How’s that for click bait?
Does Unsolicited Stuff Bother You?
I have to admit, some unsolicited stuff bothers me. It’s one thing if I sign up for a newsletter or follow an account. It’s different if someone visits a contact form on my site and spams me.
I have a personal rule to never, ever, neverever exchange money, time, or information for any product or service I learn about via spam.
I used to react poorly when people used LinkedIn messages to try and sell me products or services. I get a lot of LinkedIn messages these days. When I have a couple minutes, I respond and let some senders know I appreciate them reaching out, but I do not now have a need for their service or product. I’m polite. I wish them well. They are, after all, attempting to earn a living. I do not consider this spam.
Before you scroll down to begin typing that comment about how wrong I am, please allow me to share that, in my opinion, you get to decide what you do and do not like for yourself.
As do I.
I also get to choose my response.
As do you.
Standing Out
Many of the people with whom I am kind reply along the lines of, “Thank you for your kind response.” I imagine this is because they receive so few kind responses that kind responses stand out.
Relationships – friends, business, and both friend and business relationships – have started this way. Some of those relationships have generated solutions for contacts with whom I was kind, and profit for me.
Conclusion
I reckon this is kind of a meta-post – a blog post about a blog post titled It Costs Precisely $0.00USD to be Nice. “Be nice” is second in my Most Hits list for this blog. I ping it almost every year, and I had not pinged that post in a while. It was time.
Peace. And Merry Christmas 2021!
°<:{>
Andy, I’m so glad you posted this. I’ve been wanting to catch you about your car warranty …
LOL! Just kidding there Andy. Good post. I actually don’t mind when people contact me. The contact form on my website is there to be used.
I often think people would sell more if somehow they could contact me at the right moment. A tree guy during summer could have capitalized on my need to have some trees cut, and a furnace guy would not be unwelcome right now.
I actually buy often from companies that I have bought from in the past that email about sale pricing or new products. Recently I bought a course from an author who spammed me about his new course offering. Was that spam? Or is it not spam because I’ve read his book and follow his podcast?
What’s harder to remember is whether I’ve bought anything recently as a result of a stone cold solicitation. If I have, it certainly wasn’t a car warranty.
LOL Jonathan!
I sign up for newsletters a lot more than I used to. I redirect many to an Archive folder, which I check every other day or so. If I’ve signed up and get mail, I don’t mind.
:{>