I’d like to continue discussing an issue I’ve touched on before about public relations people. As I’ve said, I get a LOT of email from PR people. I would say 95% of this email is mass-mailed (hence the spam accusations). Out of all of those mass-mailed press releases, I probably read about 10% of them and end up doing something with maybe 1% total. (And even then, usually in a way the PR people wouldn’t like much.)

And then there are the good PR people like my friend Termeh. About a year ago or so, she started following me on Twitter and occasionally responding to tweets in a normal-person kind of way. After a while I started following her because she seemed cool enough. Only then did I realize she worked for a PR firm. And after that, it was several months before she ever talked to me for a potential story opportunity. And you know what? When she did, I took her seriously.

Now she sends me the occasional email, directly. She told me she’s never mass-mailed. She’s also among the best PR people I’ve worked with. There might be a correlation there.

Long story short, PR people, can you please stop spamming and mass-mailing me? It doesn’t work. Maybe do what your job title entails and actually relate to the public. (Notice above that I refer to Termeh as “my friend.” Hint hint.) Is that too expensive? If so, you are probably not a good investment of a company; give up while you still have some dignity.

Unfortunately for PR firms, I have done a lot of work in the world of marketing emails, so I know all about what’s legal and legitimate and what isn’t. If I wanted to, I could report almost all of them for breaking spam law. On some days, I wouldn’t mind it so much, like when random bands learn how to use ReverbNation and decide to email you three times a week to let you know that a show at a coffee shop in some place I don’t live is now at 7 instead of 8. On other days, PR firms give me amazing nuggets of goodness. So I take the bad with the good and deal with it.

Things PR firms do that make their email spam (legally)

• Sending email without permission. Yep, we have to sign up. “Harvested” email addresses are illegal to use for commercial purposes. Even if the address is listed on a site to receive news tips.
• No unsubscribe link. You gots to have a way to let us opt out of that email we didn’t sign up for!
• Deceptive subject lines. Man, those CAN-SPAM people thought of everything! I’ve started getting PR emails with subject lines that start with “RE:”. If I didn’t email you first, that is deceptive. The things people will do to get you to read their email… It’s almost like they’re taking tips from actual, purposeful spammers.
• No physical address listed. That’s right, you have to include your mailing address in all your email. I don’t get it either, but you gotta do it.

Trust me, people. I know how important it is that people see your commercial emails. My (real) paycheck somewhat depends on it. But you don’t want to be sending email to people that don’t want it. You’d think public relations firms, of all people, would understand how to relate to the public.

And a note for the rest of you: don’t mark an email as spam just because you don’t want it any more. Most frustrating thing ever. The unsubscribe links are there for a reason. Getting marked as spam screws with a lot of stuff that hurts more than just the person sending it. It’s there for the illegal stuff, not just things you don’t care about any more.