Today I got an email with the subject line “Whoops…” from a company from which I had unsubscribed months ago.  “Hmmm,” wondered I.  “What could be the problem?”  Below is said message I received from said vendor:

During our end of year cleanup, we noticed you were opted out of email communication from us. We wanted to invite you to opt back in so you don’t miss any important updates from (insert name of company that has roughly – and this is just an estimate – zero relevance to my client projects).

I replied immediately with my incredulous position, flabbergasted by their gumption.  Never before had I heard of emailing people who willingly – and being of sound mind, spirit, the whole schmear – said some version of “stop sending me email.”  What, had I taken leave of my senses?  Are they thinking this it was a slip o’ the ol’ keyboard, that I didn’t mean to tell them where to stick their emails, that somehow they know better than I do how much, um, stuff I need to manage in my inbox?  Ridiculous.  (Editor’s note: Are there bigger problems in the world, such as poverty, totalitarianism, and Donald Trump?  Why yes, there are.  Yet this was still really annoying.)

 As small business owners, it’s imperative that we communicate effectively.  We all need to have a digital marketing component to our base-touching ways.  Clearly, email is a clean and inexpensive way to say hello and communicate a valuable message to many people at once.  But good Lord, if we resort to blast messaging all those who opted out and ask – nay, beg – that they return, what does that say about us, our value, and/or the buzz that we’re generating in the marketplace?  I’m a business broker and you may know as well as I do that there isn’t exactly a shortage of me out there.  This vendor needs to accept the fact that their model is not for everyone (starting with me) and that they must continue to prospect elsewhere by barking up other trees.  Let ‘em go and create some new connections and friendships.

Okay, end of rant; onward and upward to something positive.  I’m fully immersed in 2016 planning and one imagines you are as well.  My commitment is to engage in specific and highly targeted networking in the New Year, making some new connections but more importantly deepening current relationships – with friends, strategic partners, and clients alike.  Email will play a key part of this strategy and not everyone will opt in or choose to remain connected to me.  And you know what?  That’s okay.  There are more frogs out there than any of us can count* never mind kiss.  And when the frogs we approach ask us to stop puckering up and smooching, that’s all we have to do.  Well, that and move on. 

*apparently there are over 4,700 species of frogs which I’m sure we can agree is, like, a whole bunch