You can’t import your list of friends, colleagues, contacts, or address book, without each contact providing permission to be on your email list first.
Let's dive into the details.
As per our Acceptable Use Policy, we require that all Subscribers have given direct permission to receive marketing emails from you, or to have purchased one of your items or services within the past 12 months and consented to receive emails at the time of purchase.
We require this permission to protect both yours and ConvertKit’s sender reputation, which helps ensure that the emails you send reach the inbox of your subscribers.
If your subscribers receive an email from you and they either don’t know you, don’t expect the email, or simply forgot that you have been talking months ago during a conference or in a meeting, they will likely mark your mail as spam or let it sit untouched in their mailbox -- both of which will harm your reputation and deliverability.
If Gmail, Yahoo, or another mailbox provider sees one of these actions, they will assume you are sending emails that are unwanted or unsolicited. As a result, your sending reputation could be damaged, causing emails to land in the spam folder or bounce completely.
How should I add my personal contacts to my email list?
The best way to add your friends, family, and colleagues to your email list is to set up a form or landing page in ConvertKit, and share it with your contacts.
You can send them a link to your form or landing page via your personal email, outside of ConvertKit, or through social media platforms, by text, in person, etc.
The important thing is to ensure you're providing each of your contacts with the chance to sign up to receive your emails on their own accord. Permission is important when it comes to keeping your sender reputation healthy, and it will also help you maintain trust with your contacts.