I got this email last week:
Hi Rue –
How long does it take you to go through your email inbox every day? It takes me a really long time. I get a lot of spam, and I also get a lot of repeat messages trying to get me to sign up for classes and retreats, whatever.
What I find puzzling is that the folks who are part of the “consciousness” movement are some of the worst offenders. Craig Hamilton drives me a little crazy with notifications about what seem like wildly overpriced webinars. Plus he shares my name with his friends without asking my permission, so I get lots of email from them too.
And this month alone, you have sent me 10 emails, and the month isn’t over. Is this supposed to be the world we are trying to create – sell, sell, sell? Maybe I am being overly cranky, but is this what we are supposed to be doing to change ourselves and the world?
I appreciate your work, and your desire to help others, but all this marketing is really crazy, and crazy-making.
My response:
I appreciate that you took the time to write to me. I too get a lot of sell sell sell emails. The rule of thumb that I use, and you probably do too, is my judgment about how useful the person’s information is, and what is their real intent in sending me their emails.
If it feels to me that they are just trying to get the six figure income (with my help!) that marketers seem to think signifies success these days, even though they sound “spiritual” and use all the right words, then I just delete without reading. Usually. Sometimes I am curious anyway…
If I feel that they have something of value to offer, and they are letting me know about it in a way that builds and enhances a relationship between us, as equals and people on the same page, with integrity, if they appeal to my wisdom and good heart and not my weakness that they are hard-selling me to fix, then I will usually at least read the email.
I don’t mind selling emails that come from the heart, emails that do not treat me as just a mark or a prospect. Selling, after all, is not evil, it is just a means of exchange of energy, and at its best, is an exchange of heart energy. Sometimes that is worth my attention, my heart, and even my time and money.
So, bottom line, I give a lot of thought to the emails that I send out. I don’t want to sound to sell-y. On the other hand, this is my business. And I make it my business to offer classes and products that contribute and add to the well being of the world.
I try to offer my classes and services for a very reasonable cost, and I try to offer a range of possible ways for people to engage in my work, both in cost and in depth of commitment. I never rent or sell or give my mailing list to anyone.
All of what I do is spiritual work for me, a discipline and a practice, and best of all a way of playing in the world of creative possibility. I take that both seriously and lightly.
I trust you to delete my emails if what I offer is not useful to you.
With my love and blessing to you,
Rue
…not selling anything this time :^)
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