I Don’t Read Your Emails Anymore

Yeah you, FaceBook “Friends”! I don’t read your teleseminar emails, your “join this” emails, or your “special deal” emails. Nope! I trash ’em!

I have some real friends on FaceBook. You know, the kind who actually KNOW me, that have talked to me about something real, who have taken the time to be a real person to me. If they ask me to join something (which they only do if they are reasonably certain I will be interested – see, they KNOW me well enough to know that!), then I read their message, and consider it.

But if all I have ever seen of you is your name in an ad, you haven’t got a chance. If you email me on a regular basis with ads, and have never taken the time to so much as look at my profile (by which you’d know I’m death on internet marketing spam tactics!), then you are going to be trashed without being read. In fact, I won’t even read the TITLE of the email (yours are so long that all I ever see in my email program is your name… you know, the hypy one that is too long…). I never SEE the great thing you are trying to advertise, all I see is your name and BLIP! You’re GONE!

I’m a nice person. At least, most of the people who know me say that (if you ask my teenage daughter who is in a mood, she might not agree, but the prevailing concensus is that I’m not mean). I don’t like getting snotty about this. But sometimes I think that this is all that certain people will HEAR!

I’m also NORMAL! Virtually EVERYBODY, except internet and social networking greenies, react the same way I do. They don’t have time for people like you! Their life is full of meaningful relationships, urgent tasks, and offers from trusted sources. Why in the world would they even bother to read your ad when you haven’t bothered to try to even get to know them?

You may think you are following the rules – you may think that your PM blasts fit some rule of “relationship building”. They don’t. They are ads. In a world saturated with ads. Everybody is screaming, and nobody is listening to anyone who hollers. They are listening to those who quietly talk to them, person to person.

Next week, I’ll be unfriending anyone who sends me regular PM blasts who doesn’t even know my name. I encourage everyone who reads this to do the same. They can all go and holler to themselves. The rest of us have a real life, and a real business, and we’re too busy succeeding to listen to your immature irritations.

If you need to know how to do it right, I’m always willing to help – and that ISN’T an ad. Countless people will tell you I’ve offered them free resources that were solid, or gave advice without cost that was invaluable. I don’t want to stop anyone from succeeding. I just want to help them get out of their own way, and stop irritating the very people they ought to be befriending!

4 Responses to I Don’t Read Your Emails Anymore

  • bwoodsdesign says:

    Hey this was funny! Reminds me of my Facebook rant earlier this fall. It’s all become noise. Not soft, white noise, not even gray noise. More like LOUD, SCREAMIN’ FUSCHIA noise, LOL!

    What? People can send you PM blasts? I didn’t think people could do that. No one does that to me. Then again, I’m not linking to everyone around the universe, either.

    I say, trash some of the ever-popular applications (even the ones you think are useful…that’s how folks are finding you–through them) and/or get a “page” at Facebook so that you can run it more like the big companies and celebs do… that way, people can only be “fans” and post to your wall and nothing else. They can’t send you junk, you don’t have to play games, be a pirate, and all that nonsense.

    Soon as I update my site, that’s what I’m going to do.

    PS – Still had to register to post a comment. No biggie though, I guess.

  • Laura says:

    Yes, they can PM you if you are listed as their friend. They can, in fact, PM a bunch of people at once.

    If you join a group, there are some group leaders who think that this means they should bury you in spam invites every few days – you can leave those groups though, no problem. Others are more polite about it, and keep it relevant and useful.

    I have notices from my apps turned off. They can holler all they want and I just won’t even hear.

    Laura

  • Dawn Lawson says:

    I agree. I find it ever so frustrating when people e-mail ads to me. It turns me away from their product or service as oppose to attracting me to it. If this nuisance becomes a habit, I delete them from my friends list. Do these people really get any ROI for the time they put into being annoying?

    And yes, I can vouch for you being a super nice person! You have always gone above and beyond to help me when I get stuck, further my knowledge and understanding of web design and business management, along with encouraging and supporting me through all facets of owning my Virtual Assistance business. I really appreciate all you have done for me! Thank you.

  • Well, being brand new on FaceBook, I spent the first session just making sure my privacy settings won’t expose me to this type of “Fuschia Noise” (nice one, Bobbi Jo!)

    Of course, I suspect there is a trade-off between finding your target market and shielding yourself.

    With friends like you and Bobbi Jo, though, I’m sure I’ll find the happy balance.

    Cheers,

    Mitch

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