You know, I have long suffered from a condition that makes me easily annoyed with people who don’t have at least a little respect for my personal e-mail address.
As many of you know, I have been known to buy a house or two in my time for investment purposes. As such, I am a member of a Real Estate Investors Association. During our meetings, new investors who are trying to build up a list of contacts are always asking for cards or passing out email list sign-up forms. I have no problem at all with this practice as I think it is a great way to build a network.. However, where I am going with this is that there should be some certification required before people are allowed to send out a message with over just a few recipients. ESPECIALLY if it is a marketing message.
Let me phrase it differently: Putting a group of recipients that don’t know each other in the “TO:” box of a message instead of the “BCC:” box of a message should be a crime. This is one of my biggest pet peeves – ever – and it seems there is always a new batch of nitwits that don’t have the common sense to figure it out. I mean, really, it’s bad enough that every time I buy a product online I have to search the page for that conveniently pre-checked box that subscribes me to another newsletter that I don’t want.. Why should I have to be constantly replying to people and explaining to them that there are some simple rules you should follow, out of common courtesy, when sending an email.
SO:
I have come up with what I think could be a polite, but effective way to curb this. Instead of replying with my normal, canned response, I have come up with a new response. Here it is:
Dear Friend,
Thank you for your message, but I think you might have have broken one of the rules.
Please visit:Â http://www.pleaselearntherules.com/
Thank you and regards.
Yes, as you may have guessed, I also created the Please Learn The Rules web site. Now before you go on ranting about how much time I must have on my hands, consider that I have about a half hour in putting that site online (most of which was re-wording the text several times so people don’t get offended). Then think of how much time it takes to skim through 40 or 50 emails a day that you have no interest in, just to find out you have no interest in them. In that respect, you could say I did it for the benefit of everyone.
Feel free to send along any rule-breakers you come across to the site also. Let’s take back our inboxes and spread the word!
Thanks for your time.
