How are things? How are your kids doing? Over here, things are going really well. I just came back from a trip to Chicago, which was surprisingly beautiful and very cold. It snowed! The buildings were gorgeous and ornate though. It felt like I’d come to a steampunk city. [Note: start with something personal]
I don’t like such things. I believe they are poisoning the well.
This is a commercial message (I define commercial as “about money”). The “How are your kids doing?” is a lie—it’s an attempt to make commercial personal, to use personal as a tool to extract money. I understand that this is the standard operating mode for charities. It does not make me like it any more.
I don’t want to acquire an association between receiving a message that starts by asking about my family and wondering what kind of a template the writer is using and how much money does he want.
Funny how I never receive letters from charities which inquire after my life and family and then stop. One might think that if they were “genuinely interested” they might express it in some way which does not involve “Please give us money, the more the better”.
These aren’t letters from charities, asking for your money for themselves (even if they then spend some or most or all of it on others). If you get a stock letter signed by the president of Charity X, who you don’t know, saying they hope your family is well, that’s quite different.
I don’t like such things. I believe they are poisoning the well.
You’re right, transparent feigned interest will reduce the recipient’s trust in the sender and probably others as well. I agree that we should promote trustworthiness and cooperation for a variety of very important reasons.
...BUT we need to quantify because AMF saves lives.
I pose the question: how much bullshit eliminates one WALY?
I think it’s possible to send versions of these emails which aren’t annoying. I’ve sent a bunch myself and people haven’t seemed to find them annoying.
I don’t like such things. I believe they are poisoning the well.
This is a commercial message (I define commercial as “about money”). The “How are your kids doing?” is a lie—it’s an attempt to make commercial personal, to use personal as a tool to extract money. I understand that this is the standard operating mode for charities. It does not make me like it any more.
I don’t want to acquire an association between receiving a message that starts by asking about my family and wondering what kind of a template the writer is using and how much money does he want.
I disagree—I know Peter was genuinely interested in hearing back from people.
Funny how I never receive letters from charities which inquire after my life and family and then stop. One might think that if they were “genuinely interested” they might express it in some way which does not involve “Please give us money, the more the better”.
These aren’t letters from charities, asking for your money for themselves (even if they then spend some or most or all of it on others). If you get a stock letter signed by the president of Charity X, who you don’t know, saying they hope your family is well, that’s quite different.
You’re right, transparent feigned interest will reduce the recipient’s trust in the sender and probably others as well. I agree that we should promote trustworthiness and cooperation for a variety of very important reasons.
...BUT we need to quantify because AMF saves lives.
I pose the question: how much bullshit eliminates one WALY?
Maybe an example is better.
Would you send out an annoying and obvious template email to all your friends and family if your favorite charity received $10 for every email sent?
[pollid:1077]
I think it’s possible to send versions of these emails which aren’t annoying. I’ve sent a bunch myself and people haven’t seemed to find them annoying.
Send emails, then apologize...