How you say it is just as important as what you say.
I just finished an interesting exchange with a political activist who spammed me after finding my email address on an association website.
Hello my name is XXXXX. I am involved with the XXXXX in XXXXX and am looking for information from like minded people about Congressman Ron Paul. Can you help? all I have seen on him for the most part is this interview (link to 60 minute Ron Paul promo video) please help with what ever information that you can.
Since I don't know the guy but he claimed to be associated with some friends of mine I wrote back to him and suggested that he try a more honest approach. The individual told me he had tried being very upfront and that didn't work so it was worth being a little misleading in order to get people to watch the video. He told me that so far he'd emailed over 800 people and he received responses only when he was indirect in his approach. When I suggested that he may not be accounting for the hundreds of people he was irritating and turning off when he tried to mislead them unfortunately the conversation went downhill.
Here's the problem for Ron Paul right now...I believe many of his supporters are hurting him more than they're helping him. His followers would do well to read and really understand this post on spam. Just google "Ron Paul" and "Spam" and you'll see from all the complaints that he has an image problem. I have no idea if the "troops" are being told to spam or if they're just being overzealous...but those supporters should consider the consequences of articles like this on the widely read Wired blog accusing them of criminal activity. If they believe as this guy told me that "all press is good press" they should remember what happened to another Presidential hopeful named George Allen.
Either you respect people or you don't and spam is disrespectful. I'm sure that much of what Ron Paul is saying needs to be heard...but you can't avoid it...whether you're selling a politician or product...your method is the message.
