are the promotional e-mails reaching the point of spam?

[lowpryo]

I used to always get excited whenever I saw a new PH e-mail in my inbox, because they always indicated either a new product or a new sale. but recently they've been sending out very regular e-mails promoting the same old stuff. 8.2, take 2.0, the new bundles, rinse and repeat. today I just got a new e-mail promoting the synthetic rig bundle again, and it finally drove me to unsubscribe from their e-mails. it's sad that this had to happen. really awful marketing.

[gak]

Lil bit.

I was just thinking that today. I don't want to unsubscribe yet, but it's like "ok already, you've got some nice deals, I don't need to get a notice nearly everyday" (besides, I always wish it's something else ) 

[stratatonic]

I actually just noticed recently when they sent a second email about the 8.2 update. I originally thought that maybe 8.3 was out (or 8.2.x). But no. Same old. I haven't got to the point of unsubscribing yet, but come on Propellerhead - the next Reason email I want to see is a new update.

[JoshuaPhilgarlic]

I originally thought that maybe 8.3 was out (or 8.2.x).

Me too! For a software company it shouldn't be so hard to automatically exclude those customers that already own the update!

[Gulale]

I feel you man. because of same reason I've unfollowed my twitter account. Still PH is the least annoying company to date when it's come to sending ad over your mailbox. I own big companies VST plugin they send ad every time they offer a sale. and it is kind of everyday man. waves every week or month. plug and mix I've never got one. Nomad factory only when they release a new product or update. maybe coz I have all the product they have. plugin alliance I've received yesterday even today IK I get from them frequently if they r going offer. I can keep continue. PH is some how the least annoying. That being said, it doesn't mean I like it. I really don't like it every time I get reason 8 update ad. I immediately delete it. at least it would have been great if they had a user data filter. If their user stays this long without updating, which means he or she is not going to upgrade  at all. I didn't like reason 8 as a mix engineer. it hasn't offer anything for me. for me, It is just empty and shiny like a porn star house. I really get mad every time I see that Update now ad. It just click a voice in my head saying " hey reason 8 didn't get you a decent mixing tool. EQ, Multi-band compressor." it doesn't have Melodyne builtin or equivalent to that. 
for god sake the sequencer has gotta be improved a lot. When I see those things I will upgrade in light speed without advertisement.

[Benedict]

This is the thing where people who realize that a tool can do something immediately think it is a good idea. The bosses start thinking short-term. Sure sending 50,000 emails every 3 days may show a 5% increase in sales but it rarely corresponds to a company that truly grows and thrives.

I am happy to get emails from any company I have interest in. BUT those emails need to add value to my life. Sadly I now feel that Props emails are not adding anything. Having been active in the Forums for so long I tend to have seen everything before the email comes. That isn't Props fault, but emailing things they have just emailed me a few days before is insulting.

Trust your customers, if they are interested (but not Forum hounds) they will still read that first email and note the new thing. If it doesn't interest them, jamming it into their face again is aggressive. Email isn't like TV advertising where the same ad every break is annoying but not personal. A person's email is personal.

I think Props may be getting the wrong advice from their Marketing Dept or some other business adviser.

[selig]

If you feel they are spam, unsubscribe - simples!

[JoshuaPhilgarlic]

If you feel they are spam, unsubscribe - simples!

But, but, but! ... What if I miss something important???

Ok, I'll read about it HERE before Props even THINK about it, right ?!?

[Benedict]

Yes Selig that is right. But you see, I don't want to unsubscribe. I want to hear from Props (even if it is stuff I have already read in Forums). I just don't need to be told the same thing many times in a row. That isn't a natural conversation.

[selig]

If you feel they are spam, unsubscribe - simples!

But, but, but! ... What if I miss something important???

Ok, I'll read about it HERE before Props even THINK about it, right ?!?

Something important - like what?

[eusti]

Yes Selig that is right. But you see, I don't want to unsubscribe. I want to hear from Props (even if it is stuff I have already read in Forums). I just don't need to be told the same thing many times in a row. That isn't a natural conversation.

Conversation is usually two way. That is not possible when only receiving spam emails...
(I won't start discussing closing the PUF in this regards... I won't... )

D.

[selig]

Yes Selig that is right. But you see, I don't want to unsubscribe. I want to hear from Props (even if it is stuff I have already read in Forums). I just don't need to be told the same thing many times in a row. That isn't a natural conversation.

Conversation is usually two way. That is not possible when only receiving spam emails...
(I won't start discussing closing the PUF in this regards... I won't... )

D.

I'm not receiving "spam" emails, but I do see some duplicated data in some of them. Again, if you are truly receiving ONLY spam emails as you say, why not unsubscribe?

