Once upon a time there lived three Billy goat brothers. They were considered forward-thinking marketers and each had developed extensive opt-in email lists.

One sunny day the smallest of the three goats set out to market his wares and started across a small wooden bridge. When the Billy goat was half across, an ugly troll leaped from underneath.

“Who’s that tippy-tap, tippy-tapping over my bridge?” said the ugly troll.

Now, although this troll was quite ugly he was quite a media mogul. He owned a popular television station and several magazines with massive subscriber bases. So he was accustomed to pushing others around.

“Tis I, smallest of three brother goats. Please let me cross your bridge, I wish to market my wares on the other side.”

“You’d like to cross, would you?” snarled the troll. “Over the bridge there are hundreds who could buy your wares. I can give you access to them, but for a price.”

“Thanks, but no thanks,” said the smallest Billy goat brother. He skipped away and sent an email out to his opt-in subscribers. The email brought in a 30% conversion rate, so he was quite happy.

Later the same day, the medium-sized Billy goat brother set out to market his wares and came across the same wooden bridge.

“Who’s that going rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat over my bridge?” said the troll.

“Tis I, the middle of three brother goats. Let me cross your bridge so I may market my wares on the other side.”

“I see you are larger than the brother I met earlier today, but are you smarter as well? He was foolish and did not recognize my power. I can give you access to thousands over the bridge who may buy your wares. But to cross over, you shall pay a price.”

“No thanks,” said the medium-sized Billy goat. He hopped away and sent out an email to his opt-in subscribers which returned a 40% conversion rate.

Without these new advertisers, the troll began to worry. How would he keep the wife in the lifestyle to which she had grown accustomed, without ad revenue? He had grown wealthy as gatekeeper to the masses he interrupted with ads and commercials as they tried to go about their daily business.

Plus, he liked jumping out from under the bridge and scaring people.

Soon after, the largest and oldest of the three goat brothers began to cross the bridge. The troll leaped up from beneath the bridge and snarled his best and ugliest snarl.

“Who goes tromp-tromp, trompity-tromping over my bridge?” said the troll.

“Tis I, the eldest of three brother goats. I am crossing the bridge to eat daisies in yon field.”

“But your brothers wanted to sell their wares, don’t you too? For a small price, a mere pittance really, I can give you access to millions who will buy.”

“I am not interested,” said the eldest goat. “Your ads interrupt people and they have learned to ignore you. My customers have given me permission to contact them because they are already interested in my wares, so I have no use for your ads.”

“But I can help you reach billions,” said the troll. “I can put your wares in front of more people than you ever dreamed possible.”

“Permission-based marketing methods are replacing the interruption-based model, and old gatekeepers who control access to customers are becoming a thing of the past. You too shall become a thing of the past if you don’t step aside and allow me to cross the bridge.”

But the troll had too much vested in the old methods of marketing. Besides he was a bit of a control freak, so he wouldn’t step aside.

The eldest of the goat brothers applied a head butt to the ugly troll’s belly, knocking the ugly troll into the gully below. The eldest goat then crossed the bridge and enjoyed an afternoon of munching delicious daisies. Later that day, he went home and sent out an email to his opt-in subscribers which returned a 50% conversion rate.

So of course he lived happily ever after.