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?
