The 2003 e-mail marketer's challenge: getting it opened, getting it read.

When I first started sending e-mail campaigns back in 1985 messages were opened and read and response rates were sky high. That's because we were reaching an elite group of people who were early adaptors who enjoyed their online life.

Today e-mail is so widespread and its inner workings are so much better understood we're the victims of our own technological success. We're hearing complaints from people that more than fifty percent of their mail boxes are filled with spare or unwanted, unrequested messages.

We're entered the era of the DN's: the Do Not Call List, now the Do Not Spam list is coming. We're creating a culture of negative marketing arsenals to protect consumers from marketing that they do not want. "Back, back," or "Down, down," is the message the public is giving when more than 60 million sign up for the Do Not Call List.