Saturday, August 25, 2007

E-Mail newsletter hell

Written to Ziff-Davis...

I get email promotions from you.  The latest is "The Best of Web Buyer's Guide This Week" I see an article and actually want it.  I go to the download site...I get lots of these, have I registered before?  I can't remember.  I type in all the normal logins...losing patience.  Do i really want that whitepaper?  I check the e-mail address you sent the original message to.  I use it to try and retrieve the password...no soap.  It says I'm not registered.  So I try to register, it says that e-mail address is already being used.  I sure don't want to start getting two of those buyer's guides...so I give up.  The white paper might have been worth a few clicks, even a 'remind me about my password' exchange, but it sure isn't worth this.  I'm only writing this because it seems like the whole industry is stuck in a loop.  Harvest e-mail addresses, share them with your friends, affiliates, colleagues, customers, etc.   Send messages (not exactly SPAM, but not far from it - the white paper offer WAS interesting,) then make the poor slob register to MAKE SURE you've got his e-mail address...more logins, more passwords to remember, more clutter in my life... AND THEN IT DOESN'T WORK!

No comments: