amy cham :: pixels + people

How Not to do Email: The user's view

Today I am doing something that is long overdue. I am engaging in the tedious task of going through my bulk email and unsubscribing from most of the senders.

Looking at all these emails all at once has brought all the most irritating email practices into sharp focus.  Message to senders: if you do these things, the odds of my actually engaging with your "offer" is essentially nil.

Also note, I am not speaking as a marketer. I am speaking as your audience.

Here's my Email Ick List:

• Sending me "offers" (and lots of them) that have nothing to do with why I might do business with you. I may have flown on your airline last year, that does not mean I need your help finding someplace to buy flowers.  Same goes for you, credit cards.
• Insisting that I log in to my account on your site to unsubscribe. I mean, really?
• Having an unsubscribe page that is "down for maintenance."
• Putting me on five different email lists because I bought something from you once.
• Taking 10 days to process my unsubscribe request.  Am I to believe you do not have access to an automated system?

Other bad ideas that aren't necessarily mortal sins:

• Using an image for your unsubscribe link.
• Using all images for your content and not applying useful alt tags.
• Putting your unsubscribe link in an odd place.

Aside from the obvious complaints of WAY too much email and promiscuous list sharing, what did I miss?

The Pricing Puzzle

Just what do I think I'm worth?

One of the things I learned quickly upon starting Paper Swan Photography was that figuring out what to charge--and what to provide--is one of the most difficult parts of the job.  When I first started, like so many others, I simply took whatever I could get--or worked for free--and was (truly) grateful for the opportunity.

Now I am in another place altogether.  I'm not a world-famous 'rock star' photographer, but I'm not a baby anymore either.  In this middle ground, where so many of us reside, there is, it turns out, absolutely no standardization in pricing.  None. Zero. Zilch.

A snowy morning in NYC

Growing up in Bernhards Bay, NY...what, never heard of it? No way!!  It's here.

As I was saying, growing up in Bernhards Bay, there weren't too many people, but we were surrounded by two things--trees, and snow. Lots of both.

Since moving to Manhattan, I don't generally see quite so much of either.

This morning as he was heading out to work, my husband called me and said to get outside with a camera, because he had never seen the snow on the trees quite like it was, and I should get some pictures.  For Manhattan, is was, in fact, a rare and beautiful sight!

See them bigger, or check out the full set on Flickr!

Things I Love (no matter what)

Oprah gets to go around telling everyone about her favorite stuff, now its my turn! Just a little silly fun here, don't go looking for profound words of wisdom at the end...well, maybe from Michael Pollan...

Disclosure - Yep, I'm tacking on Amazon Associates links right and left here. Why the heck not? The opinions, however, are 100% true and 100% mine!

Some things just stick with you. They may not be cool, or classy, or intellectually impressive, but you meet, you fall in love, and that's that.  We've all got a list...here's mine.

Facebook Marketing for Moms, Friends, and Cheerleaders

Know somebody with their own business? Betcha do! And if you're like most people with entrepreneurial friends and relatives, you would love to see their venture be a success.

You may have emailed their web address to your friends, talked about the business, or passed along their business card if you have one. But did you know that if you are on Facebook there are a couple of powerful tools that are quick and super-easy to use, and could give the entrepreneur (or, for that matter, job hunter or house seller) in your life a big boost in reaching a new audience?

There are two specific tools that I have in mind...the Facebook "Share" link and "Suggest to friends" link.