I recently got an email from a list that I am subscribed to which, to say the least, got me pretty mad at the blackmail tactic used to keep me subscribed. This is the first time I have seen this method used and it goes against all best email practises.

As you know, submitting articles to article directories, aka bum marketing, is a good way of getting traffic to your website. When I first started creating my websites I wrote many articles to start the traffic rolling in and I still use this tactic today as it works.

Article directories require you to be subscribed to their list as part of the deal and some use this to send you product offers which I can’t really argue with as it’s what most people would do.

After getting to the end of one recent email which was touting the latest product launch I read the following lines.

You have recived (sic) this email in that as a registered author with [NAME DELETED] you have agreed thereto.

Should you no longer wish to receive these messages you can delete your entire author account, INCLUDING ALL YOUR ARTICLES, by replying to this email with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject line.

So what this means is that if I had the temerity to unsubscribe from this list then all my articles will be deleted as well.

This is a quite threatening statement, akin to blackmail, which goes right against the best email practise of building a relationship with your list. I ask you, what kind of relationship can develop by bullying your subscribers into staying on your list?

So what should I do?

Stay on the list and keep my articles on the directory?

Unsubscribe and have all my articles removed from this article directory?

Well, on a matter of principle,what I am going to do is unsubscribe and see if the threat is actually carried out. Even if my articles are removed I doubt if there would be any effect as this particular article directory is not that important.

The moral of this story?

Respect the subscribers on your list and they will respect you.