If you want to target a large group with an email message, there are two ways to do it. First, you could include each person's email address separately in your recipient list. This is tedious and definitely not something you'll want to repeat after you struggle through it once. Another problem with this method is that some email software will limit the number of recipients you may include. A second, and often better, option is to use a list manager. List manager software allows you to send a message to many recipients at the same time. This is an especially useful tool if you will be sending a common email message (such as an e-newsletter) to the same group over time.

To send a note to a list, you simply enter one email address that proxies the entire recipient list. The note is then sent on to each email address registered on the list. Like many other Internet and e-commerce items, you may choose either to develop your own list, using special software, or have it hosted by a third party. Alternatively, your ISP may provide this as a service to subscribers.

However you choose to manage your lists, there are a few netiquette items to consider. The first relates to your choices about how responses to the list's emails are handled. You may have up to four options.

1. You could allow no responses at all.


2. You could allow responses to the entire list.


3. You could allow responses only to the sender.


4. You could allow the respondent to select either “reply,” which would send a response only to the sender, or “reply to all,” which would send the response to the entire list. For most small business uses, responding to the entire list is bad netiquette and will bother or offend many. In many cases, you, as the owner or manager, will probably want their response, so allowing that to happen may be attractive to you.

The second major issue relates to Spam, or unsolicited email. A Spam message is the electronic equivalent of junk mail. If you have an email account you may have received Spam related to stock prices, mortgage rates, or how you may be able to help a person in Nigeria recover millions of dollars left after a relative's death. Be sure to delete and establish a filter for all of those. More importantly, don't Spam your customers. Allow them to opt-in to your list and be sure that they can always opt out at will. Most list manager software packages allow recipients to subscribe and cancel subscriptions simply by sending an email. This should be the norm.