mailing list, I'm thinking the USPS post office box sounds like the choice I'm going to go with (closer, less expensive, and I don't necessarily need the perks that come with the UPS box).
 

WeaselFire

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Is there any way around this issue, so that I wouldn't have to include my postal address?

A postal address doesn't have to be your personal address. If you're writing erotica, form a LLC under your pen name, use a registered agent and open a separate bank account and mail box. Hide your real person deep, there are nuts out there. :)

Jeff
 
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