Heres an interesting one for you all to ponder.

On my new site I will be listing web hosts. In order to build up a database to entice visitors I want to add hosts manually, put in all their details, then e-mail them telling them they have been added and giving them a username, password and a link where they can delete the listing if they wish.

I don't want this to appear like spam, though. I'm totally anti-spam and won't be doing any mass-mailing etc. Just building up 20-100 hosts in the database.

So, would you view this as spam or not (please vote!)

Also, any tips for how to word the e-mail?

I personally would view it as SPAM.

Clearly it isn't, but emailing them and telling them that they have a username & password when they didn't request any such thing, is very similar to SPAM.

I find most emails that I get where I'm told 'You have been added to our database' are very stiff and I delete them. I do respond differently when the email has been worded better, and I get the impression that it's personal.

I think if you were to email hosts and tell them that you added them to your site, then that would be ok. But I wouldn't give them their username and password, because that's too much, IMO. You could tell them in the email that you can give them a password and username if they want one. But I wouldn't do that until they request it.

Or...send them an email first before you even add them to your site. Because if they don't want to be added in the first place, that could cause some headaches when they find out "you have been added" after the fact. Also, don't send it to a list...send each one individually and personalized.

Yeah, it'll take longer, but it makes you more credible.