You've got spam

Last summer Tarina helped her brother move out to Spokane, Washington. They wanted to break up their drive out there so I booked them a hotel in Billings, Montana using Hotwire. I used Hotwire in exactly the way they aadvertised, putting their search engines to work to find me a deep discount on a room not being used in Billings, Montana. The room was great, the price was good, and everyone was happy. Except for me, as now every Wednesday, I receive an email from Hotwire informing me of more great hotel deals in Billings! Every Wednesday! Why Wednesday, I don't know, but each week Hotwire sends me a message to try and get me to renew my previous travel experience in Billings. And each week I get just a bit more upset with the tatic. As if someone in the marketing department actually had the great idea that Brian Stroh would be desperately looking for Billings hotel options on Wednesday evenings since he stayed there one time and that if we just send him a simple and free (it costs Hotwire no money to do this) message, maybe, just maybe he will come back for more! The rationale goes that even if it doesn't work, at least we got our brand out there and it didn't cost us anything. Except that it does.

And it's not just Hotwire. I get daily emails from Christian publishers that we've bought curriculum from, daily emails from a Christian blogger who's more interested in selling stuff than communicating ideas, and even a weekly email from someone in our denomination reminding us to check out their blog (sidenote- if you have to remind me to read you, shouldn't that tell you something?!?). I know you can opt out of these emails after you make purchases online, as I always do, and it doesn't work. I know you can set it up so that these emails go directly to your junk mail, but somehow some miss this filter as if the folks at Outlook and the folks at mass marketing departments are in cahoots with one another to allow me to think I can control my junk email but in fact it's just an illusion!

The truth of my rant is this- if I want something from you, I will find you. If I want your discount hotel service, discount book service, Christian curriculum, or to read your blog, I will find you. I have ways of doing this. I can follow you, I can check in with you regularly, and I can choose to purchase from you again the next time I'm passing through Billings. But you, online company, know that I'm unlikely to return to Billings anytime soon, so stop reminding me you're here, because the more you remind me you're here, the more I want to forget that you're there.