Lets talk E-mail!
| Category: E-mail Marketing | Date: 2002-06-20 |
No one realizes better than I the incredible amount of time it takes to run an online business. What I dont understand is why so many online business owners cant be bothered to deal with their correspondence effectively. This is especially prevalent with some of the "big names" in the Internet.
I recently received a request from one of these people via email. I responded, granting his request and asking a couple of questions. When he eventually (three weeks later) wrote to me again, he told me more specifically what he wanted. Yet, he completely ignored the questions I had asked - even though he had copied my email (containing my questions) when he used the reply function.
I can only believe that this guy read my email JUST far enough to find what he wanted - and ignored the rest. I hope thats it. Id hate to think he considered himself so important that he isnt required to answer legitimate questions. I mean I WAS important enough for him to ask for a favor. Apparently, just not important enough to deserve a response to my concerns.
So, lets talk about email ...
Do You Read Your Email?
Or, do you shove it into files to - read "when you have time" - or worse, be forgotten. Ive seen online company owners complain that they didnt have all the information needed to make a decision when, in fact, they simply failed to read their email. Do you think Proctor & Gamble shoves mail into a drawer somewhere - only to be read when someone gets around to it?
I once heard a woman whine that she gets nearly 900 pieces of email a day and everyone should just be patient until she gets around to them. Maybe if this woman unsubscribed from a few discussion lists - or used Digest Versions - shed have time to run her business.
I wonder if even General Motors gets 900 pieces of mail a day. If you actually get that many pieces of business email a day, you can darn well afford to hire an administrative assistant to deal with it.
Well yes, there is that "spam" thing. Im not even going to get into that debate because its a waste of time. If you have time to sit around screaming about whats "spam" and what isnt, you arent spending much time building your business.
The bottom line with "spam" is - you know it when you see it. You dont have to waste time reading it. Trying to punish everyone who sends you an email (even for a legitimate business purpose) because of those who habitually abuse the system is extremely counterproductive - and will cost you money in the long run.
If you are going to run a professional business, you have to put your contact information on your site. If your contact information is on your site, youre going to get "spam." A gazillion other ways are out there to send "spam" and more pop up every day.
"Spam" a fact of Internet life. It isnt going to stop without regulation. Im sure you can find more lucrative ways to spend your time than trying to kill an elephant with a fly swatter.
I understand that, in some countries, people have to pay for their time on the Internet in time increments. I also understand that, because of this situation, people may consider "spam" to be theft - and Im sure it can get expensive. But then, so are the security officers that many companies have to hire to protect their property. Its a cost of doing business!
One of the most costly things about "spam" is the filters that people install to avoid it. This can cost you business - sometimes business thats worth considerably more than the than the cost of the time and storage space you think youre saving.
People are not mind readers. They have no idea what kind of things youre filtering. A customer who is writing to you regarding a huge order may inadvertently use something in the subject line that you have your filter programmed to send to the
trash.
Why the heck should I have to stop and try to analyze the subject line of every outgoing email? Why the heck do I have to spend MY time trying to decide if it will make it past a YOUR filter - when Im writing for information on a product YOU are trying to sell ME?!
I do not support "spam" in any way - nor, do I use it. However, when you take a blanket stance that costs you money in the long run, youre defeating yourself. Bulk email ads that come from phony email addresses are easy to spot if youve been on the Internet for more that 3 days. A savvy business person will pick and choose what needs attention before automatically sending it to the trash.
Do You Answer Your Email?
Im talking about legitimate correspondence from one business to another. If someone contacts you for a business purpose - or even sends you additional information, they deserve a response - even if its a short note.
If you have changed your mind about something you were planning with another company - do you tell them so? Or, do you just ignore all further email from them. Or, even worse, do you change your email address without notifying them? This is the epitome of amateur behavior! Your time is no more valuable then theirs.
If you are asked a question - do you answer it? Or, did you just skim through the email looking for what you wanted - ignoring the rest? How long can it take to type a few lines of response?
Why would anyone believe that if a customer cant get the answer to a question in a reasonable amount of time, that he, or she, wont click right on to the next web site that offers the same product you offer? Why should a potential customer - or even a potential business contact - wait for me to "get around to them?"
This is one place where business on the "outside" is different from business on the Internet. Understand that a reasonable amount of time for regular mail is too long to have to wait for an answer via email.
This is a fast-paced medium and youd better keep up. Ive spent several hundred dollars at a time on software with the next company on my list because someone couldnt bother to return a phone call or respond to an email message in a reasonable amount of time.
Thirty days is not a reasonable amount of time! If you can’t answer an email in less than two or three days, at the very least apologize to the sender for the tardiness of your response.
If you’re getting too much email to handle by yourself, you have a couple of options. Get help - or find a way to cut down on your incoming email. You may have to establish some priorities. Im betting that you have WAY more email list messages in your "In" box than "spam." Read your email lists online!
I’ve received email from people claiming to be on my web site when they simply had sent a "spider robot" out through the Web to pick up email addresses. These people do not deserve a response. They are wasting your time!
As a professional, you must use professional criteria in deciding how to spend your time. This does include email responses - however, you must be careful. Please don’t ignore legitimate email - or questions!
