We all get too much email – sometimes we want less. I’ve been continually infuriated by companies (mostly large) that make it “Oh so easy” to subscribe and nearly freaking impossible to UNsubscribe. When I agree to “sign up” I’m not agreeing to become shackled to them for life, I just wanted some info.
Marriott sent me over the edge this afternoon because they commit the 3 major crimes of Email Hostage Taking:
1. Tiny grey on grey “unsubscribe’ link hidden in a bunch of text at the bottom (Really? Do you think I’ll stay because you’re cleverly deceptive?)
2. Fill in your email address. (Really? You are re-targeting me all over the internet and you can’t track me from the email you sent me? Ah! You can, because when I click “Reservations” the screen says “Hi Mike” – more deception)
3. The Worst: “Please allow 10 business days to process your request” REALLY? Why? Is Mrs Smith over in the unsubscribe department on vacation? Do you have the Pony Express on the job? It’s a computer – I should be unsubscribed (as requested) before I ever leave the page.
The 4th deadly sin is sending an email that says “You’re unsubscribed! Sorry to see you go!” Really? I JUST ASKED YOU TO NOT EMAIL ME ANYMORE … so ‘just one more’ like a couple of 5 year olds playing last-touch-tag after yelling “Mom, make him stop”
Thankfully I see this mostly from Corporate mail, not SMB emailers like us, but there is a lesson to be learned; people come and people go – sometimes they go and come back later. I don’t like to be held hostage and neither do you.
Let’s all make sure we make it easy for people to join our email list, let’s make sure we provide good, valuable, consistently interesting and useful email – and when they’ve had enough for the moment, let’s assume they will be back and treat them with respect. It’s not that hard – every email handler (Infusionsoft, Mail Chimp, Aweber, Constant Contact, etc) has a one or two click unsubscribe.
Treat people with respect coming and going and there will be a lot more coming than going. Does all this talk of email make you crave the occasional one from us? 🙂 Sign up – if you ever want to unsubscribe, it’s easy.
