Comments on: Do You Make This Mistake When Emailing People?

By: wazoo

wazoo — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 06:47:12 +0000

@GBGames: Hmmm most of the time I do the same thing? Is this a Canadian virus I wonder?

I do usually preface calls to friends with a bit of an apology, because I know that I’m interrupting someone else’s precious time. They’re not just sitting by the phone waiting for me to call..:)

Basically what JJ said.

With email and/or newsletters I’m a lot less apologetic, because an email IS read at the other person’s convenience 100% of the time.

By: Juuso - Game Producer

Juuso - Game Producer — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 06:14:05 +0000

JJ: okay, I see what you say. (but still don’t think there’s no disturbing made in this case…)

By: JJ

JJ — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 13:27:55 +0000

Juuso… in original context it would sound more properly as “Sorry to bother you, here’s 100$ for you”. Notice that apology is made for disturbing, and not for a reason disturbance is made for: â€œSorry for *mass emailing* youâ€¦â€ or â€œSorry to *email you again*, butâ€¦â€.

By: Jake Birkett

Jake Birkett — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 10:57:24 +0000

Yeah, it proves some guilt somewhere (which is an obstacle to making lots of money), it’s misplaced manners.

By: Juuso - Game Producer

Juuso - Game Producer — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 09:39:01 +0000

JJ., I think there’s a slight difference. Let’s give a concrete example:

If I would give you $100, wouldn’t it be bit silly to say “Sorry for giving you these $100″?

It’s same with providing value. If I get valuable newsletter… why be sorry about sending it?

By: JJ

JJ — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 09:09:56 +0000

This is what are called good manners. It is like saying “thank you”, “good morning”, “good night”, etc.

By: Juuso - Game Producer

Juuso - Game Producer — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 06:57:25 +0000

GBGames – yeh, you can get that feeling of flabbergasted :)

By: Cone

Cone — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 04:21:03 +0000

You better say your sorry, ‘else I’m not talking to you.

Say it!

By: GBGames

GBGames — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:27:33 +0000

When I was in grade school, I had a best friend who would preface every phone call with “sorry to bother you”, and I was always flabbergasted. You’re my friend! You’re not bothering me when you call!

I think the apology-before-delivering-something-useful comes from feeling guilty about marketing or doing business. This guilt can come from a feeling that doing business means cheating people out of their money, which is an unhealthy perspective to take.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:06:05 +0000

Thats a good point.