Drowning in Emails: The Post-Holiday Curse

Every Monday, I’m met with tens of emails that are complete crap. This is on top of an incredibly strict junk filter and random check ins to delete the filth. Yet, still, the start of every week is met with almost an hour of deleting, responding, and putting off for a later date. For legitimate emails, it’s a task I’ll happily take on – it’s also a necessary one. But all the spam or email lists that I never signed up for are something else. They’re a waste of time.

Then, a break like the holidays comes along, and the email delay is increased rapidly. Chains are sending out holiday tips, many emails are sent with an auto reply, and sales have never been higher. There are pre-holiday sales, post-holiday sales, celebrate-it’s-a-Monday sales, and sneeze-and-get-20%-off sales. Add them all up, and the email chains become simply overwhelming.

Since when is there no option to unsubscribe to emails that we never asked to receive? Why does Amazon think I spend hundreds on a daily basis? And how can I make it more clear that I’m done with my gift shopping?

It’s true that email is a necessary tool, one that 95% of the time, I’m extremely thankful to have. I love the ability to easily correspond. I love getting emails that are work related. I even love Papa John’s frequent sale reminders. But this time of the year, sometimes we just need a pause. Though we appreciate the auto-loading pictures, Gmail, perhaps your next feature could be The Holiday Break. Where, on eves and actual holiday days, emails take a literal break. Businesses aren’t allowed to bombard, and users aren’t allowed to receive. The day after, messages could continue as usual – leaving only a few less messages in each unread box.

Sure it might seem impractical for different celebrations, which is why each user could choose his or her own holidays. Problem solved.

Though I’ve finally made it through this past year’s email backflow, next year’s option would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Google. Your followers will most definitely appreciate your time.

via Business 2 Community http://www.business2community.com/email-marketing/drowning-emails-post-holiday-curse-0740487?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=drowning-emails-post-holiday-curse