I received two emails this weekend. Both were as a result of autoresponder follow ups these people were receiving from my business.
The first was full of expletives that aren't worth repeating. The second I shall remember always. It affected me so much that I felt compelled to write this article and share my story with you.
I received an email from a woman who had been receiving follow ups regarding an affiliate program I belong to. This would have been about the twentieth follow up. I have removal instructions at the end of every email, however, it never ceases to surprise me the number of people who don't remove themselves from the follow up and then abuse me because they are still receiving them. However, that is by the by.
Instead of abuse I got a story. For some reason this woman had written to me to tell me exactly why she can't take up my offer at this time, though she had read every single email and told me she will keep my details for future reference.
I am honoured that she shared her story with me, though I don't know how deserving I was of hearing it.
Words cannot express how I felt after reading her story. And it made me realise that the ultimate goal is not the sale. The ultimate goal is to realise that every email address we follow up with belongs to a real person. A person with disappointments in their lives, with tragedies to deal with, a person who has absolutely nothing to give at this time to anything other than their own personal lives.
I mean, who am I to ask for more than this person is able to give?
Am I important in the scheme of things when a family has to deal with suicide in their immediate family?
Do I have any right to say anything at all when a woman is dealing with the trial of her brother's murderers in two weeks?
What in God's name could I say? What could I possibly offer a woman going through these kind of personal tragedies - a fr** product, a subscription to my newsletter, an inbox filled with unnecessary products for the next 30 days?
I have no right to offer this woman anything business-wise at all. However, personally I sent her an email telling her I have removed her from my list and then spent the rest of the email sending her every blessing I could possibly imagine, wishing her and her family God by their side through this journey I can't imagine ever taking.
When I pressed send I realised how focused we must remain on the fact that we, as individuals, are all following our own paths and all going through our own trials and tribulations. Every email is attached to a human being, just as every website is attached to a human business owner.
Sometimes it is important to remember that the bottom line is "the sale" is not the bottom line.
Karin Manning
Copyright 2003. All Rights Reserved.
About The Author
Karin is the publisher of Net Wealth, an interactive newsletter for advanced internet veterans, entrepreneurs and beginners alike. To start receiving your weekly marketing, motivational, customer service and money tips visit http://www.reprintrights4u.com/earnprofitsmonthly and fill out the popup on entry with details of your ePackage & bonus newsletter subscription & fr** gifts.
Snowflakes Improve Holiday Sales Snowflakes are beautiful! For the Winter Holiday sales season handcrafted snowflakes are the perfect touch. They lend an aura of a mystical winter wonderland t...
What is Passion? For a word with origins that mean to suffer, many view passion as what inspires us to reach new levels. To better understand passion may begin by defining passi...
Credit Education Establish good credit skills, they will help you to get ahead throughout your life.
Emerging Markets, Property Law I read an interesting article in foreign Affairs magazine last year, and recently in the Economist also. The articles stated in some way that a country without...
Journal Your Stress Away Writing down our thoughts and feelings, as in keeping a journal or diary, is a proven method to relieve stress and improve well being. The expression achieved t...
Creating and Distributing E-Courses If you have an area of expertise and the desire to spread your knowledge, why not put together an E-course. They are easy to create and useful to promoting your...
How Safe Do You Feel Going To Hospital To Be Cured There has been a lot of concern in Australia over the performance of an overseas trained Doctor that had been made Director of Surgery in a regional city...
Your Big Yellow Bus The big yellow school bus is coming down my road again. The neighborhood kids seem happy. The dogs are not. The kids are no longer around during the day and Jer...
Scrolling LED signs Scrolling LED signs is type of LED signs that displays Scrolling text and can be used as outdoor and/or indoor outlet. Wide variety of businesses uses this equ...
The Dirt On MLM If you were as jaded as I was about MLM you may be surprised how some companies in the industry are turning that second rate business attitude around.
Selecting A Collection Agency If you run a business, you are sure to have some customers who require a lot of follow-up before they pay you. Often you spend too much time and energy to colle...
Blowing Your Own Leadership Horn Summary: Your career advancement is predicated not only on your being a good leader but also on your being recognized by others that you're a good leader. Many...
Exercise The Right Way - The Leg Curl It is crucial that beginning bodybuilders are shown how to perform the core exercises correctly. This article provides step by step instructions for the Leg Cur...
The Indie Author Revolution The grass-roots alternative movement that shook the music industry in the 1990's is being mirrored today in the book publishing world by the efforts of authors ...
Print this page