April 14th, 2009
by Lorrie Thomas
Get over your email ego - own your communications
So many professionals have lost professionalism and have fallen into a sick egotistic assumption-consumption pattern with email. To be clear, I am talking “assume” as in in makes an “ass” of “u” and “me.
I see a overwhelming trend occurring worldwide that plagues professionals. It seems that they subconsciously assume that when they send an email, the ownership is off them….their egoism assumes that their recipient is at their desk anxiously awaiting the incoming message and have to take immediate action. (Admit it, you’ve been on the sending and receiving end of this!) Funny, true or sick, email ego-assumption-consumption is a marketing no-no….
Get over passive email ego stuff and get over yourself, your web marketing will thank you for it.
Emails tend to have a lifespan of THREE DAYS. If you don’t get a reply, do not assume that you will. Try a new communication medium.
Own the process of finding the communication mediums that work for your customers. This is not a one size fits all process. Some folks like phone, some like snail mail (I cringe as I type this, but direct mail still works on some markets) twitter, text, Facebook, podcast, RSS, radio or TV (or a melange ofseveral to reinforce messages!!)
I am flooded on a daily basis with passive-aggressive comments like “I sent you that email” or “It’s in the email I sent” comments. What I hear from these folks (translation from the therapist) is: “I choose to not be accountable for my marketing communications and I am assuming that my email was delivered to you perfectly and I assume you have nothing better to do then read my email start to finish, totally understand it, write me back and take action.”
(Actually, the likelihood that your emails are read and understood from top to bottom is very unlikely, delivered or not!)
web surfers scan, they don’t read
So in the name of making this web writing fast and scan-able, I’ll be brief and wrap this rant up.
Get over yourself when it comes to email and test it, track it, find alternative ways to connect and OWN IT if you don’t get email replies!
I love email and share information but the gargantuan egos that assume you people are eagerly waiting your email is…well….very ego-y…
Someone has to call out this behavior and get it out in the open!!! Spread the “fight email egoism!!” post and help make the web world a better place!
Web Marketing Therapy Related Links:
- Email – Passive Aggressive Perpetrator?
- eMail Marketing Rejuvenation
- Web Marketing Intervention – Email Bankruptcy
- What’s better? A blog or email marketing?
Simon Erich
(April 14th, 2009 at 11:06 am)
Gosh, I don’t know ANYBODY who does that! Who sends emails and then wants immediate confirmation of said email and confirmation of completion, and sends 3 page diagrams of what they want done? Crazy people!
Why aren’t you answering my comment? Didn’t you receive my comment? I’m sure you must have seen it, I mean, after all… it’s on your blog. Are you listening to me?
;’ )~ The Wild Web Guys (and Gal) send Hugs!
Keith T.
(April 14th, 2009 at 2:11 pm)
I sent an email to my therpist about curing my “email passive ego crud”, but I never heard back from her. Guess that means I’m cured. I feel better already, maybe I’ll send another email to thank her…
The Marketing Therapist
(April 14th, 2009 at 3:26 pm)
I love it – sass from my web boyfriend and my life boyfriend…I am a lucky girl!
And I promise not to reply to your emails
Hugs from the Wild Web Woman and her Wild Web Womanettes
Sue
(April 15th, 2009 at 12:41 pm)
Guilty as charged! Go, Girl, dish it out to those of us who expect an immediate response from your busy crew. I can’t get to all my email and I’m a fraction as busy as you.