If you're a techie, what you consider to be annoying and terrible for "normal" users is likely vastly different to what those users themselves think.
Do you send lifecycle emails right now? If not, take Weebly as a good example of what to imitate. If you do, see if there're any cool ideas you might be missing out on.
Don't - whatever you do - take this blog post as justification or a reason to ignore your users.
Ignoring your users is one thing; sending a new user an email virtually every day for 8 days in a row (with a creepy, "we know exactly how long since you've logged in, down to the second" finisher) reeks of the stereotypical greasy salesman hard sell, something "normal" users are well aware of (and hate) from non-web based businesses. Weebly is a case study in what not to imitate.
Ignoring your users is one thing; sending a new user an email a day virtually every day for 8 days in a row (with a creepy, "we know exactly how long since you've logged in, down to the second" finisher) reeks of the stereotypical greasy salesman hard sell, something "normal" users are well aware of (and hate) from non-web based businesses. Weebly is a case study in what not to imitate.
I think you're viewing this negatively because you personally don't like receiving such emails.
Elsewhere I've referred to them as "Here's how to get the most out of our service" emails.
You've chosen to view them as creepy, "we know exactly how long since you've logged in, down to the second" emails from a stereotypical greasy salesman.
If you view these emails as spam, you're not going to like them, and you're going to think that "normal" users won't like them as well, as "normal" users don't like spam.
I'm arguing that "normal" users don't view these emails negatively, and so they don't have the same issues you do.
Let's say you're looking to buy a car. You go to your local dealership and you see a car that looks promising. You ask to take a test drive, but the dealer won't let you unless you provide your name and phone number for verification. No problem, standard procedure. You take the test drive, head home, but decide it's not for you and decide to look elsewhere.
The next morning, you get a voicemail. "Hey, mootothemax, it's Bob from the dealership. I'm committed to doing everything I can to help you find a new car. Let me know if you need any help in the future."
All good, right? Sure.
The very next day, Bob calls again and leaves another voicemail. "Hey mootothemax, it's been... 2 days, 1 hour, 46 minutes, and 27 seconds since you were at the dealership and you still haven't gotten a car. I miss you. Relax, take a deep breath. It'll be OK. faint chuckle"
Already it's creepy. But we're not done. Day three, you get another voicemail from the dealership. It's claiming to be Richard, but it's a robodialer. "Hey mootothemax, it's Richard. Just wanted to introduce myself and see if you have any questions. If there's anything I can do, please call me back."
Day four. Bob on the voicemail again. "In today's market, you want to make sure you don't spend a lot on gas. That's why we wanted to make sure you knew our cars are the most fuel efficient in America!"
Bob doesn't call on day five. Must be his day off.
But he's back at it on day six. "Look mootothemax, I know it's hard to decide which car to get; as you may have noticed, we also offer more expensive luxury cars [to add to your confusion]." (okay, that last part Bob didn't really say).
Day seven. "Okay mootothemax, I know you're having a hard time deciding to pull the trigger on a car, so here's something I can offer: 3% off MSRP, but only if we close the deal in the next three days. Call me!"
Day eight: way less than three days later. "mootothemax, it's Bob again. Can you believe it's only been 8 days, 2 hours, 30 minutes and 6 seconds since you came into the dealership?"
Do you think that this scenario is acceptable, or even desirable? If so, then you happen to have something in common with only 8% of the US population.[1] Personally, and I don't think it's fair or reasonable to say this is merely my own personal opinion or failing, if a salesman took the above approach, I'd consider it stalking and would've called the cops on day three.
If you don't think this is acceptable, why do you think it is when it's done through email?
Theres no content to these emails other than "please come back". These aren't giving him any tips, they are not personal, they're simply autogenerated spam at an exceedingly high frequency.
"Lifecycle" emails are supposed to be a nudge every so often (every few days at most). They aren't supposed to be a naggy, daily, completely auto-generated spam.
Also, this user isn't on the test drive. He's already left the dealership parking lot and hes getting a salesman yelling at him to come back daily. If I had a salesman doing this I'd not only not buy from that dealership, I'd probably have a distaste towards that entire brand of car and go to a competitor.
Rationalize all you want but 7+ emails in ~7 days is spam.
The test drive is in the company of a sales man. Its the same as being in the show room. The equivalence there is being logged in to the website. One is engaged with the business by mutual consent. So, the A/C example is like getting a pop up offering support or advice while being logged in.
Leaving the show room is the same as logging out. The engagement is over. You do not expect A/C instruction or helpful wesite hints.
I'm arguing that "normal" users don't view these emails negatively, and so they don't have the same issues you do.
You've repeated this sentiment multiple times, from where do you derive this insight to a silent majority? Why is your sense that people don't view them negatively more true than GP's assertions?
I disagree with seeing this as a good example of lifecycle emails for precisely the reason the OP mentioned - it's not an expected part of his relationship with Weebly.
If he had opted-in to Weebly's "30 day email course on publishing great websites delivered over 8 emails" then you're right, it's OK, but he never opted-in.
Plus his point about not having a one-click unsubscribe is valid, primarily because it's illegal to not include that.
I disagree with seeing this as a good example of lifecycle emails for precisely the reason the OP mentioned - it's not an expected part of his relationship with Weebly.
I think that relevant emails about how to improve your usage of a service - from the service provider themselves, no less - are a valid part of your business relationship with them.
If he had opted-in to Weebly's "30 day email course on publishing great websites delivered over 8 emails" then you're right, it's OK, but he never opted-in.
It's not difficult to label emails negatively if you yourself are not a fan.
Personally I'd have called them Weebly's "Here's how to get the most out of our service" emails.
Plus his point about not having a one-click unsubscribe is valid, primarily because it's illegal to not include that.
To me, the post said that Weebly do have that unsubscribe link, can you point out where I've gone wrong?
Only one of these emails is even conceivably "relevant emails about how to improve your usage of a service," the one from the customer support lead offering help in using the service. The rest are just spam.
You've never heard non-techie users complaining about getting too many irrelevant emails? The non-technical users I've talked to about email view almost any emails except ones they specifically requested as spam, and don't appreciate it.
You've never heard non-techie users complaining about getting too many irrelevant emails?
I'm arguing that what most techies consider relevant is likely to differ from what "normal" users consider relevant.
That's very different to oh hey, let me fill your inbox with whatever's on my mind today.
The non-technical users I've talked to about email view almost any emails except ones they specifically requested as spam, and don't appreciate it.
If none of your sample "normal" users have never ever appreciated an email they've received from a service, I'd kindly suggest that you're being lied to.
what you consider to be annoying and terrible for "normal" users is likely vastly different to what those users themselves think.
Right, lowest common denominator thinking. "Some people don't know any different, so let them have it!"
If not, take Weebly as a good example of what to imitate.
You know what? Instead of sending an email that says, inexplicably, "Steps to creating your first website," I'm going to put resources into making it a smoother process for creating that site when they signup, before they leave.
Don't - whatever you do - take this blog post as justification or a reason to ignore your users.
Do you send lifecycle emails right now? If not, take Weebly as a good example of what to imitate. If you do, see if there're any cool ideas you might be missing out on.
Don't - whatever you do - take this blog post as justification or a reason to ignore your users.