Let me start by saying I love Christmas. I love food, beer, family, sun, beaches, presents, carols and everything that comes with an Aussie Christmas.
BUT – please do not send me any more email Christmas Cards. You know the ones I mean – the email with a pretty picture of snow falling on a house in the woods and an inane message like ‘seasons greetings from XXXXXXX Inc’. Take some time to think about this – and then give me one positive outcome, one thing on the upside that may occur from sending out a message like this? Just One. Give me one reason why an organisation would decide this type of bulk email is a good idea?
What are you saying to your customers or suppliers with such a message? The only thing I can see it says is that there is someone in marketing that has the computer know how to upload a list of emails to a website and spam them!! What reaction are you hoping for?
1. The recipient thinks “oh how lovely that XXXXXX company is thinking of me at this time”!
2. The recipient thinks ‘oh I forgot about this company – I will give them all my business because they sent me an email Christmas Card’
3. The recipient thinks ‘what a kind and caring company’
No. No. No. Stop it. They are annoying. They fill my inbox. Email cards interrupt my busy day. Email cards tell me you don’t know me well enough to call. Email Cards tell me you actually had nothing to say. Email cards tell me you believe in spam. Email cards drive me insane. Email cards fill up my deleted items folder .
So I have decided this year to take action. Instead of just deleting these emails instantly – I have decided to keep them. I have made a register of all the companies that truly think email cards are a good idea. I know who you are. I will find a way to seek revenge. I initially was going to publish my list, but I will give everyone a second chance at the same time next year – and then the list goes on this blog.
So we had better discuss the things I would prefer from my customers and suppliers at this time of year.
1. A phone call
2. A physical Christmas card. (but only if it has a personal handwritten message of more than 3 sentences. And that personal message is such that it could not have been written in anyone else’s card.)
3. A personal email from the people I deal with every day (not the marketing person).
4. A discount and a special offer just for me?
5. Anything else creative that comes from people – not a company.
So you can call me Scrooge or Grinch but I do feel much better for having got this off my chest.
Have a wonderful Christmas, and take time to put work away and enjoy the important things in life.