[Puckboy2000]

I totally agree. I sew that email today and thought the exact same thing!

[-008']

I remember coming to propellerheads' defense over this in the old PUF. Or...giving them the benefit of the doubt, at least.

Email marketing is pretty tricky. I'm not so sure what they use to handle it, but there could be so many reasons and things gone wrong here... For ex: Sometimes you get false "unopens" in your system because the user (who actually DID open) doesn't allow cookies, etc etc. result - duplicates, or not moved on to the proper segment.

That's the other thing.. "Segmentation". Who knows if they are segmenting us ?(should be) but I imagine we start to get some bleed or crossover. For example; If they had a segments named: buys drum refills; buys synth refills; buys rack extensions; upgrades often... I would probably be on ALL of those segments. Duplicate messages (or very similar messages tailored for each segment) would probably be inevitable.

Anyway...in some cases it's probably due stuff like that... AND in other cases they might also be going a bit too hard on that send button. Little bit of both maybe?

[Jagwah]

There really is something about that marketing department, isn't there?

Quite a few months back I considered the emails were becoming spam like, I believe it has slowed considerably. There have been more than a few that I didn't open. If I didn't visit this site maybe I would appreciate them all.

[joeyluck]

I never thought something you subscribe to would be considered spam?

Spam would be if you signed up for a membership (or not) with an email address and they sent you unsolicited emails with ads and such. But I thought their newsletter and the like is something you need to subscribe to first... Unless that has changed?

[Benedict]

Spam officially is/was something unsolicited. Now it is more anything that anyone doesn't feel like they want regardless of if they signed up or not.

That of course makes it hard as people can sign up to something for a reason and once they no longer get things they want they start to treat that communique like it is really Spam. Logic = I don't like this therefore it is rubbish.

That makes it all the more important that marketers keep value in everything they send. I may not value a certain piece of info but if I feel like there is potential value in the relationship I will stay reading. If most of the messages become obvious selling then it seems more about them than me.

Props aren't sending Spam but it is starting to feel a bit canned.

[SebAudio]

I don't think their emails are spam. I'd just want them to talk about something I'm really existed in ! So any old news take only 15 sec to go to the trash.

[JNeffLind]

It's funny you say that, because I currently have mine routed to my spam folder. Too much repeat and I'm on here pretty much every day anyways so I don't feel I'm missing much. I did sign up for them, but as others have said, it seems like they're sending more than they need to. Instead of announcements or updates, they seem like ads. I see enough of those already stepping outside.

[trimph1]

mmmmmm....gotta check my spam folder....and I subscribed for it....

later on.....nothing here... :s0225:

[KEVMOVE02]

if you reside in the United States, there is a law called the "CAN-SPAM Act"(Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing)  that defines the line between permission based email marketing and SPAM (no relation to the Hormel product line). By the letter of the law (in the US), the content of the email messages that Propellerhead sends are in compliance, and quite frankly, sent with your consent. If the frequency or content of the email messages are not to your liking and you choose not to unsubscribe, you are acting against your own best interests.

I am not surprised. It is all too common for consumers to complain that they get too much junk mail, and demand that their info be removed from the company database. 3 months later, that same customer calls in irate because they didn't get a sale notice. When you explain to them that they requested to be removed from the mailing list, they deny doing any such thing, then demand to get an apology from the CEO and a lifetime of free products or they will never buy another product and will tell all their friends not to buy it either. We call this tactic "hostage negotiations". It's based on the notion that the hostage taker (customer) has leverage that will force the other party to pay the ransom. This strategy rarely works.

[clone]

Yes there is way more then before, but personally like the emails and updates.

[zeebot]

I unsubscribed after the last batch. I'm guessing the closing of the PUF has seen a significant drop in site hits and props feel they have to let users 'keep up' with whats happening.
Honestly I dont need to be spammed with whats happening, if I feel the need to find out or need a RE or refill I will visit the site otherwise I have no need to go there...it is a soulless place these days.

[The Intrancer]

I didn't upgrade from R7.0 for a multitude of reasons, and whilst I do expect maybe an email once a month about new updates about new Rack Extensions or Refills, seeing regular duplicates of the same information is just irritating. With so many issue's with Reason 8, the receiving of duplicate /similar emails from those expecting updates about the core R8 program they own, this is what I'd imagine to be even more annoying.

Let's face it, the closing of the Props forums was a big marketing mistake for Reason and RE Developers, Take 2...3... 4....5,...take forever, isn't what Reason users are interested in. Reason users want to see REAL development and proper focus on their core application but that's another story...

It's getting to the point where it's beyond a joke, in taking this long running company seriously.. and that's not good for Reason or it's users.