About the author:
dr. jl scott is the Director of the International Council of Online Professionals (iCop) - and also the publisher of MONDAY MEMO! - the ezine dedicated to upgrading Professionalism on the Web. For your FREE subscription: Monday-Memo-on@MondayMemo.org
jlscott@i-Cop.org
http://www.i-cop.org/
I recently received a request from one of these people via email. I responded, granting his request and asking a couple of questions. When he eventually (three weeks later) wrote to me again, he told me more specifically what he wanted. Yet, he completely ignored the questions I had asked - even though he had copied my email (containing my questions) when he used the reply function.
I can only believe that this guy read my email JUST far enough to find what he wanted - and ignored the rest. I hope thats it. Id hate to think he considered himself so important that he isnt required to answer legitimate questions. I mean I WAS important enough for him to ask for a favor. Apparently, just not important enough to deserve a response to my concerns.
So, lets talk about email ...
Do You Read Your Email?
Or, do you shove it into files to - read "when you have time" - or worse, be forgotten. Ive seen online company owners complain that they didnt have all the information needed to make a decision when, in fact, they simply failed to read their email. Do you think Proctor & Gamble shoves mail into a drawer somewhere - only to be read when someone gets around to it?
I once heard a woman whine that she gets nearly 900 pieces of email a day and everyone should just be patient until she gets around to them. Maybe if this woman unsubscribed from a few discussion lists - or used Digest Versions - shed have time to run her business.
I wonder if even General Motors gets 900 pieces of mail a day. If you actually get that many pieces of business email a day, you can darn well afford to hire an administrative assistant to deal with it.
Well yes, there is that "spam" thing. Im not even going to get into that debate because its a waste of time. If you have time to sit around screaming about whats "spam" and what isnt, you arent spending much time building your business.
The bottom line with "spam" is - you know it when you see it. You dont have to waste time reading it. Trying to punish everyone who sends you an email (even for a legitimate business purpose) because of those who habitually abuse the system is extremely counterproductive - and will cost you money in the long run.
If you are going to run a professional business, you have to put your contact information on your site. If your contact information is on your site, youre going to get "spam." A gazillion other ways are out there to send "spam" and more pop up every day.
"Spam" a fact of Internet life. It isnt going to stop without regulation. Im sure you can find more lucrative ways to spend your time than trying to kill an elephant with a fly swatter.
I understand that, in some countries, people have to pay for their time on the Internet in time increments. I also understand that, because of this situation, people may consider "spam" to be theft - and Im sure it can get expensive. But then, so are the security officers that many companies have to hire to protect their property. Its a cost of doing business!
One of the most costly things about "spam" is the filters that people install to avoid it. This can cost you business - sometimes business thats worth considerably more than the than the cost of the time and storage space you think youre saving.
People are not mind readers. They have no idea what kind of things youre filtering. A customer who is writing to you regarding a huge order may inadvertently use something in the subject line that you have your filter programmed to send to the
trash.
Why the heck should I have to stop and try to analyze the subject line of every outgoing email? Why the heck do I have to spend MY time trying to decide if it will make it past a YOUR filter - when Im writing for information on a product YOU are trying to sell ME?!
I do not support "spam" in any way - nor, do I use it. However, when you take a blanket stance that costs you money in the long run, youre defeating yourself. Bulk email ads that come from phony email addresses are easy to spot if youve been on the Internet for more that 3 days. A savvy business person will pick and choose what needs attention before automatically sending it to the trash.
Do You Answer Your Email?
Im talking about legitimate correspondence from one business to another. If someone contacts you for a business purpose - or even sends you additional information, they deserve a response - even if its a short note.
If you have changed your mind about something you were planning with another company - do you tell them so? Or, do you just ignore all further email from them. Or, even worse, do you change your email address without notifying them? This is the epitome of amateur behavior! Your time is no more valuable then theirs.
If you are asked a question - do you answer it? Or, did you just skim through the email looking for what you wanted - ignoring the rest? How long can it take to type a few lines of response?
Why would anyone believe that if a customer cant get the answer to a question in a reasonable amount of time, that he, or she, wont click right on to the next web site that offers the same product you offer? Why should a potential customer - or even a potential business contact - wait for me to "get around to them?"
This is one place where business on the "outside" is different from business on the Internet. Understand that a reasonable amount of time for regular mail is too long to have to wait for an answer via email.
This is a fast-paced medium and youd better keep up. Ive spent several hundred dollars at a time on software with the next company on my list because someone couldnt bother to return a phone call or respond to an email message in a reasonable amount of time.
Thirty days is not a reasonable amount of time! If you can’t answer an email in less than two or three days, at the very least apologize to the sender for the tardiness of your response.
If you’re getting too much email to handle by yourself, you have a couple of options. Get help - or find a way to cut down on your incoming email. You may have to establish some priorities. Im betting that you have WAY more email list messages in your "In" box than "spam." Read your email lists online!
I’ve received email from people claiming to be on my web site when they simply had sent a "spider robot" out through the Web to pick up email addresses. These people do not deserve a response. They are wasting your time!
As a professional, you must use professional criteria in deciding how to spend your time. This does include email responses - however, you must be careful. Please don’t ignore legitimate email - or questions!
About the author:
dr. jl scott is the Director of the International Council of Online Professionals (iCop) - and also the publisher of MONDAY MEMO! - the ezine dedicated to upgrading Professionalism on the Web. For your FREE subscription: Monday-Memo-on@MondayMemo.org
jlscott@i-Cop.org
http://www.i-cop.org/
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