Email is evil?

We're at our two day online marketing and new media class/seminar/workshop thing ... and we're thinking...

• is email relevant?
• it's annoying
• intrusive
• time consuming
• addictive
• often poorly written with lots of seplling mistakes
• not as good as a phone call 
• impersonal - cos you could see someone, but who wants to see people?
• necessary - we wouldn't be without it
• fast 
• traceable - could get you into trouble - eg. when you address to the person you're writing about.
• full of spam
• fills up your inbox
• personalised fonts and auto signatures with photos of cats and comic sans writing (ugh!)
• people who leave FWD>FWD>FWD> etc! So untidy
• LOTS OF EXCLAMATION MARKS !!!!! IS THAT BAD?????
• (not so evil) Angels etc. made out of emoticons - quite clever
• LOL 
• Email language hz bcum mr lk txt language >:-(
• Demands a quick response
• People who put "high priority" on every email
• People who forward really bad jokes

Okay, I think that's enough. So is email really evil? Or are there a few good features in there?

(Thanks for the photo, gagilas!) 

Posted via email from Simon's posterous

Accidental spammer?

Just days after New Zealand launched it's anti-spam law, I get this email:(...followed by a huge list of USB Flash Drives with photos - amounting to 77kb)

I cannot believe this. I can count on one hand the number of times I've received spam-like email from within New Zealand, but really, the timing for this is perfect - if IDL wants to cop a huge fine.

I'm guessing that this is accidental rather than deliberate spam, so I did something unusual: replied.

Hi,

Are you really sure you want to send this email, just as the anti-spam law has been passed? http://www.antispam.govt.nz/

1) I can't remember explicitly giving you permission to email me, and you haven't reminded me in the email
2) You haven't provided an easy way to unsubscribe

...both factors which could land you in huge trouble.

I recommend you first of all stop this campaign, and don't send out any more emails like this. Secondly, I recommend you start building an opt-in database. It also wouldn't hurt to join the Marketing Association (www.marketing.org.nz).

On a related note, I'll be speaking tomorrow at the Marketing Association's Practical Email Marketing workshop tomorrow. Looking forward to help people do the opposite of this email!