That’s it entirely, Devon. Lack of respect for me and my time, even it’s to delete their off-target emails.

I get those same requests, too. I used to refer them to the guidelines page that clearly states no companies, but now I just delete. If someone is polite — uses my name or describes a topic that isn’t relevant but sounds like it to an outsider — I’ll politely explain that it’s not my subject area, and I’ll tell them what is. Those are people I might be able to work with should they have clients in that subject area.

It does slap a bit as amateurish to send releases to someone who’s clearly not writing in that area, and I do blame new marketing people for the mistake. Veterans rarely send off-topic ideas, though when it happens, it’s usually just outside my focus area. And usually, it’s an area they’re new to.

So when I get an email in the inbox of the site that deals with paranormal romantic suspense novels or mysteries set on a cruise ship asking if I want $1 articles about blockchain — that goes right in the junk file.

Read the websites. Do your homework. Make sure what you send is relevant to your supposed target.

I write about a lot of different things. I have a specific email box that I give out to PR people if they want to pitch me on something. When it’s coming through the contact form for one of the fiction series — you’ve already lost me.

Or the emails that start, “I looked at your web site and noticed a list of things you are doing wrong. Call me and I’ll tell you about them.” How is that useful? When I want to make changes on my sites, I ask specific individuals for feedback, and then I work from there. Not some random stranger throwing insults. Plus, I only do phone by appointment and I CHARGE FOR IT.

Again, the lack of homework = lack of respect.

I KNEW you’d do that! LOL Thank you, Paula. Needed the laugh today. 🙂