Over the past month or so, I've diligently and painstakingly removed myself from over fifty e-mail lists. These are lists I got on as part of a promotion or in the process of registering for a free call. They're lists owned by other coaches, trainers, speakers and so-called "experts" in the fields of direct sales, internet marketing, and social media. I came into their experience as a student, hoping to learn from them. I've opted out of their list either because I'm no longer interested in what they're teaching, I've learned all I need to learn, or (most often) because the only thing I get from them is a continual barrage of sales e-mails.

I can honestly say that most of these people have never even bothered to send me advertising disguised as an e-zine. Heck, most can't even be bothered to use a system that allows them to send attractive, HTML e-mails with pictures (would it hurt to let me see what you look like?). Generally, I get several ugly text e-mails a week (sometimes more than one a day) offering me the next great marketing tool if I "ACT NOW!" And sometimes, I have to really search to find the link that allows me to "opt out" of their lists. It's as if they're afraid if I actually know how to do that, I will! (Ya think?!)

If you receive my e-zine newsletters or my new Friday Blog Wrap up letters, I'm hoping you get some nugget of value out of our contact. I rarely market anything in my e-zines and I focus as much as I can on content that supports you with new ideas that will help you grow your business. If you don't receive the e-zine (shameless plug coming up), you can sign up for it here, and if you want to have the blogs delivered directly to your e-mail box, you can sign up for that here.

All of this leads me to my point; my relationship with you. Since I began using e-mail to connect with my customers over five years ago, it's been my intention that you receive value from whatever I'm sending you. Otherwise, I'm just junking up your e-mail box (And I never, ever want to be that girl). Last week I started an every-Friday e-mail with quick links to that week's blog posts, just to make sure I'm always giving you the most value I can. Every e-mail you receive from me places the "opt out" message right at the top, before my header or anything I'm hoping you'll read. If you don't want to get my e-mails any more, I really, really want you to opt out of my system so you aren't feeling annoyed every time you hear from me. I promise, I never take it personally.

So, I just wanted to get that off of my chest. Please know that, if you "opt out" of my system, that's really, truly okay. I know it means that you don't have time to read my e-mails or they aren't relevant for your business, or that we're just not a good "fit" anymore. And if you have feedback for me about any of this, I'd love to hear from you. You can comment below if you're okay with a more public forum, or message me through the Fan Page.

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Julie Anne Jones is a direct sales corporate consultant, coach, and trainer, and the CEO of Julie Anne Jones, Inc. She is known for her authentic and easy-to-use scripting and specializes in specific systems, language, and tools for success in direct sales. To learn more about Julie Anne and her products and services, and to read her weekly blog posts, visit her at www.julieannejones.com.