Is Email Marketing Really Like Direct (Snail Mail) Marketing?

Hello, Everyone.

I've been told that email marketing is basically like direct mail marketing. Have others here found this to be true?

Apparently, the message you put in the subject line is just like the teaser copy that would go on the outside of the envelope (so as to increase the chance of your message being read). Is this also correct?

And, the main difference is your email copy should not be nearly as long as a direct mail letter might be. It should read more like a postcard.

Does this make sense to anyone here?

Now, I ask because I have website that I've been promoting through forum postings (sig file), articles, and joint ventures. But, I've been thinking about using direct email marketing to "double-optins" (CAN-Spam compliant).

There is one company I found that, after reading the faqs, really seems to be on the up and up: DoubleOptinMedia (add a dot com). Is anybody here familiar with them?

Anyway, before I leap into what seems almost too good to be true, I though I'd get some input from the Members of this Forum.

Thanks for sharing Guys.

-- Thomas