Return to Sender

I have noticed a pattern where PR firms send me press releases, unsolicited, and when I ask to be taken off their list (which I never asked to be on in first place), they go – sorry you were not meant to be on the list.

One, Ventana PR has used that excuse at least 3-4 times in last couple of years. Their explanation one of those times “I added your email on the unsubcribe (sic) list of our main system but used an alternate system on the last announcement.”  The week prior they had responded on another mailing for another client “My apologies. I thought I took you off my list but apparently missed it. I will go through the database again to make sure that happens.”

Here’s what puzzles me. They must realize annoying analysts and bloggers does not reflect well on their clients, so why do they persist? And their clients – I wonder if they ask to audit how many email recipients have proactively agreed to be on their lists?

I used a book publicity firm during The New Polymath launch. I asked to review the mailing list and the firm said it was “proprietary”. I grudgingly went along till I got an email from Michael Lamoureux (“The Doctor”) asking why the firm was spamming him when he had already published his book review weeks prior.

I fired the firm soon after.