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Jun
04

I am seriously bothered by this…

photo credit: Piez from Flickr

There are very few things that really offend me, but inappropriate emails or phone calls are at the top of my list. This week I got an email that fit the bill. It was one of those that you get angrier the farther you read and that you would really love to reply to with some even more inappropriate words. But, I am a stronger person than that, so instead, I am using it as a lesson for my audience – a lesson of what not to do should you choose to email people.

In order to explain why I was so irritated, I must first explain how the email arrived and the basics of the composition. I am going to protect the person who sent it (although I am not sure why..) by only revealing what is necessary to explain why the email was so awful.

First, here are the basics about the email that I received:

  1. The email was sent to me by someone whom I have never met in real life, and have only tweeted with in passing. We are not friends, we are barely acquaintances. (I even had to read the name of the person a couple times to remember who it was)
  2. The email was sent to about 20 people, all of whom were just cc’d, instead of bcc’d, revealing everyone’s email address to each other. (apparently privacy isn’t important?)
  3. The email was in bold blue ink, not formatted well, and very informal. (not gonna give the right impression here…)
  4. The email was sent with a headline in all caps with multiple exclamation marks (what are we, 12?)

Now that you have the background of the email itself, here’s what it included in the content:

  1. The intro was an assumption – it assumed that we all knew the person well enough to know what was going on in their life. (as noted above, I barely know the person, so I was confused).
  2. This person then explained that they are choosing to become a business owner. (okay, I appreciate that)
  3. But then the person states that they have no money to start the business and wants donations. (wait, so you saved ZERO money before you decided to start your own biz???)
  4. Of course, this person also wants donations of  a free website, free publicity, and free… (basically, if this person needs it, this person wants it for free).
  5. This person did not offer a business plan, or a solid reason for asking me for the money/free stuff. And didn’t tell me how giving them money would benefit me.

Basically, this person is outwardly begging for monetary support from everyone they kind of know, rather than standing on their own two feet, using their savings and making a serious effort at the business themselves. I am seriously bothered by this…

So I turn to you…am I over-reacting?

What would you think if an acquaintance sent you an email like this?

How would you feel/handle it?

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Category: Content Development, Wright Point of View
Topics: ,
  • http://twitter.com/rongraham1 Ron Graham

    You're only overreacting about people who start their new businesses with no money. That happens a lot, and often of necessity. President Obama was calling these people “accidental entrepreneurs” over a year ago.

    But that is no excuse to come to all your friends hat-in-hand and without a plan. On those points you are spot on. :-)

    • kirstenwright

      Ron,

      I think the reason it frustrated me so much is I was (well, am) an accidental entrepreneur. I started this business after being laid off during the worst part of the market in early 2009. But, rather than ask for money to start the business, I used my savings account and took the risk with my own money…I guess I feel that others should do the same rather than beg for money.

  • http://twitter.com/eflorida Erik Florida

    Hey Kristen!
    Long time no see! How ya doin? I was thinking, being the second person to comment on your post, and know how we share so much in common, maybe you could help me out. I have been trying to win the lottery for the past 2 years to no avail. I am going to get a PayPal button added on my site in the next few days, could you please just post a small donation for me. I am trying to live a successful life, I just need some help.
    Best friends,
    Erik

    • kirstenwright

      Well since that was such a solid comment, why the hell not ;) Thanks for infusing some humor…I needed it!

  • Jackie

    Pity for the fool and Delete button will help you…..
    There is no help for them.

  • Alan Baumbach

    Nope–you are not over-reacting. The email you received is just another one of the “ENTITLED” people thinking that other people “owe” them something. When are we going to get it into people's heads that no matter who you are or what your background, etthnicity, race, location, history, gender, sexual orientation, creed, or whatever, YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO QANYTHING AND NO ONE OWES YOU! (Sorry, I needed to shout that last part).

    • kirstenwright

      LOL! sometimes yelling is necessary ;)

  • Jordan Howe

    You're not overreacting, someone who gives you money to start a business is called an INVESTOR, and as such they are entitled to some kind of return on THEIR money. Also, if they're not able to manage their OWN finances well enough to start something up then how are they going to treat money they didn't earn?

    Similarly, I got an email from a distant cousin the other day asking for donations for their dream wedding because between her medical expenses, his credit card debt, and their SEVEN DOGS (including three St. Bernards) they couldn't afford to do what they really wanted to do. I was so flabbergasted I was struck speechless, and you know how difficult that is…

    It's astounding to me the complete lack of personal responsibility/accountability that people have today and the absolute nerve they show by these crass and wholly inappropriate pleas. If you want some money, come wash my car or cut my grass or something and earn it. Okay, rant ended, getting off my soapbox now…

  • http://twitter.com/mobienthusiast Holly Kolman

    This is only slightly different than asking everyone you know to join your “team” to sell something they don't even want to use, but worse. It's hard to start a business without cash reserves, but there's a right way and a wrong way to try to raise that money. If the person had offered you something of value in exchange, we would have seen a different blog post. I love kickstarter.com – it reminds me so much of the PBS fundraisers where they ask for money but then give you a choice of bonus items as thank you gifts. They make no bones about the fact that they will not pay you back, but you do receive something of value in exchange for your money. If you don't value what they have to offer, you can move on and fund someone else or just not fund anyone.

    The reason you are so upset, I'm guessing, is because you found yourself in a similar situation as this person but found a way to make it work, and resent this person for wanting you to just hand him or her the success that you had to earn.

    • kirstenwright

      Holly,

      You hit the nail on the proverbial head. This was the exact situation I was in almost a year ago when I decided to start my business. But I used my savings and worked my butt off to make it work, and for that, I learned and developed a business that really is my own! :)

  • http://twitter.com/mobienthusiast Holly Kolman

    This is only slightly different than asking everyone you know to join your “team” to sell something they don’t even want to use, but worse. It’s hard to start a business without cash reserves, but there’s a right way and a wrong way to try to raise that money. If the person had offered you something of value in exchange, we would have seen a different blog post. I love kickstarter.com – it reminds me so much of the PBS fundraisers where they ask for money but then give you a choice of bonus items as thank you gifts. They make no bones about the fact that they will not pay you back, but you do receive something of value in exchange for your money. If you don’t value what they have to offer, you can move on and fund someone else or just not fund anyone. nnThe reason you are so upset, I’m guessing, is because you found yourself in a similar situation as this person but found a way to make it work, and resent this person for wanting you to just hand him or her the success that you had to earn.

  • Anonymous

    Holly, nnYou hit the nail on the proverbial head. This was the exact situation I was in almost a year ago when I decided to start my business. But I used my savings and worked my butt off to make it work, and for that, I learned and developed a business that really is my own! :)

  • Pingback: Do you need to re-think your business plan? | Wright Creativity

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